The Esoterism of Dante (Collected Works of Rene Guenon) - Softcover

Guénon, René

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0900588640 ISBN 13: 9780900588648

Publisher: Sophia Perennis, 2004

Synopsis

Without pretending to be thorough on so inexhaustible a subject, in The Esoterism of Dante Guénon nonetheless casts an unexpected light onto a specifically esoteric and initiatic aspect of Dante's work, and above all of his Divine Comedy. Dante was without doubt far more than a literary genius, and one is justified in thinking that many treasures remain to be discovered in what Guénon calls 'the spiritual testament of the Middle Ages'. The author undertakes to establish that the three divisions of The Divine Comedy represent stages of initiatic realization and testify to Dante's knowledge of traditional sciences unknown to the moderns: the science of numbers, of cosmic cycles, and of sacred astrology. He also touches on the all-important question of medieval esoterism, and corrects the errors of earlier scholars who had only glimpsed the deeper meaning of Dante's work-providing an entirely new explanation of numerous points not previously elucidated. Some of the same themes are further developed in Guénon's Insights into Christian Esoterism.

About this title

Product Description

as new unused

Synopsis

Rene Guenon (1886-1951) is undoubtedly one of the luminaries of the twentieth century, whose critique of the modern world has stood fast against the shifting sands of recent philosophies. His oeuvre of 26 volumes is providential for the modern seeker: pointing ceaselessly to the perennial wisdom found in past cultures ranging from the Shamanistic to the Indian and Chinese, the Hellenic and Judaic, the Christian and Islamic, and including also Alchemy, Hermeticism, and other esoteric currents, at the same time it directs the reader to the deepest level of religious praxis, emphasizing the need for affiliation with a revealed tradition even while acknowledging the final identity of all spiritual paths as they approach the summit of spiritual realization. In The Esoterism of Dante, Guenon undertakes to establish that the three parts of The Divine Comedy represent a recital of the process of initiatic realization, and testify to Dante's knowledge of traditional sciences that are unknown to the moderns: the science of numbers, that of cosmic cycles, and sacred astrology. In this work Guenon also touches on the all important question of medieval esoterism.

In his work Insights into Christian Esoterism, Guenon discusses the role of sacred languages and the principle of initiation in the Christian tradition as well as such esoteric Christian themes and organizations as the Holy Grail, the Guardians of the Holy Land, the Sacred Heart, the Fedeli d'Amore and the 'Courts of Love', and the Secret Language of Dante. The present book focuses more closely on the latter, drawing parallels with Hermetic, Rosicrucian, and Masonic symbolism. The Collected Works of Rene Guenon brings together the writings of one of the greatest prophets of our time, whose voice is even more important today than when he was alive. Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions, etc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Sophia Perennis
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0900588640
• ISBN 13: 9780900588648
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 80