Curriculum
Your Journey
Welcome to the most complete map of human transformation ever assembled. What you'll find here isn't merely a course of study. It's a complete progression through fifteen distinct wisdom traditions, each offering its unique gifts while contributing to an integrated whole.
Why Fifteen Pillars?
Humanity has produced countless philosophical schools, spiritual traditions, and transformational methodologies. Through careful study spanning centuries, the Order has identified fifteen essential streams of wisdom that, when combined, provide everything needed for complete human development. Each represents a crucial aspect of transformation that cannot be fully replaced by any other.
These aren't arbitrary selections. Each pillar was chosen because it offers something indispensable. A piece of the puzzle that, without it, leaves transformation incomplete. The Western tradition brings the power of reason and individual will. The Eastern offers flow and interconnection. The Stoics provide strength. The Vedantists reveal ultimate identity. The mystery schools guard esoteric practices. Together, they form a complete technology of transformation.
The Three-Fold Path
Unlike academic philosophy courses or spiritual retreats that focus on single aspects of development, MAAOoT works with the complete human being through three integrated dimensions:
Spirit/Soul - Through engagement with primary philosophical texts, you'll examine humanity's deepest questions and find the universal patterns that appear across all traditions. This isn't passive reading. It's active dialogue with the greatest minds in history.
Mind - Each pillar includes two practical psychological techniques (Keys) for working with mental patterns, breaking through resistance, and creating lasting change. These aren't theoretical concepts but practical methods you'll apply daily.
Body - Progressive physical practices ground philosophical understanding in somatic reality. From breath work to posture, from walking meditation to cold exposure, each pillar includes embodiment practices that can sustain months of study.
1. The Axial Pillar
The Foundation of Transformation
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Hermes Trismegistus, the Thrice-Great, who bridges all traditions as the legendary teacher of teachers
-
Core Concept: Metanoia - the complete transformation of consciousness itself
-
Sacred Symbol: The Ouroboros, representing eternal return and the cycle of transformation
-
Foundational Myth: The Emerald Tablet and its timeless principle "As above, so below"
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: Deep engagement with The Epic of Gilgamesh, humanity's oldest story of seeking meaning
-
Mind Training: Two transformative psychological techniques for recognising and working with internal resistance
-
Body Practice: Progressive breath awareness that builds the foundation for all future somatic work
-
Daily Practice: Beginning with just 5 minutes, establishing your Inner Hour routine
Why This Comes First
The Axial Pillar establishes the essential principle of transformation itself. Before examining specific traditions, you must understand the universal pattern of change that underlies them all. This pillar gives you the techniques to work with resistance and create the daily practice container for your entire programme.
2. The Western Pillar
The Birth of Philosophy
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Pythagoras, the first to call himself a "philosopher" (lover of wisdom)
-
Core Concept: Logos - the principle of cosmic order, reason, and meaningful speech
-
Sacred Symbol: The Sacred Fire or Eternal Flame of consciousness
-
Foundational Myth: The Music of the Spheres - the hidden harmony underlying all existence
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: Homer's Odyssey as the archetypal return home to the Self
-
Mind Training: Techniques for reversing avoidance patterns and connecting to your stable centre of wisdom
-
Body Practice: Daily walking practice progressing from 10 to 45 minutes of mindful movement
-
Integration: Understanding how reason and embodiment work together
The Western Foundation
This pillar establishes the Western philosophical tradition's unique contributions: the power of reason, the hero's path of individuation, and the quest for truth through disciplined inquiry. You'll learn how ancient Greek wisdom remains startlingly relevant to modern transformation.
3. The Eastern Pillar
The Way of Flow
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Laozi, the Old Master who synthesised Eastern wisdom
-
Core Concept: Dao - the Way that cannot be named yet underlies everything
-
Sacred Symbol: The Yin-Yang, representing dynamic balance and complementary opposites
-
Foundational Myth: Indra's Net - the infinite interconnectedness of all phenomena
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, examining the nature of consciousness itself
-
Mind Training: Compassion practices and methods for surrendering to life's natural flow
-
Body Practice: Body scan meditation for building somatic awareness
-
Integration: Balancing effort with effortlessness in daily life
Eastern Wisdom Integration
Here you encounter the Eastern understanding of consciousness, interconnection, and the wisdom of wu wei (effortless action). This pillar teaches you to work with life's currents rather than against them.
4. The Socratic Pillar
The Examined Life
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Socrates, the gadfly of Athens who knew that he knew nothing
-
Core Concept: Gnothi Seauton (know thyself) - the foundation of all wisdom
-
Sacred Symbol: The Gadfly or Question Mark, representing perpetual inquiry
-
Foundational Myth: The Oracle at Delphi declaring Socrates the wisest man alive
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: Plato's Apology, Socrates' defence of the philosophical life
-
Mind Training: Building your inner daemon (guide) and the art of questioning assumptions
-
Body Practice: Sleep hygiene protocol for optimising consciousness through rest
-
Integration: Living the examined life in modern times
The Power of Questions
Socrates teaches us that wisdom begins with admitting ignorance. This pillar builds your capacity for self-inquiry and helps you distinguish between what you think you know and what you truly understand.
5. The Buddhism/Jainism Pillar
The Middle Way
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: The Buddha, the Awakened One
-
Core Concept: Dukkha - the nature of suffering and dissatisfaction
-
Sacred Symbol: The Dharma Wheel, representing the Noble Eightfold Path
-
Foundational Myth: Buddha's Four Sights that sparked his quest for liberation
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Dhammapada, the Buddha's essential teachings
-
Mind Training: Working with difficult truths and cultivating appreciation practices
-
Body Practice: Mindful eating as a gateway to present-moment awareness
-
Integration: Finding the middle way between extremes
Liberation Through Understanding
This pillar introduces the Buddhist understanding of suffering's causes and the path to liberation. You'll learn practical methods for working with life's inherent challenges while cultivating peace.
6. The Platonic Pillar
The Architecture of Reality
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Plato, architect of Western metaphysics
-
Core Concept: Eidos - the eternal Forms behind temporary appearances
-
Sacred Symbol: The Divided Line, mapping levels of reality and knowledge
-
Foundational Myth: The Allegory of the Cave - humanity's most influential thought experiment
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: Selected books from The Republic, examining justice and the ideal life
-
Mind Training: Techniques for distinguishing illusion from reality and ascending to clarity
-
Body Practice: Eye health and vision practices connecting sight to understanding
-
Integration: Seeing beyond appearances in daily experience
From Shadows to Light
Plato's Cave remains our most potent metaphor for awakening. This pillar builds your ability to perceive the deeper patterns behind surface phenomena and move from opinion to knowledge.
7. The Confucian Pillar
The Harmony of Society
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Confucius (Kong Qiu), the teacher of cultural transformation
-
Core Concept: Ren (仁) - humaneness, the virtue that makes us truly human
-
Sacred Symbol: The character 仁 itself, showing a person in relationship
-
Foundational Myth: The Dream of the Duke of Zhou, ideal governance through virtue
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Analects, Confucius's collected wisdom
-
Mind Training: Cultivating humaneness and the power of micro-commitments
-
Body Practice: Posture and alignment work affecting mental and social presence
-
Integration: Creating harmony through personal cultivation
The Social Dimension
While other traditions focus on individual liberation, Confucius teaches that we transform through relationships. This pillar builds your capacity for ethical leadership and social harmony.
8. The Aristotelian Pillar
Excellence Through Practice
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Aristotle, the master of those who know
-
Core Concept: Hexis - excellence achieved through repeated right action
-
Sacred Symbol: The Golden Mean, the balance point between extremes
-
Foundational Myth: The Great Chain of Being, everything seeking its highest potential
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Nicomachean Ethics, the manual for human flourishing
-
Mind Training: Building excellence habits and recognising golden moments
-
Body Practice: Habit stacking for health optimisation
-
Integration: Making virtue second nature
The Science of Flourishing
Aristotle shows that excellence isn't an act but a habit. This pillar teaches you to build virtues systematically, creating a life of eudaimonia (flourishing) through practical wisdom.
9. The Daoist Pillar
The Art of Not-Forcing
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Zhuangzi, the playful sage of transformation
-
Core Concept: Wu Wei - effortless action aligned with natural patterns
-
Sacred Symbol: Flowing water, which overcomes by yielding
-
Foundational Myth: Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream - who dreams whom?
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Zhuangzi, parables of spontaneous wisdom
-
Mind Training: Dissolving rigidity and practising effortless engagement
-
Body Practice: Hydration and flow practices for physical fluidity
-
Integration: Moving through life like water
The Paradox of Effort
Where Western philosophy emphasises will, Daoism teaches the power of yielding. This pillar builds your capacity to achieve without straining, to influence without forcing.
10. The Stoic Pillar
The Fortress of Mind
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor
-
Core Concept: Apatheia - equanimity in the face of fate
-
Sacred Symbol: The Pillar itself, standing unmoved by external forces
-
Foundational Myth: Hercules at the Crossroads between virtue and vice
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Meditations, Marcus Aurelius's private journal
-
Mind Training: Memento mori practices and building inner fortress strategies
-
Body Practice: Cold exposure training for building strength
-
Integration: Practical philosophy for modern challenges
The Paradox of Effort
The Stoics teach that while we cannot control events, we can control our responses. This pillar builds unshakeable inner strength and the ability to maintain virtue regardless of circumstances.
11. The Vedantic Pillar
The Science of Self
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Yajnavalkya, the great sage of the Upanishads
-
Core Concept: Tat Tvam Asi - "Thou Art That," the unity of individual and cosmic consciousness
-
Sacred Symbol: Om (ॐ), the primordial sound of existence
-
Foundational Myth: The Salt Doll dissolving in the ocean of consciousness
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Bhagavad Gita, the yoga of action and knowledge
-
Mind Training: Working with illusion (maya) and building witness consciousness
-
Body Practice: Nasal breathing and pranayama for energy regulation
-
Integration: Recognising the Self in all experiences
The Ultimate Identity
Vedanta examines the deepest question: "Who am I?" This pillar builds your capacity to distinguish between the temporary personality and the eternal Self.
12. The Mystery Pillar
The Hidden Teaching
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Orpheus, the one who descended and returned
-
Core Concept: Mysteria - the sacred secrets revealed through initiation
-
Sacred Symbol: The Sealed Lips or Veiled Eye, protecting sacred knowledge
-
Foundational Myth: The Descent and Return from the underworld
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Corpus Hermeticum, the secret teachings of Hermes
-
Mind Training: Working with life force energy and the veils of perception
-
Body Practice: Sound and vibration therapy for consciousness alteration
-
Integration: Living with sacred mystery
Initiation Into Mystery
The mystery schools taught that some knowledge cannot be spoken, only experienced. This pillar introduces you to the esoteric dimensions of transformation that lie beyond ordinary understanding.
13. The 100 Schools Pillar
The Great Synthesis
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: The Wandering Sage, representing all schools of thought
-
Core Concept: Bai Jia - the hundred schools contending yet unified
-
Sacred Symbol: The Thousand-Petaled Lotus of infinite perspectives
-
Foundational Myth: The Shattered Mirror - one truth, countless reflections
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Mozi, representing alternative philosophical paths
-
Mind Training: Synthesis methods for integrating opposing truths
-
Body Practice: Personalised integration of all previous practices
-
Integration: Becoming a living synthesis
Unity in Diversity
This pillar teaches you to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously, to find truth in paradox, and to synthesise the wisdom of all previous pillars into your unique expression.
14. The Levantine Pillar
The Sacred Science
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: Thoth/Imhotep, architect of sacred knowledge
-
Core Concept: Ma'at - truth, justice, and cosmic harmony
-
Sacred Symbol: The Ankh, key of life and immortality
-
Foundational Myth: The Weighing of the Heart against the feather of truth
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Egyptian Book of the Dead, navigation through transformation
-
Mind Training: Truth-weighing practices and resurrection methodologies
-
Body Practice: Sun exposure and circadian rhythm optimisation
-
Integration: Living in alignment with cosmic order
Ancient Technology
Egypt preserved a sacred science that unified architecture, medicine, and consciousness. This pillar shows how ancient technology of transformation remains relevant for modern seekers.
15. The Olmec Pillar
The Root Teaching
What You'll Explore
-
Guardian Figure: The Jaguar Shaman, the first priest-king
-
Core Concept: Ollin - sacred movement and cosmic rhythm
-
Sacred Symbol: The Were-Jaguar, bridging human and divine
-
Foundational Myth: The Descent into the Nine Underworlds
Your Journey Through This Pillar
-
Philosophical Study: The Popol Vuh, the Mayan book of creation
-
Mind Training: Spiral dynamics and root foundation practices
-
Body Practice: Grounding and earth connection techniques
-
Integration: Rooting wisdom in the earth
Return to Source
The final pillar returns you to the earth, to the primal wisdom that predates civilisation. Here you learn to ground all you've gained, rooting transcendence in the soil of daily life.
The Complete Journey
Each pillar builds upon the previous while standing complete in itself. Together, they form a complete system of human transformation that honours all traditions while transcending any single one.
This is not merely learning about philosophy. It's becoming a complete practitioner of transformation. Through Trikala, the three-fold path, you build:
-
Mental mastery through thirty psychological techniques that rewire limiting patterns
-
Physical strength through progressive body practices that build over years
-
Spiritual depth through engagement with humanity's greatest wisdom texts
-
Daily integration through your Inner Hour practice that weaves all three into one
By the programme's completion, you won't just understand different traditions. You'll embody them. You'll breathe with the Daoists, question with Socrates, build strength with the Stoics, and ground transcendence with the Olmecs. Your nervous system will be regulated through years of practice. Your mind will possess practical techniques for any challenge. Your spirit will rest in the universal wisdom that unites all paths.
The programme typically takes years of dedicated practice, with each pillar requiring approximately deep engagement. This time is necessary because you're not just learning. You're literally rebuilding yourself. New neural pathways take months to establish. Physical practices require progressive development. Philosophical understanding must be lived, not just understood. By joining us, you are not signing up for a course that you simply finish and move on; you are joining a way of life.
By the programme's completion, you will have built a complete temple of transformation within yourself. One that draws from humanity's greatest wisdom traditions while remaining uniquely your own. You'll be capable of moving between worlds because you've trained across all dimensions, synthesising opposites because you've practised holding paradox, and embodying wisdom because it lives in your breath, your movement, your daily practice.
This is the fullness of Trikala: Mind, Body, and Spirit united in one integrated path of becoming.