The Golden Thread: The Ageless Wisdom of the Western Mystery Traditions

Description

The ancient sages of the Western Mystery Traditions passed on a knowledge beyond reason, allowing us to access transcendent states that reveal our own nature and that of the cosmos. Such sages exist in every age and elevate all of humanity, says Joscelyn Godwin, whether we realize it or not. Among those whose wisdom he traces from antiquity to the present include: * Plato * Gnostics, the alchemists * the Rosicrucians, Freemasons, and Theosophists * Trismegistus * Zoroaster * Orpheus * Pythagoras Each stage is always with us, Godwin emphasizes, and so each offers a potential source of inspiration and action for today. Joscelyn Godwin, PH.D., a widely respected authority of Western esotericism, is professor of music at Colgate University and author of 'The Theosophical Enlightenment'. His translation of the Renaissance allegory 'Hypnerotomachia Poliphili' was featured in the best-selling mystery, 'The Rule of Four'. The Golden Thread traces the interconnectedness of esoteric wisdom in the Western world, from classical antiquity to contemporary Europe and America. Joscelyn Godwin lends personal perspective to an arrangement of text that is historical and wisdom that is timeless, creating a source of inspiration that calls us to action in our everyday spiritual practice. Every chapter, therefore, makes reference to some aspect of contemporary life and issues of immediate concern. Elegantly written and not without irony and humor, readers will appreciate the non-threatening tone of Godwin's writing, which is not meant to preach or convert but rather inform the public on an often baffling field. Educated readers who are curious about the esoteric and mystery traditions and interested in finding surprising, new approaches to subjects that veer away from the trends of current thought will be particularly drawn to this book. The Golden Thread Contents Foreword Preface 1: The Prisca Theologia 2: The Hermetic Tradition 3: The Orphic Mysteries 4: Pythagoras and His School 5: Plato’s Cave 6: The Power of the Egregore 7: The Meddling God 8: The Negative Theology 9: Cathedrals of Light 10: The Arts of the Imagination 11: The Pagan Renaissance 12: The Philosopher's Dilemma 13: Inner Alchemy 14: The Religion of Art 15: Wise Men from the East 16: The End of the Thread? Notes Index