Frithjof Schuon on Esotericism
The Heart of the Religio Perennis: Frithjof Schuon on Esotericism Harry Oldmeadow Exotericism consists in identifying transcendent realities with the dogmatic forms, and if need be, with the historical facts of a given Revelation, whereas esotericism refers in a more or less direct manner to these same realities. FrithjofSchuon1 If we can grasp the transcendent nature of the human being, we thereby grasp the nature of revelation, of religion, of tradition; we understand their possibility, their necessity, their truth. And in understanding religion, not only in a particular form or according to some verbal specification, but also in its formless essence, we understand the religions... the meaning of their plurality and diversity; this is the plane of gnosis, of the religio perennis, whereon the extrinsic antinomies of dogmas are explained and resolved. FrithjoJSchuon2 Introduction Generally speaking, 'esotericism' refers to a field of 'spiritual' knowledge and practice which is secret, arcane, and initiatory; the term encompasses movements as diverse as hermeticism, alchemy, Rosicrucianism, theosophy, freemasonry, Eastern Tantras and various psycho-physical disciplines, Shamanism, Christian mysticism, Kabbala, and Sufism, as well as a plethora of modem occult and para psychological movements gathered around disparate charismatic figures - Aleister Crowley, Madame Blavatsky, and G.I. Gurdjieff might be cited as representative figures. Today esotericism, ancient and modem, is a burgeoning field of academic study. Scholars from fields as diverse as religious studies, history, psychology and art history (to 1 F. Schuon, Logic and Transcendence, New York, 1975, p. 144 (Schuon, 1975a). 2 F. Schuon, Light on the Ancient Worlds, London, 1966, p. 142. The Heart ofthe Religio Perennis name only a few) are exploring a terrain that earlier remained largely the province of 'occultists' of various mien.
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