It will seem strange to people when I say that prehistoric Egypt was Christian many thousands of years before the birth of Christ, that is to say, that its religion was composed of the same principles and ideas that constitute true Christianity. – George Gurdjieff
It is not uncommon for esoteric teachings to borrow from known myths and legends and rework them to suit their culture. The parallel themes and imagery–such as climbing mountains, surviving floods, overcoming barriers, struggling against antagonists, communicating with gods and goddesses, creation, death, and rebirth—protected the inner meaning, so although many religions appear to conflict with one another in their outward message and form, the inner message remained constant. Each subsequent esoteric school would recognize the inner meaning and use it in their new formulation of the quest for Divine Presence.
Traces of esoteric school traditions include:
Pre-historic
Egypt
The Sumerian tradition
Zoroastrianism
Tarot
Toltec
Hinduism
Taoism
Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Judaism
Christianity
Philokalia
Gothic cathedral builders
Islam
Sufism
The Fourth Way