freemasonry fundamental perspectives introduction

books:

2 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Modern West & traditional East: insurmountable barriers?
Nowadays, when the East is mentioned, and more specifically, the traditional East, immediately rise almost insurmountable barriers, such the differences of mental physiognomy that characterizes the modern westerners and the orientals. Few know that, only six centuries ago, the Occident had much more points in common that divergences, in relation to the East, because both had ther ...

Perspectives on Initiation
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Perspectives on Initiation presents initiation as essentially the transmission, by the appropriate rites of a given tradition, of a 'spiritual influence' which represents the 'beginning' (initium) of the spiritual journey. It is unique in giving a comprehensive account both of the conditions of initiation and of the characteristics of organizations qualified to transmit it. While most of its 48 chapters deal with specific aspects of initiation, ...

Man and His Becoming according to the Vedanta (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

2 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

The Goal is Union with the Ultimate
Coomaraswamy called this work the best account of the Vedanta in any European language. Coomaraswamy would have known. Guenon points out that the Vedanta is neither religion, nor is it a philosophy, in the Western sense. What is it then? It is a complete way of life. More than this, it is in and of itself, the totality of existence. It is the true Metaphysic. You see, Western thinking always ...

The Reign of Quantity & the Signs of the Times

15 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Wonderful work, but not for beginners
I must admit, it's taken me several tries to work my way through this. Guenon's use of quotes and semicolons to extend the length of phrases ranks here at an all time high. Many sentences here stretch for half a page. That said, I'm convinced that may be the fault of the translator, as not all of Guenon's works are quite so bad in that regard. Regardless, I won't dwell much in this short ...

Insights into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism

1 review
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Guénon on Sufism and Taoism
First published in 1973 as "Aperçus sur l'ésoterisme islamique et le taoisme" (Gallimard, Paris), this book is a posthumous collection of articles that Guénon (who died in 1951) wrote for various french journals. As such, there is no overiding theme to the book as one finds in the works of Guénon that were conceived as books in the first place. However, as Guénon says on several occasions, his ...

Symbols of Sacred Science (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

1 review
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

A great work by the great Rene Guenon
Guenon's Symbols of Sacred Science prooves to be one of his most important works, wonderfully translated and in an impressive new edition.

Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

3 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

The best door to know the real East.
Surprisingly, René Guénon didn't approve the title of this that was his first book, "baptized" by his French editor; in chat with friends, he admitted that considered it excessively academic, capable of keeping away many persons that could be perfectly capable of understanding it. Actually, this book not constitutes only an introduction to the study of the Hindu doctrines, but to all the ...

The Symbolism of the Cross

3 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

The deep esoteric meaning of the Cross
To read this book is to never see the Cross in the same way again. This is because it will become immeasurably more to you. Indeed, the metaphysician and mathematician Guenon demonstrates the symbol of the Cross to be the fundamental key, model, and archetypical pattern to all of creation. Briefly, the upper axis of the cross is shown to be the spiritual axis. This is the divine ray of emanation ...

The Multiple States of the Being (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

1 review
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Infinity and possibility
This book has a reputation for being the most difficult of Guenon's purely metaphysical works. Perhaps this is because it is an explanation, or rather introduction, to the totality of Creation- manifest, unmanifest, higher, lower, and probable. Here are described the manifest worlds of the material plane (the least part of creation), the higher planes of more subtle states (touched upon in _The ...

The Crisis of the Modern World (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

14 reviews
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Rene Guenon and the Crisis of the Modern World.
In perhaps his most important work, _The Crisis of the Modern World_, traditionalist thinker Rene Guenon outlines his philosophy and shows how the traditional outlook is opposed by modern developments. Guenon begins by noting that the modern world has brought about a crisis, conceived by many in terms of apocalypse and the "end times" (the coming dark age of the Kali Yuga in terms of Hindu ...

Initiation and Spiritual Realization
Rene Guenon, Henry D. Fohr, ...

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Initiation and Spiritual Realization is the closest thing to a work on 'spiritual direction' René Guénon ever wrote, touching as it does upon such vital topics as the transmission of initiatic grace, the various types and functions of the spiritual master, obstacles the aspirant is likely to encounter, different modes of contemplation, and the degrees of spiritual realization. A companion volume to Perspectives on Initiation, where Guénon had ...

Insights into Christian Esoterism
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

In the first part of the present work, Guénon addresses the role of sacred languages and the principle of initiation in the Christian tradition. The second part deals with such esoteric Christian themes and organizations as the Holy Grail, the Guardians of the Holy Land, the Sacred Heart, the Fedeli d'Amore and 'Courts of Love', and the Secret Language of Dante. The book closes with a lengthy study on St Bernard of Clairvaux. Guénon's The ...

The Spiritist Fallacy (Guenon, Rene. Works.)
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Many readers of Guénon's doctrinal works have hoped for translations of his detailed exposés of Theosophy and Spiritism. Sophia Perennis is pleased to make available both these important titles as part of the Collected Works of René Guénon. Whereas Theosophy: History of a Pseudo-Religion centers primarily on historical details, The Spiritist Fallacy, though packed also with arcane facts, is unique in revealing how one of the greatest ...

The Esoterism of Dante (Guenon, Rene. Works.)
Rene Guenon, Samuel D. Fohr, ...

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Without pretending to be thorough on so inexhaustible a subject, in The Esoterism of Dante Guénon nonetheless casts an unexpected light onto a specifically esoteric and initiatic aspect of Dante's work, and above all of his Divine Comedy. Dante was without doubt far more than a literary genius, and one is justified in thinking that many treasures remain to be discovered in what Guénon calls 'the spiritual testament of the Middle Ages'. The ...

Studies in Freemasonry and the Compagnonnage
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2005

René Guénon (1886-1951) was one of the great luminaries of the twentieth century, whose critique of the modern world has stood fast against the shifting sands of intellectual fashion. His extensive writings, now finally available in English, are a providential treasure-trove for the modern seeker: while pointing ceaselessly to the perennial wisdom found in past cultures ranging from the Shamanistic to the Indian and Chinese, the Hellenic and ...

The Great Triad (Guenon, Rene.)
Rene Guenon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Guénon's The Great Triad was the last book to appear during his lifetime. Even for his regular readers, this book contained largely new material, as did his The Metaphysical Principles of the Infinitesimal Calculus, published the same year. The author here refers especially to the Chinese tradition, principally in its Taoist form (though touching on Confucianism as well), in which the 'Great Triad' is defined as Heaven-Man-Earth. It is as much a ...

Traditional Forms and Cosmic Cycles (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

1 review
René Guénon

Sophia Perennis, 2004

Good premise and lost direction
Instead of taking sides in the ongoing debate over the future of our society, this author points out some behavioral methods which have a commonality to all viewpoints in that they are beneficial approaches to any discipline. This is a very mature approach which is unfortunately diluted by his addiction to certain assumptions common to post-Renaissance liberalism in the industrial West, and thus ...

Fundamental Symbols: The Universal Language of Sacred Science (Quinta Essentia series)

4 reviews
Rene Guenon

Fons Vitae, 1995

Actually, what is a symbol?
This book is a magnificent recompilation of studies of René Guénon about symbolism, accomplished with extreme dedication by his follower Michel Vâlsan, published originally in 1962, by Gallimard, in France. - But, actually, what is a symbol? - According to the tradition, the symbols make the intermediation between the spiritual world and the manifested world, where we are at present. It ...

Studies in Hinduism
Rene Guenon

Munshirm Manoharlal Pub Pvt Ltd, 2002

Hindu scriptures, the contributions of sages who visualized the ultimate principles through their intuitive power, successfully unfold the science of divine propriety as a way out of the baneful influences of materialism. The author of this book represents those who attach more importance to the divine fiber in mankind than the outward phenomenon of prosperity. This bold exposition of the truth might raise reactions in modern Indologists in ...

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