Spiritual Philosophy

A prelude to his magnum opus, The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times, Guénon brilliantly and concisely critiques the Western deviation—its loss of tradition, exaltation of action over knowledge, rampant individualism and general social chaos—that will lead to the 'age of darkness' that precedes the end of the present world.

The last book to appear during his lifetime (1886–1951), this is Guénon's most comprehensive exposition of the science of Alchemy. The 'Great Triad,' defined as Heaven-Man-Earth, is a cosmological and metaphysical doctrine which Guénon traces through Chinese Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhist, Hermetic and Masonic teachings.

This is Guénon's central exposition of traditional metaphysics, companion to his two other great works in this genre—The Symbolism of the Cross and The Multiple States of Being. Guénon held that Hinduism embraces the most ancient, profound and comprehensive expression of traditional metaphysics we possess, which can in some ways function as a key to every other traditional form. To this day, it remains one of the best expositions of the doctrines of the Vedānta.

Published just five years before Guénon's death in 1951, it focuses on questions regarding the nature of limits and the infinite with respect to the calculus both as mathematical discipline and as symbolism for the initiatory path. It extends and complements the geometrical symbolism he employs in other works, especially The Symbolism of the Cross, The Multiple States of the Being, and Symbols of Sacred Science.

Provides indispensable points of reference for anyone attempting to distinguish between 'initiatic,' 'pseudo-initiatic,' and 'counter-initiatic' spiritualities. Makes a distinction between initiatic and mystical paths and the dangers and barrenness of syncretism and the often dire consequences of fostering 'psychic powers.'

The masterwork of the great pneumatic thinker and a luminary of the twentieth century, Guénon issues a comprehensive critique of the antitraditional stance of the modern world and where it must lead. Chapters include: The Solidification of the World; The Fissures in the Great Wall; Shamanism and Sorcery; Deviation and Subversion; The Inversion of Symbols; and The Great Parody, or Spirituality Inverted.

Analysis of the relationship between royal and sacerdotal power in accordance with the Hindu doctrine of Manvantara and Plato's depiction of historical degeneration in the Republic, Guénon views history as a series of revolts of lower castes against the higher. When the nadir of lawful historical degeneration is reached, a new cycle begins, that of the dawning of the Heavenly Jerusalem—spiritual Knowledge.

A major doctrinal study of the central symbol of Christianity from the standpoint of the metaphysical tradition. The cross is one of the most universal of all symbols and is far from belonging to Christianity alone.

Unveils the cosmological meanings of root symbols focusing on The Center of the World, Cyclic Manifestation, Symbolic Weapons, Axial Symbolism and the Symbolism of Passage, Symbolism of Building and Symbolism of the Heart. With a masterful metaphysical exposition, Guénon lays the foundation for a universal esoteric symbology demonstrating the fundamental unity of the images with which the Absolute clothes itself in its cosmic self-revelation.

A devastating and detailed critique of Mme Blavatsky's Theosophical Society and its antecedents. Included is Rudolf Steiner's breakaway Anthroposophy movement. An unusual feature is the extensive treatment of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor and other occult systems.

Focuses on a study on cosmic cycles beginning with the Hindu doctrine of Manvantara and considering those of Egyptian Hermeticism, Greco-Roman antiquity, the Kabbal, Sufis, Ismailis, Hopi, Lakota and Maya nations. As earlier ages differed qualitatively from ours, this may explain why our historicism and archaeology have yet to truly access those of "Hyperborea" and "Atlantis." Guénon transmits the requisite sense of these earlier times which may awaken the intuition of higher levels of Being.

A fundamental text for understanding this seminal thinker (1889-1976) of ontology's view of Greek philosophy and its relationship to modern philosophy.

In this second volume of his "Pythagorean encyclopedia," Iamblichus the Neoplatonist (4th century, A.D.) describes the nature of the philosophic life and shows how it leads from the realm of Becoming to the world of Being.

The first critical assessment of the life of Adi Da Samraj and his teachings. Born he said in the "Bright," with his kundalini risen after only a few years of practice, Franklin Jones had a breakthrough into the pointless point of view. Young, hip, articulate and funny, this first American-born guru had a meteoric rise, bringing him thousands of seekers until the sex scandals brought a public shaming and his withdrawal to a Fijian island hermitage where he, now Adi Da Samraj, announced he was God Incarnate.

William Patrick Patterson's newest book, Adi Da Samraj: Realized or/and Deluded, is the first evenhanded and detailed exploration of one of the most enigmatic, self-styled spiritual gurus of the last half of the 20th century. America's first young, hip guru, Adi Da Samraj, né Franklin Jones (1939–2008), self-proclaimed Avatar of Avatars, not only of this age but all ages to come, had a meteoric rise and subsequent fall after devotees went public with his crazy wisdom teaching of sex, drugs and alcohol.
       Totally committed to spiritual realization, Jones took only six years to realize Sahaj Samadhi, the pointless point of view. Preceding this was a copious use of drugs, and then contentious relations with his two teachers, Albert Rudolph ("Rudi," later Swami Rudranada), a former student of Gurdjieff's Fourth Way, and Swami Muktananda.
       Intuiting that everyone unconsciously lived the Narcissus myth of separation and denial as he had, Jones founded what he believed was a radical new teaching combining elements of Kundalini Yoga, Fourth Way, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta along with the acceptance of himself as God incarnate. To break through the narcissism that blocked devotees' spiritual realization, he persuaded them to enter into sexually shocking situations with himself and each other. Though experience proved this method hurt far more than helped, Adi Da insisted on what he called "sexual theatre," later renamed "sexual communion," until his last days on the remote Fijian island hermitage to which he had withdrawn.
       After tracing Adi Da's life from beginning to end, Patterson gives a penetrating analysis of the key concepts of the teaching before coming to the heart of the question—How can someone be realized at the highest level and act this way with his devotees? Adi Da always maintained that realization does not destroy "the person," so just who was his "person"? From a careful reading of Adi Da's books, Patterson gleans an assemblage of facts pointing to a hidden wound that usurped Adi Da's realization for its own ends, giving an archetypal example of "wrong crystallization." The esoteric and spiritual questions Adi Da Samraj—Realized or/and Deluded raises are acutely seminal and ones every seeker and adept needs to long ponder.
        —The Gurdjieff Journal

A new translation of the German philosopher's famous chapter IV on self-consciousness (the "master-slave dialectic") from his major work, Phenomenology of Spirit. Included is a review of its reception by major thinkers such as Heidegger, Sartre, Lacan and Habermas.

Roman Stoics of the imperial period developed a distinctive model of social ethics, one which adapted the ideal philosophical life to existing communities and everyday societal values. Examined is how philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Hierocles and Epictetus applied their distinct brand of social ethics to daily relations and responsibilities, creating an effective model of involvement and ethical behavior in the classical world.

To the mathematical precision of Guénon's (1886-1951) metaphsics, cosmology and esoteric history, Schuon (1907-1998) adds a poetic or "musical" element, inspired by his close relationship with the Divine Feminine.

Solovyov (1853–1900), close friend of Dostoevsky and founder of modern Russian religious philosophy, critiques positivism—which he understands to be the whole tradition of Western rationalism—and sees the irreconcilable conflicts between reason and faith (or revelation), and reason and nature. He holds that "the philosophical development now ended has bequeathed to the very near future a complete and universal resolution of those questions."

New translation of the author's classic 1972 translation of De Memoira with commentary, summaries and three essays comparing Aristotle's accounts of memory and recollections. For this edition, Sorabji, general editor of seventy volumes to date of The Ancient Commentators on Aristotle, provides a substantial new introduction, particularly as concerns the role of mental images in the imagination.