Since Prague is my hometown and has been a big inspiration for me, I thought I'd share something about its mysterious, esoteric side:
Prague’s local name Praha is derived from the word práh, which translates as threshold. And indeed, many agree that Prague has thresholds to other realms. Since the time of the sacred, prehistoric temples to the many supernatural legends from the antiquity, the city area has been considered a powerful energy vortex. Prague has always attracted various mystics and many esoteric societies and lodges were established here.
Charles IV, the first Bohemian king to also become Holy Roman Emperor, believed that Prague was the New Jerusalem, and built the city based on astrological, astronomical, and alchemical symbolism. The later emperor and spiritual seeker, Rudolf II., continued his legacy and turned Prague into the esoteric centre of Europe. Soon after his death came the Thirty-Years’ War, which devastated the Czech lands and its people, but didn’t manage to destroy the city itself. The city is told to have a strong, protective shield, and that’s why each time someone tries to harm it, the energy of destruction bounces off.
This could explain why it hadn’t been destroyed even during the biggest wars. Hitler, who was clearly an occultist and worked with dark magic, must have been aware of this, as he spared Prague, and actually wanted to make it his place of residence. He wanted to use the power that dwells in the city before it turned against him.
Due to the magic shield, Prague may not be beneficial to all the people living there. Its energy is strong, but tough and a sensitive soul may undergo a deep cleansing when living there. It could be because Prague thresholds do not only lead to purer dimensions, but also to the underworld, which every person approaches differently. Some feel overwhelmed by it, while others welcome it to become stronger.
Gustav Meyrink, a visionary author who lived in Prague and wrote some of his novels there, also felt that the city was a threshold to other realms. He also spoke about a group called ‘Seven Brothers’ which supposedly established towns on inter-dimensional thresholds, and that the members came from Allahabad, India. Allahabad used to be called Prayaga or Prayag, which bears a definite similarity to Praha or Prague, and means meeting place or place of the confluences in Hindi. The city was built on a convolution of three rivers, but who knows whether there was a deeper meaning to that title.
In regard to the legend, Meyrink also mentioned a mysterious Masonic lodge, the Sat Bhai. Curiously, the name translates to ‘seven brothers’ in Hindi, and in one of their texts, Prague is referred to as Pryaya.
Meyrink wasn’t the only mystic fascinated with Prague. Among others were also Franz Kafka, Rudolf Steiner, John Dee, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler or rabbi Lowe, who is associated with the legendary Golem, but that’s a whole other chapter of its own…
It is without a doubt that one can feel the magic of the city when walking its convoluted streets, when standing on top of its hills, or when gazing at river Moldau, which cradles the mysterious gem called Moldavite.
Many of the local ancient buildings hold the key to the city’s enigma.
If one observes them closely, he may notice many symbols inspired by alchemy, astrology, or the tarot. Be your own judge when you visit Prague, as each eye may see its reality differently…
More about mysterious Prague in my novel The Merkaba Mystery