Perun
12-03-2004, 03:32 AM
Last night at the bookstore I came across the book The Inner West: An Introduction to the Hidden Wisdom of the West edited by Jay Kinney. It was very interesting I must admit. It dealt with mystical and esoteric traditions of the West. Im sure this book would be of interest to the pagans and such here.
I also like how the Christian traditions of mysticism are not neglected in this book, and Jay Kinney states that much of Western thinking has been shaped by the Christian faith. I liked how the chapter about René Guénon and how he believed that esoteric knwoledge could and should be found in the major world religions; and how despite later becoming a Muslim, he had great admiration for traditional Christianity(specifically Catholicism) and that would be the major force in reviving the West.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585423394/026-5942690-9592419
Rosicrucianism, Freemasonary, Gnosticism, The Knights Templar....Even before the success of The Da Vinci Code, many readers knew of these and other aspects of Western esoterica. But few understood their true meaning. In The Inner West, more than twenty essays by seventeen leading authors shine a light on some of the most mysterious and closely held aspects of the western tradition. Its authors bring to life the symbolist and occult philosophies that populate the history and beliefs of the Western way. These same philosophies - which include variants of Christian and Jewish mysticism and the teachings of figures like Rudolf Steiner and G.I. Gurdieff - can represent a deep and different spiritual path for today's seekers. Spiritual seekers have often looked to the East for inspiration and guidance. Yet increasing numbers of people are discovering that many helpful wisdom traditions have existed right here in the West. With the Kabbalah and Tarot cards more popular than ever and an alternative spirituality from Wicca to Sufism gaining a new audience, The Inner West is a timely book for this expanding audience.
I also like how the Christian traditions of mysticism are not neglected in this book, and Jay Kinney states that much of Western thinking has been shaped by the Christian faith. I liked how the chapter about René Guénon and how he believed that esoteric knwoledge could and should be found in the major world religions; and how despite later becoming a Muslim, he had great admiration for traditional Christianity(specifically Catholicism) and that would be the major force in reviving the West.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585423394/026-5942690-9592419
Rosicrucianism, Freemasonary, Gnosticism, The Knights Templar....Even before the success of The Da Vinci Code, many readers knew of these and other aspects of Western esoterica. But few understood their true meaning. In The Inner West, more than twenty essays by seventeen leading authors shine a light on some of the most mysterious and closely held aspects of the western tradition. Its authors bring to life the symbolist and occult philosophies that populate the history and beliefs of the Western way. These same philosophies - which include variants of Christian and Jewish mysticism and the teachings of figures like Rudolf Steiner and G.I. Gurdieff - can represent a deep and different spiritual path for today's seekers. Spiritual seekers have often looked to the East for inspiration and guidance. Yet increasing numbers of people are discovering that many helpful wisdom traditions have existed right here in the West. With the Kabbalah and Tarot cards more popular than ever and an alternative spirituality from Wicca to Sufism gaining a new audience, The Inner West is a timely book for this expanding audience.