any seek a reward before they have prepared to receive it. A gambler can suddenly obtain a fortune but lose it all because he did not have the knowledge of how to save it. An artist can become an overnight superstar but find herself trapped in scandals because she did not take the time to gain experience while she was still unknown. A president can gain the highest power but find that the pyramid’s top is a lonely place if he lacks the wisdom to choose honest advisors. If you seek greatness, is it not better to spend your time preparing for it instead of simply thinking of how much you deserve it? If you cannot learn to manage your life with a little, how can you expect to manage it with a lot? Spend every waking hour in pursuit of your goals and every minute between in search of the knowledge you will need when you finally reach them.

GREATNESS HAS NO DESTINATION. ITS ROAD MUST BE TRAVELLED ENDLESSLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD.

In the busyness of life, it is easy to forget the lessons that have been learned and to lose sight of your goals. In Illuminati tradition, our members find constant guidance in the messages of our symbols. Many who have found success by following our tenets voluntarily incorporate our symbology into their artwork, architecture, and design. By scattering our messages throughout society, members can never forget the purpose of their lives, and even the lost can be led to the truth. The Pyramid, the Eye, the Light, and the Eternal Circle that form the Illuminati’s insignia serve as reminders of concepts that have guided humans for millennia. By signing the Eternal Oath, our members discover the power that hides inside their own resolutions – and by placing our signatures beneath its vows, we form a constant, physical bond between ourselves and humanity.

A time of global change is upon us. Though many are confident in these changes, many others are now uncertain about the future. All is easy when the wind is still and the ground is peaceful. But when the gusts of change begin to push against their backs, humans begin to realize how fragile they truly are.

In this Age of War, humanity stands on a perpetual precipice: staring down into the maw of oblivion, where any misstep might send them into extinction. How much turmoil can humanity withstand before it is pushed over the edge? Are these global rearrangements merely tremors beneath humanity’s feet, or are they the rumblings of the final quake?

THE STRENGTH OF A UNITY IS FOUND IN COMPROMISE.

Crowns have passed through thousands of kings and queens, each different from the previous. Like the pendulum of a clock, power swings from one side to the other in an endless passing of time. It creates a balance between two opposing forces – each side relying on the other to maintain order.

Neither side is entirely right or wrong, but neither side can relent. If the pendulum ceases to sway, the clock ceases to function.

PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER IS A FOUNDATION OF FREEDOM.

It is easy to place the blame for hardships on the shoulders of humanity’s leaders if they are not the leaders that you chose. In the minds of their opposition, a leader turns into an enemy; their mistakes turn into premeditated attacks; their human flaws turn into irreparable defects; their missteps turn into wicked conspiracies. Many refuse to see any good in those who disagree with them simply because their beliefs are different.