Perennial Philosophy
The Perennial Philosophy is "a non-sectarian formulation of recurring ontological themes locatable in a wide variety of religious and philosophical traditions throughout history"[1] It is also a book by Aldous Huxley which gathers evidence for the existence of a timeless philosophy of the same name. According to Aldous Huxley, the Perennial Philosophy (PP) is a set of teachings found throughout the ages, everywhere in the world.
Syncretic Terms
Authentic Spirituality > Cosmic Religion, Identity Consistent Spirituality, Mysticism, Perennial Philosophy, Positive Religion, Progressive Spirituality, Pure Religion, Right Path, The Path, The Way, True Path
Notes
The PP is "a non-sectarian formulation of recurring ontological themes locatable in a wide variety of religious and philosophical traditions throughout history"[2]
According to Shear, the PP consists of three theses these being
- The phenomenal world is the manifestation of a transcendental, ground
- Human beings are capable of attaining immediate knowledge of that ground
- In addition to their phenomenal egos, human beings possess a Transcendental Self which is of the same or like nature with that transcendental ground."[3]
Sheer suggests that Connection Experiencess provdie prima facie support for these theses and that mystical experiences provide prima facie evidence that [Ontological Naturalism]] is false.[4]
According to Huxley, generally, the PP consists of:
- a metaphysics that "recognizes a divine Reality substantial to the world of things and lives and minds."
- a psychology that "finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality.
- an ethic that suggests "man’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being."
The PP is Huxley's term for what we call Authentic Spirituality, which as noted in Rocket Scientists' Guide to Authentic Spirituality (Sosteric, 2018h), is spirituality that connects.
Huxley suggests, the "Rudiments of the Perennial Philosophy may be found among the traditionary lore of primitive peoples in every region of the world, and in its fully developed forms it has a place in every one of the higher religions."
However, I would absolutely disagree that the PP finds its "fully developed" form in traditional religion. In fact, because of the revolutionary potential of authentic Connection Experience, traditional religions are attempts to obscure and sanitize the core elements of the PP to make actual Connection harder to accomplish.
Huxley recognizes the importance of Alignment without which the potentialities of the human mind may not be actuated. "In the ordinary circumstances of average sensual life these potentialities of the mind remain latent and unmanifested. If we would realize them, we must fulfil certain conditions and obey certain rules, which experience has shown empirically to be valid." or "ultimate Reality is not clearly and immediately apprehended, except by those who have made themselves loving, pure in heart and poor in spirit."
Huxley terms those who achieve Connection and apprehend Reality saints, prophets, sages, or enlightened ones.
Footnotes
- ↑ Shear, Jonathan. “Mysticism and Scientific Naturalism.” Sophia 43, no. 1 (May 2004): 83–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782439.
- ↑ Shear, Jonathan. “Mysticism and Scientific Naturalism.” Sophia 43, no. 1 (May 2004): 83–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782439.
- ↑ Shear, Jonathan. “Mysticism and Scientific Naturalism.” Sophia 43, no. 1 (May 2004): 89. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782439.
- ↑ Shear, Jonathan. “Mysticism and Scientific Naturalism.” Sophia 43, no. 1 (May 2004): 89. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782439.
