The search for an eternal wisdom of divine origin; transmitted from the very dawn of humanity; but fragmented and partially lost; is a recurring theme in the history of Western esotericism. This theme was most notably expressed at the beginning of the 20th century by a form of thought called Traditionalism; above all from the moment that the French author René Guénon became its spokesman with his anti-modernist writings. The term Perennialism; however; refers more specifically to the form this thought has taken in the United States; as represented primarily by Frithjof Schuon and his followers; namely; Seyyed Hossein Nasr; Huston Smith; and a second generation of writers such as James Cutsinger. Frithjof Schuon is regarded as the thinker who gave perennialist philosophy its definitive synthesis; and as the first perennialist to assume an initiatory function. Founder and spiritual master of a Sufi order in the United States; Schuon based his perspective on the intellect and on the nature of things; and he oriented his own teaching toward an esoterism per se; personified by the Virgin Mary. The idea of religio perennis or sophia perennis; a set of metaphysical principles revealed by heaven and partially restored by each genuine founder of a new religion; became; in Schuon s metaphysics; the transcendent unity present in the essential core of every religion. This metaphysical view and the spiritual method introduced by Schuon were adapted by two of his followers; the Iranian professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr; an authority in Islamic Studies; and the American scholar Huston Smith; who specialized more in transpersonal experiences. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy is an independent figure among American perennialists; but shares their perspective. This new meaning of esoterism; in contrast to esotericism; applies to certain currents in Western culture that are historically related and show certain similarities; and that point toward a religionist approach to the study of religions an approach that is often criticized in academic circles.
#614374 in Books Crystal Clarity Publishers 2011-08-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.09 x .85 x 6.22l; 1.29 #File Name: 1565892534358 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Information Dense; Well researched... lots of brain candy to chew on!By CustomerAWESOME BOOK! I've read a lot on these subjects so most of such books tell me what I already know put me to sleep. This on the other hand brings everything I've ever read in many subject areas together beautifully creating new levels and textures of meaning as well as teaching me new things - extremely well researched! Kudos to the authors! I love how information dense it is... lots of brain candy to chew on! Love it; Love it; Love it!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Cycles of Consciousness; not TimeBy Jason Gregory (Author of Fasting the Mind; Enlightenment Now; The Science and Practice of Humility)This piece on the Yugas is one of the best I have read. It covers a vast number of subjects regarding the Yugas; but it goes in depth to the knowledge of how is is consciousness and not time that goes through these cycles. I have been studying the Yugas for quite some time and after I wrote my first book "Way of the Weirdo" I created a film which goes into this and many other topics. Here is the film "The Sacred Sound of Creation"[...]7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Dissatisfied; but for another reasonBy James A. WoolseyRight off let me say that I am intrigued by the concept of the Yugas; and even do historical calculations based on them. I read Yukteswar's Holy Science some years ago and and found his down to earth specificity refreshing. Yugas based on multiples of 1200 yr cycles. Before that most references I found in esoteric literature were figures of millions of years; pretty much useless to apply in our little short lives!My interest began in around 2003 when I tried out spending 12 days in complete darkness; an ancient practice called incubation(Practiced by Parmenides; still used today by yogis; Kogis). Melatonin is converted to pinoline which eventually morphs into DMT; and you experience a form of endogenous ayahuasca; along with telepathic field extension.On the 4th day I felt like I was communicating with a vast intelligence which identified itself as the galaxy; which radiated out its life as in a Tree of Life down the spiraling swastikated arms. All of us live and have our being in this galaxy. It is as if this white light sap of Life flows out of the black hole at the center. (unless you are converting to the Electric Universe model!)The galaxy is literally our local Logos; and its Mind extends throughout like a vast internet.As you can see; I am not immune to pondering the imponderable.OK... so this picqued my interest in all things galactic; and I read Yukteswar.It provided another piece of the puzzle in the cyclical life of the Logos.Yukteswar however lived prior to the discovery of galaxies; as the authors faithfully point out. He knew of a reference to the Vishnabhi or "navel of Vishnu" which was the center of centers for us. Precession is caused by rotation with our dual (Cruttenden is the man here); but Vishnabhi was a center above that; a much longer cycle. Clearly I thought; the galactic center. Also Paul LaViolette's work showed how much the ancients were aware of energy waves from the GC.Now; add to that the emerging knowledge that our system crossed the galactic plane every 12;000 years; as we were approaching that in the period 1998-2030; centered approx. at 2012. Here we found a 12;000 year cycle that suspiciously aligned with another 12;000 year cycle of half of a Great Year. Seemed like a harmonic entrainment; or like gears within gears.So my disappointment boiled down to this: Yukteswar did NOT know about the alignment with Vishnabhi circa 2012. He made some calculations that Kali Yuga ended in the 1700s; but it seemed rather arbitrary to me. I thought; if there was a start point to the Grand Cycle that was based on real world physical parameters and location within our complete galactic system; surely the alignment every 12;000 years with the galactic plane must be central. Like the clock hands on midnight.So I set 2012 as the cross-over. Calculate back 2400 years and Kali Yug begins 400 BC which I find far more satisfying than 700 BC. Here we find a world wide shift; a transition from a more mythic shamanic age into the age of intellectualization. The sages appear world wide to make the cross-over. Siddhartha Buddha; Plato; Confucius; Lao Tse. Look at Plato in particular. They all worshiped Parmenides the so-called father of philosophy; but he was not a mental gymnast; he was shamanic from the old school. Plato; initiate of the Mysteries; tried to reveal the Mysteries as far as he dared; through words. This is a step-down form mythic direct gnosis as practiced by Parmenides; non-dual encounters with the Goddess; into mental models. Unless you have the referent thru experience; the mental symbols are hollow. The transition is completed by Aristotle who relies on only the senses; and this sets the pattern for the next Age; Kali Yuga. The age of objectified; mechanical thinking.If the shift from Kali to Dwarpa Yuga is the understanding that the cosmos is not "stuff" but "energy" or even pattern; I do not see this really hitting the ground until post WW2. Up until then it is all steam engines and physical force. In fact; it is with the return of the shamanic consciousness in the 60's (thru the agency of the rediscovered path of sacred nootropic medicines) that the old paradigm is really beginning to dissolve.And so; I came to this book hoping to find more information on exactly how Yukteswar came up with his transition date for the end of Kali Yuga. Alas I found nothing more than what was in his Holy Science. The authors took Yukteswar as dogma. I find one can fudge the data trying to pin down cross-over periods pretty easily during a couple of hundred years. Sure you can find the beginnings of science; which would lead to seeing the world as energy; but that didn't really get off the ground until Einstein. The 20th century is the story of old steam engine empires thrashing themselves to death as their paradigm is dying. The Kali Yuga died in the 20th century; and boy was it Kali at her destructive nature (gotta tear down before the new remodel can begin).And so; I like my alignment dates better. Thus for that reason that my understanding was not increased; I came away disappointed.
