This collection of letters by Frithjof Schuon, the foremost spokesman of the perennial philosophy, is the first to appear in English and contains nearly 200 newly translated letters from Schuon's youth to old age as written to friends, spiritual seekers, scholars, and others. Among the letters are those that address, in a simpler and more accessible manner, the same metaphysical subjects that continually recur in Schuon's published works. Other letters relate to the spiritual life in its simple and concrete aspects, by answering such fundamental questions as "Why is there evil in the world?", "How can I recognize if I am on a wrong path?", and "What should I do to be saved?" Finally, there are letters that relate to various aspects of Schuon's life, most of which were written to his closest friends. While not a comprehensive autobiography, these letters offer an intimate view of certain key moments in his life. Taken as a whole, the present collection of letters offers insights into the content of Frithjof Schuon's message--his exposition of the perennial philosophy--as well as a glimpse into his life as messenger of that philosophy.
Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998) is best known as the leading spokesman of the perennial philosophy. A gifted artist and poet as well as the author of over thirty books on religion, metaphysics, sacred art, and the spiritual path, Schuon's works have been translated into over a dozen languages and are respected by academic and religious authorities alike. Michael Oren Fitzgerald (b. 1949) is an award-winning author, editor, and publisher of books on world religions, sacred art, and traditional culture. The author of the biography Frithjof Schuon: Messenger of the Perennial Philosophy, Fitzgerald has also edited twenty books and two documentary films that have received more than 45 awards. Catherine Schuon (1924-2021) was married to Frithjof Schuon for nearly fifty years. A gifted artist and translator, she edited her husband's selected writings on art in the illustrated Art from the Sacred to the Profane: East and West.
"Schuon's enlightening and inspiring letters of spiritual direction are a rare gift. We find therein an uncompromising discernment that brings human experiences and questions back to their metaphysical and spiritual roots, and a generous compassion flowing throughout."--Patrick Laude, Georgetown University, author of Keys to the Beyond: Frithjof Schuon's Cross-Traditional Language of Transcendence and co-author of Frithjof Schuon: Life and Teachings "Michael Fitzgerald has previously undertaken the daunting task of writing a comprehensive biography of Frithjof Schuon. . . . To this, Fitzgerald now adds the present volume dedicated exclusively to [Schuon's] letters written over the course of more than seventy years. The combination of these two volumes . . . give as accurate a picture as can be conveyed by words concerning a person of Frithjof Schuon's scope."--Catherine Schuon, editor of Art from the Sacred to the Profane: East and West "This is an extraordinary anthology of letters, offering a rare glimpse into the inner life and teachings of a remarkable man. . . . As in his books, Schuon's writing in his letters is often aphoristic and his ideas are distilled and clear, filled with wisdom."--Ali Lakhani, editor of Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity "This new compilation of excerpts from Frithjof Schuon's letters not only reminds us again of the timeless truths expounded in all his writings, but provides us with a more intimate understanding of his own heroic journey and his vocation as a spiritual guide--an abiding inspiration for all wayfarers."--Harry Oldmeadow, author of Frithjof Schuon and the Perennial Philosophy
