The present volume, first published at the close of World War II, and based on a series of articles on initiation originally written between 1932 and 1938 for Le Voile d’Isis (later renamed Études Traditionnelles), is unique in giving a comprehensive account both of the conditions of initiation and of the characteristics of organizations qualified to transmit it. Guénon’s distinction between the initiatic and the mystical paths-the first requiring a formal relationship with a master, a set of specific contemplative techniques, and a chain-of-transmission stretching back to the origin of the tradition in question, the second generally lacking these elements-led to some controversy between those who accept this distinction and others who believe that initiatory and mystical spirituality are one and the same. The book presents such central principles as the dangers and barrenness of syncretism, the often dire consequences of fostering ‘psychic powers’, and the superiority of sacerdotal initiation (into the Greater Mysteries) over ‘royal’ initiation (into the Lesser Mysteries), though both are necessary parts of the initiatic path. This last point precisely defines the rift between Guénon and Julius Evola, whose elevation of royal initiation over sacerdotal must be seen, according to Guénon’s criteria, as a modern-day echo of the ancient revolt of the warrior caste against the priestly one. Whoever follows Guénon’s argument will realize that a romantic warrior mysticism held no fascination for him, and is in fact explicitly contrary to his principles. But pre-eminently, Perspectives on Initiation provides indispensable points of reference for anyone attempting to distinguish between ‘initiatic’, ‘pseudo-initiatic’, and ‘countert-initiatic’ spiritualities in these profoundly uncertain times.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Initiatic and Mystical Paths
Chapter 2 Magic and Mysticism
Chapter 3 Various Errors Concerning Initiation
Chapter 4 Conditions for Initiation
Chapter 5 Initiatic Regularity
Chapter 6 Synthesis and Syncretism
Chapter 7 Against Mixing Traditional Forms
Chapter 8 Initiatic Transmission
Chapter 9 Tradition and Transmission
Chapter 10 Initiatic Centers
Chapter 11 Initiatic Organizations and Religious Sects
Chapter 12 Initiatic Organizations and Secret Societies
Chapter 13 The Initiatic Secret
Chapter 14 Initiatic Qualifications
Chapter 15 Initiatic Rites
Chapter 16 Rite and Symbol
Chapter 17 Myths, Mysteries, and Symbols
Chapter 18 Symbolism and Philosophy
Chapter 19 Rites and Ceremonies
Chapter 20 Ceremonial Magic
Chapter 21 Psychic ‘Powers’
Chapter 22 The Rejection of ‘Powers’
Chapter 23 Sacraments and Initiatic Rites
Chapter 24 Prayer and Incantation
Chapter 25 Initiatic Trials
Chapter 26 Initiatic Death
Chapter 27 Profane and Initiatic Names
Chapter 28 The Symbolism of the Theater
Chapter 29 ‘Operative’ and ‘Speculative’
Chapter 30 Effective and Virtual Initiation
Chapter 31 Initiatic Teaching
Chapter 32 The Limits of the Mental
Chapter 33 Initiatic Knowledge and Profane ‘Culture’
Chapter 34 Academic Mentality and Pseudo-Initiation
Chapter 35 Initiation and ‘Passivity’
Chapter 36 Initiation and ‘Service’
Chapter 37 The Gift of Tongues
Chapter 38 Rose-Cross and Rosicrucians
Chapter 39 Greater and Lesser Mysteries
Chapter 40 Sacerdotal and Royal Initiation
Chapter 41 Some Reflections on Hermeticism
Chapter 42 Transmutation and Transformation
Chapter 43 The Notion of an Elite
Chapter 44 The Initiatic Hierarchy
Chapter 45 Traditional Infallibility
Chapter 46 Two Initiatic Devices
Chapter 47 Verbum, Lux, and Vita
Chapter 48 The Birth of the Avatara

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