Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field.
Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field.
What is it that unites phenomena as diverse as ancient gnosticism and hermetism, the "occult sciences" of astrology, alchemy, and magic, rosicrucianism, as well as Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and the contemporary New Age spiritualities? What can the study of them teach us about our common cultural and intellectual heritage, and what is it that makes them relevant to contemporary concerns? How do we distinguish reliable historical knowledge from legends and fictions about esoteric traditions? These and many other questions are answered clearly and succinctly, so that the reader can find his way into the labyrinth of Western esotericism and out of it again.
作者简介
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Wouter J. Hanegraaff is Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and President of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism.
目录
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Introduction \ 1. What is Western Esotericism? \ 2. A Very Short History \ 3. Apologetics and Polemics \ 4. Worldviews \ 5. Knowledge \ 6. Practice \ 7. Modernization \ 8. Between the Disciplines \ 9. Sources and Resources \ Glossary
Introduction \ 1. What is Western Esotericism? \ 2. A Very Short History \ 3. Apologetics and Polemics \ 4. Worldviews \ 5. Knowledge \ 6. Practice \ 7. Modernization \ 8. Between the Disciplines \ 9. Sources and Resources \ Glossary
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战后膜拜环境在20世纪50年代发展起来,所谓“反主流文化”( counterculture)在20世纪六七十年代的兴起已经使之变得不可否认。随着神秘学的观念和修习在整个社会中变得越来越流行,它的信徒们渐渐认为自己是在参与一场灵性革命,这场革命正在改造主流文化,并将引领人类进入一个新的灵性时代-“水瓶时代”。认为有一场灵性革命即将到来,这种千禧年观念曾经出现在与爱丽斯・贝利( Alice Bailey,1880-1949)的作品相联系的某些英格兰神智学圈子里;但是到了20世纪80年代,“新时代”被主流媒体当作一个方便的标签,用来指深植于膜拜环境中的“替代性”观念和修习的全面传播,无论其中是否包含一种千禧年成分。除了西方的神秘学/隐秘学潮流和东方灵性,大众对“新物理学”的迷恋也是这种混合物的一个重要组成部分。量子力学和相对论的激进悖论似乎证明,旧的科学意识形态正与现有宗教一道处于崩溃瓦解的过程中,从而让位于一种与东西方古代智慧相协调的新的灵性的整体论世界观。 (查看原文)
本文是给阿姆斯特丹大学神秘学冬令营写的小作业,第一部分是对全书前三章的总结,第二部分是自己的看法。就不译回中文了。总的来说是不错的阅读体验,感觉确实被引了进门。 Summary of Hanegraaff’s arguments To circumscribe the general notion that is (not) “Western es...
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2 有用 小五(养生版) 2023-01-10 19:47:52 德国
两年后重读,感慨很深。人事世事变幻所带来的无非心境移转。其间,我对新时代从拥护转向批评,对荣格主义又从批评转向支持。由于Eranos学者群的深刻影响,使我既时常被指责过于背离主流学术话语,又时常被认为是思想上的保守。后来意识到,可能学习理论话语并不难,真正的难事是如何保持一种中心、平衡的感觉——在理论与生活,世俗与神秘,学术与修行、古代与现代等。因此,现在回过头来看这本书,也许调和并不是什么可耻的... 两年后重读,感慨很深。人事世事变幻所带来的无非心境移转。其间,我对新时代从拥护转向批评,对荣格主义又从批评转向支持。由于Eranos学者群的深刻影响,使我既时常被指责过于背离主流学术话语,又时常被认为是思想上的保守。后来意识到,可能学习理论话语并不难,真正的难事是如何保持一种中心、平衡的感觉——在理论与生活,世俗与神秘,学术与修行、古代与现代等。因此,现在回过头来看这本书,也许调和并不是什么可耻的事情。长青哲学既然不是永恒不变的,那么它就有可能在不断地变化之中呈现自身。每一位致力于神秘学的人,都有自己独特的问题意识,正是这些问题意识,赋予了个体以创造力,去以不同的方式,言说和表达神秘。因此,欧洲神秘学研究所强的历史意识,似乎最后指向对个体的创造性和主体性的肯定,以此可以作为对伊利亚德的回应 (展开)
0 有用 !Yō 2022-05-31 00:06:52
借個地哈哈哈The Wisdom of the Knowing Ones. Gnosticism, the Key to Esoteric Christianity by Manly P. Hall
0 有用 Shbfhiwkb 2022-01-25 18:19:46
读过原版发现译者很用心。不愧是前主席,条理清晰,覆盖全面,末尾的书单很有用,绝佳指南。想看百科全书的Hanegraaff还真编过一本西方神秘学的Dictonary,马住
0 有用 酒酿雨 2019-05-28 17:53:58
追星
0 有用 枕藉为月 2025-01-14 11:29:17 广西
为了winter school的preparatory assignment重读了一遍原著,作者的笔力深厚宏大,已经感受到他写作时的那种试图在短短几百页面面俱到的intelligent effort了,为paper献过命的人应该多少会有同感。很少有一本书能道出我很多潜意识里的疑问,尤其是chapter 7modernization我愿称之为仙品。虽然书里仍旧有些观点还不太理解/不敢苟同,但读完之后... 为了winter school的preparatory assignment重读了一遍原著,作者的笔力深厚宏大,已经感受到他写作时的那种试图在短短几百页面面俱到的intelligent effort了,为paper献过命的人应该多少会有同感。很少有一本书能道出我很多潜意识里的疑问,尤其是chapter 7modernization我愿称之为仙品。虽然书里仍旧有些观点还不太理解/不敢苟同,但读完之后决定这是一本我应该入手的纸质枕边书了,值得我时常翻阅,或许会常看常新。不知道几年后再回来看自己会有什么新的理解和感想。Thanks Hanegraaff. (展开)