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"Many Roads, yet a Single Path: A Discussion of Perennial Philosophy".

"Many roads, yet a single path: A discussion of Perennial Philosophy".


Timeless are the ages from whence we sprung; long is the struggle to come to terms with one's existence, and to understand oneself; troublesome is the difficulty for man to assess his proceedings, as much as his destination.

Intrinsic to human condition, there is the innate desire to question the unquestionable, and here lie the roots of philosophy as much as religion; science as much as art. Trough different expressions, different aspects of life, these four cornerstones from the building of human knowledge rise far towards the common goal of mankind's self-realization. In each, we find mutual truths, and in our bewilderment, we're left to wonder at the existence of universally set values that are common to all the people, to all the cultures.

Such Philosophy is Perennial, and it is also an Art of self-improvement, a Science of the Self, and a Religion of Unity. In the words of Aldous Huxley, its rudiments can be found within the legends of primitive people, in every region of the word; its fully developed form, manifest in turn in every one of the higher religions:
"…the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality substantial to the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; the ethic that places man's final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being; the thing is immemorial and universal. (The Perennial Philosophy, p. vii)".

This wonderful, arguably utopist, undeniably idealistic conception amounts to something in the mold of a truly common sense, of a mutual sense of brotherhood and compassion that can manifest only from the recognizing of the divine and virtuous side, and the release from the more basic, primal, selfish side of human existence.

The notion of "philosophia perennis", although popularized recently by Aldous Huxley, in his 1945 book "The perennial Philosophy", has roots that stretch farther in time. The term dates back to the work of Augostino Steuco entitled: De perenni philosophia libri X (1540); in this publication, regarded as the pinnacle of Christian wisdom, the idea of Universal Love as a common ground to all religions is expressed; such an idea is pervasive to other literature, with an obvious manifestation in authors such as Leibnz, or the present case of Huxley. (wiki)

This term "perennial philosophy" has also been used as a translation of the Hindu concept of Sanatana Dharma, the "everlasting or perennial truth, or norm". This refers to a common perception in the experience of self, world, and reality, as well as the meaning and purpose of existence, trough out different cultures and religions. Such perception can be summarized in three main assessments that are central in Huxley's book: One: On the nature of Reality; Two: of the dangers in Duality; and Three, Intuition as a means to transcend duality and access Reality's ultimate Truth.

First, and foremost, it is agreed upon that there is another reality which is supra-physical, of which the material world is a mere shadow. This is similar to Plato's conception of the world of Forms: "Once one has seen it, however, one must conclude that it is the cause of all that is correct and beautiful in anything, that it produces both light and its source in the visible realm, and that in the intelligible realm it controls and provides truth and understanding, so that anyone who is to act sensibly in private or public must see it." The senses can only allow for a limited experience, whereas the spirit and the intellect, allied, can provide the most utter and deep insights.

Second, human beings are, in nature, intrinsically dual. Such duality is characterized by the basic opposition of object vs. subject, or body vs. soul. The former is ephemeral and subject to the laws of birth and death, while the latter is eternal yet subtle, which amounts to the reason why it has been consistently ignored in the modern Western materialistic point of view. In the East tough, several allusions are made to this more subtle aspect of reality: the soul. One such example can be found in the Tao Te Ching (which is, in and of itself, a rapport of the Nameless: that which cannot be spoken, only understood, and that is only referred to as Tao because of the need to discuss it intellectually). "Free from desire, you can see the hidden mystery. By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real." This is indeed a pivotal notion of the Perennial Philosophy, as it will be discussed further in this text.

Third, despite their limitations, humans have all the available means to surpass themselves, should they choose it. This is the final goal of human existence, and can be achieved trough intuition. An intuition is an intuitive perception, or a perception from within. It is after learning to follow such impressions that one can find re-established his link to the source of all things, and this is the purpose of every religion, a term that means to "re-link". At the source of creation, one would find God, the Absolute principle, Beginning and end of all things; and by joining it, one would be free from the cycle of death and rebirth. This is also a common goal to many eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, or Hinduism.

Independently of their origins, many common religious traditions find an incredible consistency and similarity in these principles that we established as the revolving axis of the Perennial Philosophy.

In his article "Integral Spirituality, deep science and ecological awareness" Maxwell contends that "healing the fragmentation that is at the root of the current world crises requires an integrated epistemology that embraces both the rational knowledge of scientific empiricism and-the inner knowledge of spiritual experience". As the author maintains, only by abandoning the current Cartesian, functionalist worldview, can we understand and deal with the global crisis that defines these troubled times. The author claims that new methods for knowing, understanding and valuing the worlds are urgent. In this subject, he draws parallels to Albert Einstein, who was himself an advocate of a new kind of science, which valued the intuitive as much as the logical. In a way, Einstein reverse-engineered his most brilliant discoveries, as he often acted in pursuit of fundamental intuitions that he then sought to rationalize. He possessed a kind of awakened spiritual vision that, like he suggested, "Widens our circle of understanding and compassion, to embrace all living creatures in the whole of nature".

The common perspective between these authors is that once we realize our connectedness to the world and its sacred nature, we will instinctively nurture love and respect for all life forms; this happens because once we reach this state, we understand that all things are an extension of ourselves. This is also an instrumental concept of Perennial Philosophy: that of Love and Compassion as the key to solve the problems of the world.
Huxley claims that we all have, to a degree, consciousness of this unity, although such consciousness can not be fully realized unless a certain path is followed. That would be the path of liberation from the Self, which would lead to the "Divine grounds of the Eternal Now". Similarly to the eastern inwardly philosophies he advocates, Huxley believes that the Ego lies at the root of all evil and misunderstanding, because it is the Ego that prompts the illusion of separateness.

As Huxley understands, we cannot be united to God unless we annihilate our selfish and egotistic sides. This can only be achieved trough humility and compassion, and the way of indifference. Similar to the Buddha, Huxley recognized that our miseries invariably spring from our desires, or the dissatisfaction thereof. The author claims that in their present situation, the people get exactly what they ask for, meaning a sense of personality and enjoyment, but also "and inevitably they get wars and syphilis and revolution and alcoholism, tyranny and, in default of an adequate religious hypothesis, the choice between some lunatic idolatry, like nationalism, and a sense of complete futility and despair". Therefore, one should nourish a peaceful indifference, and keep focus in the present, mindless of everything else. This would be the path to true happiness.

The reason why the bulk of mankind refuses to follow such a practice is because they feel it prevents them from having a good time, from manifesting their personalities. To most westerners, the Ego is strength, it's as much as a defense as a means to attack the others. Such conception is absolutely off the mark, since the whole idea that underlies Perennial Philosophy as well as the myth of Universal Love is that people should stop attacking each other, and live harmoniously, for once, by coming to terms with themselves.
Marchais further adds to this argument as he elaborates on the study by P.Janet, who worked considerations on religious beliefs, after prolonged observations of two persons during the course of decades. After evaluating the "different impacts of the exterior stimulations and also the influence of individual factors on the form and content of the religious beliefs", the author realized that the belief systems indeed possessed an intrinsic quality that was in many ways analogous to the Perennialist conception.
Huxley holds it that "throughout recorded history most men and women have preferred the risks, the positive certainty of such disasters to the laborious whole-time job of trying to get to know the divine Ground of all being"; with such a reasoning he means that while the path of self-commiseration and indulgence is seemingly easier and more rewarding, it invariably proves deceiving, and in the long run, we have no one to blame but ourselves, because we have free will, and thus the ability to choose.

Perennial Philosophy is a model for righteousness, that's inferred from several contrasting perspectives, and that sets out at the high purpose of providing guidelines for the true happiness that can only come from the release of the animal portion of our humanity and the pursuit of the spiritual dimension. This is the reason why it's frequently deemed as a form of spiritualism. Ultimately, I think it's but a science of managing the middle way, the elusive path between holiness and damnation, the path of pure being.

While it does not imply seeking physical punishment as a means of detachment (such as suggested in the more conservative views of Christianity, for example), it does suggest the necessity for an utmost abandon, a reckless yield of our most basic and shallow personality traits, of everything that can make us stray from the path, whether physical, emotional, or mental. It is suggested that we should not identify with our bodies, because we’re more than that. But we should also not identify with our intellectual accomplishments, because they also represent a mere facet of ourselves; nor should we obsessively indulge in our emotions; rather, we should flow trough life, alert and grounded in the present moment.

There is little romantic idealism in this philosophy, because it does not seek to change the world, but rather, the individual. And once each individual consciousness is active, the bigger widespread changes will ensue naturally. So, it comes across as a quite practical and feasible set of guidelines.

This view of improvement of the world trough self-improvement is transversal to every single one of the many holistic interpretations of reality that seem to be on the rise these days, maybe as a response to the anguish and apathy that define the hopelessly neurotic society we live in. In the article by Forsthoefel, the author considers the "perennial" appeal of such calls, trough the analysis of writings from Ramana Maharshi, a Hindu saint from South India. This spiritual teacher evoked a surprisingly strong positive reaction, from Westerners and Easterners alike. The author estimates that the reason for his appeal lies first in the perennial philosophy that's implied by the saint's life and teaching, and second in the holiness he manages to exude as a consequence of his beliefs: "In the case of Ramana, the compelling example of human "being" provokes inquiry into the depth dimension of human existence, where, in the non-dualistic tradition which he represents, one discovers divinity".

Such considerations assert the pertinence of Huxley's reasoning, that the world is in need of a quiet, pervasive revolution of consciousness, a revolution of Love and compassion. Many teachers like Ramana have been demonstrating their compliance to a Perennial Philosophy, and have truly set an example, as a consequence.

People like Osho, Ghandi, have set the example, as much as Huxley or even, once we think of it the visionary poets, like Walt Whitman. Even popular artists like the Beatles, Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissete have woven songs about the importance of Love, about the impermanence of the physical world, and the lingering duality that prevents us from being One with the whole of creation. People who managed to make the world a little better trough little more than an example. Consequently, a new model for consciousness seems to be wide spreading like a virus; and whether we believe it or not, the time for change has come:
Now it is all a matter if whether we choose to embrace it, or instead postpone our deliverance.








Works Cited:


Plato, Republic, Book VI

Maxwell, Thomas P.; Zygon, 2003, vol. 38, issue 2, p 257, ISSN 05912385.

Marchais, P. Interactive dynamics of thymic variations and religions beliefs. Annales me�dico psychologiques (1999) vol:157 iss:3 pg:168 -172

Michael Lafargue, Lao-Tzu and the Tao-Te-Ching, State University of New York Press, 1998

Forsthoefel, C. Weaving the inward thread to awakening: The perennial appeal of Ramana Maharshi Horizons [0360-9669] (2002) vol:29 iss:2 pg:240 -259
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Posted by: Natalie Saturday

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