A week or so ago I found a website speaking about the Perennial Tradition, which discusses the Perennial philosophy. I think there are a lot of western elements to it, so mabe this is something I could look into that would come from my own culture? (Right, Mr. Anonymous?) :)
The deal-breaker - at least from this page/teacher - is that they won't work with anyone on antidepressants or with psychological problems. Since I have depression and take medications for it, that means I'm out of the picture. (I hate being left out! It's like being a woman who wants to join the Freemasons!) I'm not crying over it, though, because the requirements for starting the course are that you read four books before applying, and, go figure, the four books are written by the guy teaching the class. Not only THAT, but they want a downpayment of $600! If I wasn't married and didn't have to speak with my husband every time I wanted to spend money, I'd consider it, but being that our savings are now completely depleted, I'm a pauper that can't afford it.
Oh well. Here's an introduction to the Perennial Tradition - http://www.hermes-press.com/Perennial_Tradition/PTintroduction.htm
And here are those blasted requirements which don't suit me at all - http://www.new-enlightenment.com/intro_study.htm
It seems to have a hodgepodge of sources. I think that's the way it should be, anyway, so that one religion can't monopolize my soul.
By the way, I wrote this in a rush. Sorry if it seems that way. I put these links here for my own reference, anyway.
13 comments:
Interesting. I am not familar with Perennial Tradition.
Like Groucho Marx always said,
'I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have me as a member", ha.
Mark, I am not familiar with it, either, but the small amount that I read last week and then again today appealed to me. But then, lots of different religions and philosophies appeal to me in their own special ways. I'm eclectic.
Thanks for the quote from Groucho. It makes me feel better. :)
Hope you're having a wonderful week.
While I'm on a roll here.....
IMO whenever money is changing hands ideology takes a very distant back seat, probably to the point of worthlessness.
Happily_anonymous
I have a hunch you're right about that.
The only thing I'm concerned about is being too much of a taker. People give to me all the time, everything from ramen noodles (my friend at work today, for instance, because I didn't eat lunch) to knowledge. I don't know that I give enough, so it makes me feel selfish. How then, would one return the energy?
Jed McKenna, in one of his three books (I can't remember which one), mentioned something about this. I just know he said his students bring him all sorts of gifts, even things as small as books or flowers, just because to give something is a return of energy. He didn't say it in those exact words, but that is what is sticking in my memory at the time being.
If you want to know about the perennial tradition, you might find it more congenial, a lot cheaper and with no preconditions, to read Aldous Huxley's book The Perennial Philosophy.
Thanks for the idea, Vincent. I'll see if my local library has it. Hopefully it's not over my head.
Hmmm...
The Perennial Tradition of Marketing...
If you want to search through many traditions that support perennial spirituality for humanity, this software has over 1400 documents from various traditions, is wonderfully searchable, and is FREE !!
~ Alex
Oh, Poo!
I forgot the link...
http://bahai-education.org/ocean/
Thank you, Alex. I love freebies! I normally get most of my text-reading done through the Internet Sacred Texts archive found here http://www.sacred-texts.com/, but I will gladly peruse through the files that this software offers.
By the way, you may be interested to know that the Sacred Texts Archive has a page with a number of Baha'i texts.
I hate wise old men! ;>)
Siegfried,
I love them. :)
What a beautiful way to sum it up--"so that one religion can't monopolize my soul." I find that most of us tend to have a very limited view of the world when we conform to one philosophy and one philosophy only. I find the idea of a perennial tradition to be quite appealing, especially after having studied many different religions and spiritual beliefs and seeing the commonalities they share.
I'm very eclectic where my "beliefs" are. At the moment I'm feeling the need to get out more and socialize so I'm looking for a Unitarian Universalist church to attend. They seem to be the most all-encompassing that I can think of. I'm a panentheist so almost anything and everything fits so long as it's not small-mindedness.
Post a Comment