Primal Wisdom of the Ancients: The Cosmological Plan for Humanity

This is the second of Laird’s books that I have read, and it was just as fascinating as the first one!Laird continues to expand on his original theories. Although he does an overview in each book to summarize the previous books, I think it is essential to read them all to get all the fine details.Leslie ZehrAuthor, Mentor and Host of The Universal Dancer Podcast

This book has provided some of the missing pieces to a life long search for the wisdom and true history of our ancestors. An excellent read as well as a fantastic resource.

For any serious student of the esoteric tradition, careful study of the work of Laird Scranton is imperative, especially his series on comparative cosmology, starting with his books on the Dogon of Mali and continuing on to those correlating science with myth and symbol of other widely distant ancient cultures like those of Egypt, India, Tibet, China, the Maori, Neolithic Scotland, and Gobekli Tepe. It is highly recommended that the reader begin with at least a few of his previous volumes in order to get the fullest understanding from this latest offering.Scranton writes clearly, with due emphasis on what he feels is most important, well defines his terms, and repeats his conclusions at various points in his books to guarantee you will go away with the fullest comprehension of what he has to say. What at first may seem to be simple concepts upon closer observation turn out to be quite sophisticated, indicating an understanding by the ancients that is well beyond what we give them credit for. Although we certainly hope this is not Scranton’s final book, it is, nevertheless, a summary and culmination of his others on cosmology and on his findings regarding the common legacy of very ancient sources regarding the science of creation as taught to future generations through the use symbols and myths.Through our author’s extensive research and subsequent syntheses, it becomes apparent that many civilizations on earth in the distant past had a clear knowledge of the generation and workings of the cosmos---a knowledge we, in modern times, are only now beginning to fathom. As a direct continuation of his 2017 book, Seeking the Primordial, he revisits in more detail the universal concept of two universes: the material, physical, “existent” one that we know from our everyday experience and a non-material, metaphysical, “non-existent” one which lays over this one but in a different dimension(s). From a wide variety of archaic myths and symbols we come to see how the two universes reciprocally ascend and descend (scroll back and forth with each other), alternate time frames and speeds, and transfer energy in a kind of hourglass fashion (in what might be termed the Hindu Yuga Cycle) with the strongest point of contact between the two when they are at a point of equal size, strength, and time parity. That point of maximum contact is described by the ancient cultures as akin to the rippling surface plane where air meets water.Such metaphors as the common boundary of water/air and earth/sky are replete in the stories handed down to us through many generations to make what Scranton calls “parallel” comparisons. It’s perhaps the easiest way to describe complex cosmological concepts in understandable terms. It is in this same metaphorical way, even prior to the introduction of written language and advanced mathematics, using orally transmitted myths and mnemonic devices, root words, glyphs and pictorial symbols, sacred architecture and geometric shapes, and even animal qualities that the ancients tell us about such phenomena as the formation of matter from virtual to actual state, how perception collapses the wave function into observable particles, relativity and time dilation and contraction, extra dimensions beyond the one of time and three of space, the spinning vortex nature of mass creation, angular momentum, quantum entanglement, electromagnetism, aether gateways, the origin of light and vibrational wave energy, and much more.Critical to Scranton’s study is the message from the ancients that “the ‘seeds’ of reality itself are said to be retained in the nonmaterial universe, and what we in the material universe perceive as reality actually constitutes a kind of reflected image. This perspective recalls Plato’s famous allegory of shadows on a cave wall.” Further, “[T]he nonmaterial realm is described as having ‘perfect knowledge, but an inability to act,’ while the material universe is said to be endowed with ‘imperfect knowledge, but with full ability to act.’” Given that as true, it would seem the ancients left us with a challenge that has come down through the ages in the form of esoteric teaching to be carefully transmitted from one initiate to another---a teaching that includes the secret knowledge of the creational processes of the universe and our relationship to them. It seems obvious that the ancients expected “that once aware of the broader picture, humanity could make better choices about what we do and how we conduct ourselves.”Most importantly, our author concludes, “Whoever formulated the instructional plan seems to have understood that later generations might have difficulty validating some of the root concepts of creation….For this reason, one of the implied motives of the esoteric tradition seems to be to select and train potential caretakers who are both aware of and sensitive to the ultimate plight of nonmaterial consciousness….The archaically instructed cosmological knowledge seems to have been targeted to the era in which we presently live---one that has achieved a modicum of its own technological understanding. This particular era also seems to be postured at a point of transition for the cycle of scrolling energy. In the context of the Yuga Cycle, we understand that without specific supporting societal structures a fully descended material universe might not even be capable of perceiving the presence of a nonmaterial domain, let alone interacting productively with it. The symbolic cosmology, paired with its companion set of civilizing structures, work together on behalf of all involved to perceive the memory of that now largely imperceptible universe. And, because the cyclical nature of the relationship implies that each universe takes its alternate turn at descending and ascending, there is an ongoing mutual obligation for each to play the role either as informant or companion for the other, and thereby perpetuate what we see as the plan of ancient cosmology.”This review first appeared in New Dawn magazine, Issue No. 183.

Laird does a great job of condensing all of his research, past books, and hypotheses into one book. For anyone who likes big picture thinking, theories of everything, Cosmology/Physics, and ancient symbolism this is a must read. I have had the privilege of interviewing him for our podcast a few times and he is a wealth of knowledge on these topics and his passion for them is infectious.

Although some parts were interesting, the majority of the book was a bit TOO esoteric for me (if that's even possible!) He's not the easiest author to read, that's for sure.

Was given as a gift. Person reading is a knowledge seeker and they said it was very informative

Too esoteric for me. Got almost nothing from it. Not for uninitiates.

Good read

This is a worst book I have ever read.