Letters of Frithjof Schuon: Reflections on the Perennial Philosophy

This collection of letters by Frithjof Schuon, the foremost spokesman of the perennial philosophy, 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.

Editor's Preface by Michael Oren Fitzgerald vii

Introduction by Catherine Schuon xiii

Foreword 1

1. Something Great Spoke to Me (Ages 18–20) 3

2. I Stand At a Crossroads (Ages 20–25) 13

3. My Spiritual Father (Ages 25–27) 29

4. Truth Must Have Many Forms (Ages 32–57) 49

5. It Is She Who Chose Me (Ages 57–60) 129

6. Above All the Religio Perennis (Ages 62–72) 139

7. To the Far West (Ages 72–88) 173

Afterword 232

Appendix: Facsimile Letter 233

Glossary of Foreign Terms and Phrases 235

List of Correspondents 251

Table of Letters 255

Index 265

Biographical Notes 275