“To thee, most holy Nile, I cry, to thee I foretell that which shall be; swollen with torrents of blood, thou wilt rise to the level of thy banks, and thy sacred waves will be not only stained, but utterly fouled with gore. […] O Egypt, Egypt, of thy religion nothing will remain but an empty tale, which thine own children in time to come will not believe; nothing will be left but graven words, and only the stones will tell of thy piety.”
The wisdom of a holy Sage of ancient Egypt from millennia past continues to illuminate our modern world. His name is Hermes Trismegistus, meaning “Hermes the Thrice-Greatest” in ancient Greek. He is recognized as a synthesis of the Greek God Hermes and the Egyptian God Thoth – Divine scribes who were entrusted with preserving and transmitting sacred knowledge. A growing number of spiritual seekers have studied the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus to gain new insights and inspiration. As one Who had mastered three areas of study – alchemy, astrology, and theurgy – the Revered Hermes is considered an unequaled philosopher, priest, and king.
Readings from the famous so-called “sleeping prophet” of the United States, Edgar Cayce, suggest that Hermes and Thoth were actually one individual who lived in the time of the Atlantean civilization. Foreseeing its downfall, this individual migrated with His followers to Egypt, bringing with Him Atlantean knowledge and technologies. He was thought to have lived for about 300 years and was the inspiration for the construction of the monumental pyramids in ancient Egypt.
The renowned French astrologer and clairvoyant Nostradamus recognized the spiritual stature of Hermes Trismegistus when he described His connection to the Great King or Savior of the future in Quatrain 75, Century X of Les Prophéties.
“Long awaited He will never return, In Europe, He will appear in Asia: One of the league issued from the great Hermes, And He will grow over all the Kings of the East.”
Hermes Trismegistus’ teachings formed the foundation of Hermetism, a philosophical and spiritual tradition that emphasized the Divine potential of humanity to achieve direct connection with God. This approach profoundly influenced Western mysticism and philosophy. Even scientists such as Isaac Newton (vegetarian) studied and translated Hermes’ work.
Although many of Hermes Trismegistus’ ancient writings were destroyed over time, certain translated Hermetic texts managed to survive. In the early 20th century, Hermetism was reintroduced to the world in a book called “The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece.” The book’s author, known as “Three Initiates,” was thought to be William Walker Atkinson, a writer from the United States who was an early proponent of the spiritual movement known as New Thought.
“The Kybalion outlines seven Hermetic principles that govern the universe: Mentalism, correspondence, vibration, polarity, rhythm, cause and effect, and gender. Each principle acts as a key to unlock the mysteries of existence, revealing how our thoughts, emotions, and actions shape the world around us. The first principle, Mentalism, is particularly crucial for understanding how to shift your reality, as it declares that The All is Mind; the universe is mental. Mentalism teaches that everything in the universe originates from thought. The external world is a reflection of the internal world; to change your reality, you must first change your thoughts.”
The works of Hermes Trismegistus include “The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus,” a foundational text whose famous phrase, “As above, so below,” highlights the interconnectedness of the macrocosm and microcosm. In describing the universal laws that govern all creation, this volume offers insights into the spiritual transformation that allows one to achieve eternal inner bliss.
Another work by Hermes Trismegistus is “Corpus Hermeticum,” written between the 1st and 3rd centuries BC. The first treatise in the Corpus Hermeticum is the discourse of Poimandres, a Divine being with brilliant Light whom Hermes encountered during His meditation.
“‘Who are you?’ said I. He said, ‘I am Poimandres the Nous of the Supreme. I know what you wish and I am with you everywhere.’ ‘I wish to learn,’ said I, ‘the things that are and understand their nature and to know God. O how I wish to hear these things!’ He spoke to me again. ‘Hold in your Nous all that you wish to learn and I will teach you.’”
Visions unfolded, Hermes saw a spark igniting the cosmos, birthing galaxies, stars, and the worlds. “This was the Word, the Divine intention shaping reality. Within you lies this Spark,” Poimandres revealed, “You are both Creator and creation, a reflection of the Infinite.” Hermes then saw humanity lost in illusion, their Divine essence clouded by material distractions. Poimandres spoke with a solemn truth, “Many wander in shadows, forgetting the Light within.” Finally, Hermes beheld a harmonious Universe governed by sacred Laws. Every cycle, every pattern reflected Divine order. Poimandres’ final decree echoed, “Know yourself and you shall know the Universe and the Gods.” As the vision faded, Hermes returned, transformed, realizing the Keys to life’s mysteries lay within us all.
After receiving this cosmic knowledge, Hermes awoke and was filled with an overwhelming sense of Divine Truth. Ordered by Poimandres to “become as a guide to those who wander in darkness,” Hermes Trismegistus dedicated Himself to sharing these revelations so that people could rise from their “sleep of ignorance” to realize that their Home is “not in the earth but in the Light.”
Hermes Trismegistus was not only an Enlightened Master of Divine Wisdom, but also a Prophet. His text “Asclepius,” a conversation with His disciple Asclepius, foretold the future of Egypt as well as that of the world. It begins as follows:
“Do you know, Asclepius, that Egypt is an image of Heaven, or to speak more exactly, in Egypt all the operations of the powers which rule and work in Heaven are present in the Earth below? In fact, it should be said that the whole Cosmos dwells in this our land as in a sanctuary.”
Hermes Trismegistus then proceeds to describe a sad vision of the future.
“There will come a time when it will have been in vain that Egyptians have honoured the deity with heartfelt piety and assiduous service; and all our holy worship will be bootless and ineffectual. For the Gods will return from Earth to Heaven. Egypt will be forsaken, and the land which was once the home of religion will be left desolate, bereft of the presence of its deities.”
“This land and region will be filled with foreigners; not only will men neglect the service of the Gods, but, even harder, a prohibition under penalty prescribed by law will be enacted against reverence, fidelity and Divine worship. […] In that day will our most holy land, this land of shrines and temples, be filled with funerals and corpses.
To thee, most holy Nile, I cry, to thee I foretell that which shall be; swollen with torrents of blood, thou wilt rise to the level of thy banks, and thy sacred waves will be not only stained, but utterly fouled with gore. […] O Egypt, Egypt, of thy religion nothing will remain but an empty tale, which thine own children in time to come will not believe; nothing will be left but graven words, and only the stones will tell of thy piety.”
Hermes’ prophecy was fulfilled with striking accuracy. The Egyptian civilization’s decline began in 391–392 CE when Emperor Theodosius I came to power, subsequently leading to widespread destruction of temples and sacred icons, and the death of many wise philosophers and spiritual people. Later, various foreign forces invaded the land, enforced cultural and religious suppression, and wreaked further devastation. Today, the spoken form of the Ancient Egyptian language is no longer commonly used, and traditional temples largely serve as tourist attractions rather than places of worship. The Nile River, the lifeline of the country, is in a deprived state as well.
“This is the majestic Nile, the world’s longest river, crucial to the survival of millions of people. The Nile is basically a life source for them. But now the river’s existence is threatened like never before. Everywhere you walk, it’s all plastic.
We followed the polluted waters from the river’s source. For the first time, we revealed the full extent of plastic pollution across five countries. All of this. (All of this.) Or large parts of it could end up being washed (washed down.) straight down. That’s plastic in the middle of nowhere.”
In the last two decades, with an increasing human population, the animal-people meat industry has more than doubled, while at the same time, the nation of Egypt lacks animal-people welfare protection laws and regulations. Perhaps the “torrents of blood” in Hermes Trismegistus’ vision referred to the blood of our innocent animal friends who have been murdered at exponential rates.
The methane gas released from the animal-people raising industry has accelerated global warming and climate change, resulting in unusual flooding, extreme weather events, environmental destruction, pollution, and other issues.
On May 31, 2025, the city of Alexandria was hit by an unprecedented hail storm, with sweeping winds and rainfall that caused massive flooding across the city.
“Egypt’s capital, Cairo, has been recorded as one of the top polluted cities in the world. With over 20 million people living in Cairo alone, environmental pollution is more than threefold of the safety net. Environmental issues have become a great concern.
The problem is not only the pollution itself but its effects mainly on people’s health. Two people out of a thousand or nearly 1 million people will develop health issues in the next few years.
Fatal diseases such as cancer are a result of the situation. The World Health Organization reports air pollution in downtown Cairo as 10 to 100 [times] over the safe limit. Two main reasons, experts say, are overcrowdedness and industrialization.”
Similar destruction and decay are also happening around the world.
Hermes Trismegistus’ lament reminds us of the weeping of the Gods at the Dharma Ending Age described by Shakyamuni Buddha (vegan) thousands of years ago.
“When the Dharma is about to perish, all the Gods will begin to weep. Rivers will dry up and the five grains will not ripen. […] The mighty rivers will flood and lose harmony with their natural cycles, yet people will not take notice or feel concern. Extremes of climate will soon be taken for granted.”
What else did Hermes Trismegistus foresee, and is there hope for humanity? We’ll explore more about this topic in the next episode.
