The twin sciences of psychology and metaphysics have fared worse than any other science, and have been so separated in Europe as to have become in their ignorance mortal enemies. Modern psychology is a misnomer, even though it is claimed that it has “reached conclusions of great generality and truth, regarding all that can be known to man.” The modern psychologist, dealing only with the superficial brain-consciousness, is far more materialistic than the all-denying materialism itself. Brain-consciousness, or “personality,” is the consciousness inhering in the lower portion of the mortal manas-mind, which is correlated with the physical brain. It is a mere instrument for harvesting experience on behalf of the immortal Buddhi-Manas or Monad, and imparting to it the aroma of consciously-acquired experience.

An introduction to the thought of one of the greatest perennialist authors of the twentieth century.

Titus Burckhardt was Swiss and an eminent member of the traditionalist school. He is perhaps best known to the English-speaking public as the author of the following books: Sacred Art in East and West; Siena, City of the Virgin; Moorish Culture in Spain; and Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul. A generation ago, he won much acclaim for producing and publishing the first successful, full-scale facsimiles of the Book of Kells and other ancient manuscripts. In more recent years, he acted as a specialist advisor to UNESCO, with particular reference to the preservation of the unique architectural heritage of Fez, which was then in danger. The present volume is a complete collection of Burckhardt's essays, originally published in a variety of German and French journals. They range from modern science in its various forms, through Christianity and Islam, to symbolism and mythology. It is a rich collection. Burckhardt blends an accessible style with a penetrating insight. He interprets the metaphysical, cosmological, and symbolic dimensions of these sacred traditions from the perspective of timeless, spiritual wisdom.

Modern psychology is at an impasse as it searches anxiously for new therapies to address the increasing occurrence of mental illness in contemporary society. In this groundbreaking anthology, leading authors from the perennialist school, including Huston Smith, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Frithjof Schuon, draw on the age-old insights of the world s wisdom traditions to argue that modern psychology behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanistic and transpersonal psychology overlooks the specifically spiritual factors contributing to mental health and illness."

This study concerns the position of Saint Thomas Aquinas on human self knowledge (“the soul’s knowledge of itself,” in medieval idiom). Its main goal is to present a comprehensive account of Aquinas’s philosophy of self knowledge, by clarifying his texts on this topic and explaining why he made the claims he did. A second objective is to situate Thomas’s position on self awareness within general world, and specific thirteenth century, traditions concerning this theme. And a third is to apply Aquinas’s approach and insights to selected and contemporary issues that involve self knowledge, such as the alleged paradoxes of self reflection and of “unconscious awareness.” The primary approach is that of “critical narrative,” which attempts to understand St. Thomas’s texts by posing critical questions for them. While this questioning may expose certain texts as equivocal or unsupported, usually Thomas emerges as coherent, reasonable, and better understood. This work is serious scholarship that presumes reader interest in philosophical reflection and some background in medieval type thinking. On the other hand, the book is not narrowly specialized in Aquinas or a single methodology, but includes broad reference to worldwide traditions and attempts to integrate St. Thomas’s approach into topics of contemporary interest.

The human race is in crisis and very few of us – if any – are able to understand what is wrong with our lives and the world at large. How did this happen and how did humans become so ‘disconnected’ with humanity? Why are psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, fear, and suicide on the increase, and why are conventional Western therapies unable to stem the tide? To approach this we must first look inside ourselves – to explore our own purpose in life and extend that principle to the rest of humanity. Despite the advances of modern Western psychology and the development of therapies that do help many, one area that is largely unexplored is that of the ‘human spirit’ and spirituality since it is more convenient to consider the human mind as ‘machine’ that responds to external stimuli. In this powerful exploration into the human mind and its relationship with the human spirit, Malik Badri invites the reader to open the door to self-discovery, purpose and spirituality through the practice of contemplation, reflection and meditation – understanding the true meaning and experience of spirituality as well as one’s own place in Creation. Whilst central to worship in Islam, this will also be of great interest to, and help any reader wishing to explore the notion of spirituality whether as part of worship or simply as part of self development and inner healing.