A modern Zen classic--reissued with new material: An introduction to the great tenth-century Chinese master, with translations of his key works.Yunmen Wenyan (c. 864–949) was a master of the Chinese Zen (Chan) tradition and one of the most influential teachers in its history, showing up in many famous koans—in one of which he’s credited with the famous line, “Every day is a good day.” His teachings are said to permeate heaven and earth, to address immediat...

Modern Orientalism is not a brainchild of nineteenth-century European imperialists and colonialists, but, as Urs App demonstrates, was born in the eighteenth century after a very long gestation period defined less by economic or political motives than by religious ideology.Based on sources from a dozen languages, many unavailable in English, The Birth of Orientalism presents a completely new picture of this protracted genesis, its underlying dynamics, and the Western disco...

Modern Orientalism is not a brainchild of nineteenth-century European imperialists and colonialists, but, as Urs App demonstrates, was born in the eighteenth century after a very long gestation period defined less by economic or political motives than by religious ideology.Based on sources from a dozen languages, many unavailable in English, The Birth of Orientalism presents a completely new picture of this protracted genesis, its underlying dynamics, and the Western disco...

A deep-dive into the history, culture, and legacy of the medieval Christian dualist movement, Catharism—as seen in popular novels by Dan Brown and Kate MosseCenturies after the brutal slaughter of the Cathars by papally endorsed Northern French forces, and their suppression by the Inquisition, the medieval Cathars continue to exert a powerful influence on both popular culture and spiritual seekers. Yet few people know anything of the beliefs of the Cathars beyond v...

The first complete historical and philosophical investigation into the “invisible fraternity” of the Rosicrucians• Contains the latest research on the origins of the Rosicrucian movement• Presents the ties between Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and the Templars• Written by a “perfected” Knight of the Rose Croix and the Pelican (18th degree, Ancient and Accepted Rite)For nearly 400 years, incredible myths and stories have been woven around the “invisible” Broth...

Thomas Merton was recognized as one of those rare Western minds that are entirely at home with the Zen experience. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious concepts-early monasticism, Russian Orthodox spirituality, the Shakers, and Zen Buddhism-with characteristic Western directness. Merton not only studied these religions from the outside but grasped them by empathy and living participation from within. "All these studies," wrote Merton, "are united by one central concern: to un...

First English translation of the book that introduced the realm of Hollow Earth• Explores the underground world of Agarttha, sometimes known as Shambhala, a realm that is spiritually and technologically advanced beyond our modern culture• One of the most influential works of 19th-century occultism• Written by the philosopher who influenced Papus, Rene Guénon, and Rudolf SteinerThe underground realm of Agarttha was first introduced to the Western world in 188...

A leading scholar of esoteric spirituality uncovers the history of Gnostic alchemy from Hellenistic Alexandria to the Renaissance.In The Golden Builders, Tobias Churton eschews myth and pseudohistory to trace 1,600 years of Hermetic spiritual and philosophical development. In a breathtaking span of detailed research, he sheds light on the origins of Gnostic alchemy, pre-Grand Lodge Freemasonry, and the mysterious Fraternity of the Rosy Cross (the Rosicrucia...

With unflinching gaze and uncompromising intensity Julius Evola analyzes the spiritual and cultural malaise at the heart of Western civilization and all that passes for progress in the modern world. As a gadfly, Evola spares no one and nothing in his survey of what we have lost and where we are headed. At turns prophetic and provocative, Revolt against the Modern World outlines a profound metaphysics of history and demonstrates how and why we have lost contact with the transcenden...

An extensive examination of the history of gnosticism and how its philosophy has influenced the Western esoteric tradition• Explains how the Gnostic understanding of self-realization is embodied in the esoteric traditions of the Rosicrucians and Freemasons• Explores how gnosticism continues to influence contemporary spirituality• Shows gnosticism to be a philosophical key that helps spiritual seekers "remember" their higher selvesGnosticism was a contemporar...

The Philokalia (literally "love of the beautiful or good") is, after the Bible, the most influential source of spiritual tradition within the Orthodox Church. First published in Greek in 1782 by St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain and St. Macarios of Corinth, the Philokalia includes works by thirty-six influential Orthodox authors from the fourth to fifteenth-centuries such as Maximus the Confessor, Peter of Damascus, Symeon the New Theologian, and Gregory Palamas. Surpris...

The conclusion of the three-volume history "rendered with the talent of one who is not only an academic writer but a novelist of considerable distinction" (David J. Levy, Times Higher Education Supplement).In A History of Religious Ideas. Mircea Eliade examines the movement of Jewish thought out of ancient Eurasia, the Christian transformation of the Mediterranean area and Europe, and the rise and diffusion of Islam from approximately the sixth thr...