The Shining Ones: The World's Most Powerful Secret Society Revealed »

The truth is revealed here, in the only book that tells the story of a very ancient worldwide priesthood. Its mission: to preserve the group’s secret knowledge for the good of humanity…and control the development of the world. The first edition of The Shining Ones sold more than 45,000 copies in the UK alone, and three-quarters of this revised version is entirely new material. The “Shining Ones” belonged to an advanced culture that kept its wisdom alive through mythology and legend, and by embedding it in art, architecture, and literature (including the Bible). Authors Philip Gardiner and Gary Osborn, who spent years researching this secret society, have uncovered its influence in every major religion with roots in the ancient world—as well as in science, mysticism, philosophy, and politics.

Acknowledgements ix

List of Illustrations x

Preface Philip Gardiner xiii

Introduction xv

Part 1 A System of Knowledge

1 The Prehistoric Link: Early Religious Beliefs and Rituals 2

2 Kundalini and the Inner Sun: Solar Cults and the Enlightenment Experience 13

3 Three and Seven: The 'Law of Three' and 'Law of Seven' in Shamanic Cosmology 33

4 Light from Darkness: The Power and Influence of the Shaman 68

5 The 'Source Civilization'?: The Origin of the Shining Ones 35

6 The Tree and the Cross: Symbols of Spiritual Rebirth 99

7 The Myth of the Phoenix: The Bird of Enlightenment 109

8 The Eye of Ra: Godhead, Seed, Source-Centre and Inner Sun 123

Part 2 The Shining Ones in History and Myth

9 The Anunnaki: The Shining Ones of Ancient Mesopotamia 134

10 Neteru, Akhu, Shemsu Hon The Shining Ones in Egypt 156

11 Angels, Nephilim, Watchers, Dreamers: The Shining Ones in the Bible and The Book of Enoch 187

12 Giants: Memories of the Watchers? 201

13 Israel in Egypt: The Shining Roots of Judaism 215

14 Shining Ones of the East: Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism 229

Part 3 The Shining Ones Today

15 Secret Societies: A Modern Link-to the Shining Ores 238

16 The Present Day: Where are the Shining Ones Now? 249

Appendix: Threes and Sevens in World Myth, Religion and Folklore 269

Notes 275

Bibliography 290

Index 301