S.E.S. = Société égyptienne secréte (Egyptian Secret Society)  Probably the only order directly following ancient Egyptian hermeticism. It was founded in 1840, by Muhammad Ben Neftherim in Cairo. The candidate had to endure very challenging tests for membership, and the order had no more than 84 members (12 members for each of the seven degrees of initiation). The Order had a center in Egypt and a branch lodge in London.

A member of this order was the famous Czech hermetic, Petr Kohout (Pierre de Lasenic).

Lasenic’s path to the S.E.S. was more than certainly guided by Divine Providence. It is adventurous, and dangerous, but one would not expect otherwise from Lasenic…When he was traveling with a French archeology expedition to Egypt as an artist (he was drawing sketches of archeology discoveries, as the local aggressive sun prevented photographers from taking quality pictures). One day he stayed late at the archeology site, together with his archeologist friend, and was caught by a mighty sand storm. His friend died, and Lasenic, himself, breathed in so much air with sand, that he fell unconscious. When he woke up, he found himself in a tent of a strange woman who found him, and took him to her home, and took care of him for about a month, curing him. This woman and the whole village of tents were members of the S.E.S. who later initiated Lasenic into their tradition.

 

Ritual Prayer of the S. E. S.

 

We are gathered here today, to find a path and the fulfillment of the spirit.

Let’s ask, and it shall be given to us.

*pause*

Eternal and almighty power.

You, who is the father in the law.

And the mother in the nature.

Fill us with the spirit of eternity,

For the holy idea of returning into you.

ooOOoo

The path of eternity leads through time, and life of nature holds all the secrets of the magic of divine creation.

Nature is the gate, which gratefully opens to those who admire it.

Let’s ask, and it shall be given to us.

Nature, the book, in whom it is written about yourself, and in whom the students learn to read your wisdom.

Our sight looks upon you, as everything comes from you, belongs to you, and one day returns to you.

Open mercifully, your secrets, so we can carry out the thought of divine sun-hood.

He is whom he is, and with him, the human becomes the mouth of god.

Let’s ask, and it shall be given to us.

Eternal, and almighty Lord, you who promises that every time three come together in your name, you live among them, and bless them.

Give us strength so we can prevail on the journey.

{Inserted: Lasenic’s private prayer}

Oh Lord, I am giving my whole self as a sacrifice into the fire of silence, whom you are burning within a man.

Give our Lord the light of this sacrifice, that feeds the faith in you, and only you in man, as only the eternal awareness of your holy presence in the center of awakened judgement of a man, is an inexhaustible source of wisdom, strength, and beauty, with whom you (oh Lord) bless the thought, the word, the act and the wisdom of a man.

Eternal and almighty power.

Giver of all good and mercy.

You, who promises that every time three gather in your name,

You are in the middle of them and blessing them.

Let’s connect within you.

We beg you for a blessing of our efforts,

So we can find you in everything.

So we can serve you,

The way that your holiness deserves,

And so all of our deeds are a reflection of your glory.

We beg you, whom we call, the great architect of the universe.

Be the leader of our minds, and our hearts, through your warm sun,

So we can enter the glory of your light.

And when our worldly journey ends and our trials will perish,

We please ask you, so your mercy accepts us, in the Holy Spirit, on the threshold of the Temple of eternal peace.

Amen.