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The
Spiritual Ascent
A Compendium
of
the World’s Wisdom
Presented by:
Whitall N. Perry
Foreword by:
Marco Pallis
Introduction
by: Huston Smith
Pages: 1144, 7
x 9.5
/ ISBN:
9781887752046
Price: $34.95
(CAN $38.95)
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Truly
magisterial, this compendium of spiritual wisdom is organized
according to the traditional religious concept of spiritual
ascent—or, in Christian terms, the sequence of death, resurrection,
and eternal life. Hundreds of selected passages represent many faiths
and philosophical traditions, with insight from some of the world's
greatest minds, including Black Elk, Confucius, Eckart, Muhammad,
Philo, Rumi, and Shakespeare. The material itself is divided into
three sections that correspond to the ascent, with the opening
quotations treating suffering, sin, and obedience before giving way
to the middle section's focus on mercy, love, and contemplation.
Finally, the third set of quotations climbs aloft to investigate the
subjects of truth, eternity, the shattering of forms, and the union
with God.
Useful for:
Interfaith, multicultural centers need to be offered this book, as
well as priests and pastors in all faiths who could enhance their own
sermons tremendously by these quotations in such a global age.
Reviews:
“Anyone
who
is interested, not just in reading maps, but in going somewhere with
his or her life, will find this the most comprehensive guide that has
ever been compiled. The Spiritual Ascent is foundational to the
school of thought that affirms and explores the primordial tradition
at the heart of all the great religions and philosophical traditions.
Perry’s is the essential reference work, and it affords rich and
vital reading.”
– HUSTON
SMITH, author of The World’s Religions
Simply
imagine
that you are going through one of life’s many trials, such as the
death of a loved one, or the loss of one’s own health or mobility.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have access to what the finest minds of
the world’s great civilizations have had to say on that subject and
the associated attitudes which could help ease or sustain one’s
way? Imagine reading what has been concluded and believed about how
suffering is to be transmuted into joy, how to resist judging others
and instead love our neighbors. This astounding encyclopedia of
humankind’s spiritual truth is organized according to the
traditional process of Spiritual Ascent—often referred to as:
Death-Resurrection-Eternal Life, or Emptying-Reforming-Union.
Each
of these
topics is clarified by the contributions of those we hold highest.
More like a library than a single book, this volume takes readers on
a journey from the creation of the cosmos to our final reabsorption
back into the Divine Source, a journey defined by the traditional
stages of the soul’s transformation. Guiding the way are such
focused counsels as are found in Eckhart, Philo, Rumi, the Talmud,
Shakespeare, Rama Krishna, Black Elk, the Psalms, the Tao Te Ching,
the Bhagavad-Gita, Muhammad, Confucius, and countless others.
A
truly
majesterial compendium of spiritual doctrine . . . where one will
encounter the heritage shared with all humanity in what is
essentially timeless, enduring and pertinent to our final end.
“The
Spiritual Ascent contains all I need to know about wisdom and
spirituality. Every aspect of the soul’s work is described and it
shows you that it is the same for all people at all times, that all
traditions agree and have been saying the same thing. The book is a
constant and reassuring companion to me, and reminds me that wisdom
is One and is REALLY real.”
-Mary
Minifie
(Boston portrait artist and professor of painting)
"When
I first picked this book up I was suspicious due to all the Eastern
content with
which I am not familiar with, but then I began to slowly realize and
recognize
names that I have long been familiar with and also know that nobody in
their
right mind knows of these minds let alone be able to put their thoughts
down in
some manner. Names such as Boehme, Eckhart,
Cloud of Unknowing, William
Law, Unseen Warfare, I could go on and on about the mind set
of
these great works as they have been my lifeblood for the last 8 years.
My search
is not from a cold eye but through a destitute heart, starving for
truth. I had
no Idea that the Eastern mind-set was this close to what I hold so
dear. To say
that the horizon of my mind has been expanded is a gross
understatement. I
cannot believe there is a mind on the earth today that could compile
such an
assortment of material into a book. Who is this Perry? Good gracious
what a mind
he has. He may be blind on this earth but he can see far into the next
reality.
I have long given up hope that there was anybody in the last 300 years
that
could see any truth. This work has
given me new hope that the Spirit of God can and does penetrate into
every
corner of the earth where the humble soul seeks Him. I am so encouraged
I can
hardly speak and consider this work my most prized possession. I found
this book
at the half-price book store, obviously discarded by someone as the
seed thrown
on rocky ground will not take root. God knows the searching heart and
caused the
non-seeker to cough it up that I might have and value as I do such a
treasure.
God bless you Perry, you have no Idea what you have done for me."
- Leonard
Bissett
This
is a new edition of: "A Treasury of
Traditional Wisdom - An Encyclopedia of Humankind’s Spiritual Truth"
See
Contents of this edition below>
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Vitae titles] - [World
Religions/ Interfaith Studies]
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THE
SPIRITUAL ASCENT - A Compendium of the World’s Wisdom
CONTENTS of
BOOK:
PREFACE
FORWARD
INTRODUCTION
PRELUDE:
CREATION
The Process of Manifestation
Inexhaustibility
of the Creator
Simultaneity
of the Divine Act
Creation as
Play or Sport
Creation by
Pairs
The World
Begins in Perfection
Man's
Primordial Birthright
Spiritual
Paternity
Self-Revelation
BOOK ONE:
Justice-Fear-Action
PART I:
SACRIFICE-DEATH
Separation-Sin
God Alone
is Good
God's Mercy
God's
Justice
The
Extraction of Poison with Poison
The Mote in
the Eye
Snares of
the Soul
Anatomy of
the Fallen State
Pride
Sin in
Volition
Closing the
Doors of the Senses
The
Recognition of Sin
The
Dispelling of Sin
ILLUSION
Maya and
Magic
The Hold of
Passion
The Cosmic
Dream
The Phantom
Flux of Life
The Snare
of Woman
The
Consummation of Desire
SACRIFICE
AND SUFFERING
Suffering
Inseparable from the Fallen State
The Divine
Allopathy
The Alchemy
of Suffering
No Soul
Tasked Beyond Its Strength
Contemptus
Mundi
Knowledge
Through Chastisement
Suffering
Transmuted Into Joy
Sacrifice
Austerity
not to Be Sought
RENUNCIATION-DETACHMENT
Indifference
to Pleasure and Pain
Detachment
from Place and Conditions
Eluding the
Ego
The
Internal Effort Required
The Rupture
With Habit
Interiorization
and Transmutation of the Faculties
Spiritual
Poverty
Nothing
Real is Lost
Detachment
and Serenity
VOLITION,
OBEDIENCE, AND CONFORMITY
Volition
Intention
Obedience
Freedom and
Necessity
HUMILITY
The
Conquest of Pride
Contrition
Obscurity
The
Junction of Extremes
Sincerity
DEATH
Die Before
Ye Die
Only the
Dead Know God
The Art of
Dying
The
Destruction of I- Consciousness
The Cycle
of Births and Deaths
Reabsorption
of the Faculties
The Happy
Death
Death Kills
Death
PART II:
COMBAT-ACTION
JUDGMENT
The Fear of
God
On Judging
Others
No Helping
Friend That Day
The Round
of Existence
On hell and
Damnation
The Fire of
Heaven
Judgment
Day
ORTHODOXY-RITUAL-METHOD
The Chain
of Transmission
Initiation
and Spiritual Filiation
Doctrine
and Method
The
Spiritual Master
The Just
Proportioning of Ritual
The
Necessity of Submission
SYMBOLISM
The Divine
Imprint in Manifestation
The
Manifold Content of Symbols
Solar
Symbolism
The worship
of Images
Ritual
Symbols and Representatives of the Universe
WORK,
ACTION AND SOCIETY
On Karma
and Karma Yoga
Concerning
Right Vocation or Dharma
Art and
Skill in Work
God the
Only Doer
Act and
Essence
Non-Acting
Action
PILGRIMAGE-DESCENT
INTO HELL
Wayfaring
The Descent
Into Hell
Return to
the Womb of the Mother
Steadfastness
Crossing
the Flood
The Inner
Pilgrimage
HOLY WAR
Injunction
to Holy War
Killing the
Inward Dragon
The Race
for Perfection
Endurance
Vigilance
The Weapon
of Invocation
HETERODOXY
AND DEVIATION
Error
Atheism
Deviation
And Ye
Shall Be as Gods
The False
Light
SUBVERSION-
THE WRATHFUL SIDE
The Origins
of Subversion
Abuse of
Cosmological Sciences
Corruption
Malevolence
Sorcery
The
Synagogue of Satan
The Powers
of Darkness
The Last
Times
Doctrinal
Explanations of Evil
METANOIA
Duo Sunt in
Homine
Repentance,
Renewal, and Awakening
The
Inversion of Values
A Mutual
Turning
No
Repentance in God
BOOK TWO:
MERCY-LOVE-CONTEMPLATIONPART
III: LIFE-LOVE FAITH
Trust in
God
Belief in
the Unseen
Patience
Fidelity
Knowledge
Through Faith
Salvation
Through Faith
PRAYER-MEDITATION-CONTEMPLATION
Help
Through Prayer
On
Meditation and Contemplation
On
Distraction
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Religions/ Interfaith Studies]
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