Whitall Perry
Encyclopedia
Whitall Nicholson Perry (1920–2005) was born of old New England stock in Belmont, Massachusetts
(near Boston), on January 19, 1920. A quest for wisdom led him, as a young man, to travel out to the Far East. In Bali, in 1939, he found the echoes of a still authentic traditional world that sparked a lifelong encounter with ancient traditions, which he approached through the metaphysical perspectives of Platonism
and Vedanta
. He spent several decades abroad, living first in Giza, Egypt, where he met and frequented the French metaphysician René Guénon
, and later in Lausanne
, Switzerland where he became a close associate of the German metaphysician and mystic, Frithjof Schuon
. In 1980, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana
where he resided for the last 25 years of his life. He died on November 18, 2005.
and Indonesia, as well as on the religions of which these arts were the expression. In the later part of his life, Coomaraswamy came under the influence of René Guénon, the French philosopher and orientalist who was the founder (together with Frithjof Schuon) of what came to be known as the “traditionalist” or Perennialist school of thought. Coomaraswamy became a powerful advocate of that school, and he introduced Perry to the writings of the two founding authors. Thus it was that the Perennial Philosophy
, especially as expounded by Schuon, became the guiding star of Perry’s life.
Perry was one of the very few people who was personally acquainted with all four of the leading figures of the traditionalist school: René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon (the two originators) and Ananda Coomaraswamy and Titus Burckhardt
(the two continuators). Titus Burckhardt was Schuon’s closest friend and collaborator, and he too lived in Lausanne.
, Turkey, in 1968; Morocco on several occasions in the 1960s and 1970s, and also many European countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece, and England (the last-named almost annually). When, in 1980, Frithjof Schuon left Lausanne and retired to Bloomington, Indiana, the Perrys followed suit.
Ideas he considered misguided were constant targets of Perry’s writing. In his book Gurdjieff in the light of tradition (1978), a study containing considerable information, Perry argues in detail against the pretensions of those he perceives as pseudo-gurus. And in Challenges to a Secular Society (1996), among other tasks, he counters Aldous Huxley
’s writings extolling the allegedly “spiritual” effects of psychedelic drugs.
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
(near Boston), on January 19, 1920. A quest for wisdom led him, as a young man, to travel out to the Far East. In Bali, in 1939, he found the echoes of a still authentic traditional world that sparked a lifelong encounter with ancient traditions, which he approached through the metaphysical perspectives of Platonism
Platonism
Platonism is the philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it. In a narrower sense the term might indicate the doctrine of Platonic realism...
and Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
. He spent several decades abroad, living first in Giza, Egypt, where he met and frequented the French metaphysician René Guénon
René Guénon
René Guénon , also known as Shaykh `Abd al-Wahid Yahya was a French author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science and traditional studies to symbolism and initiation.In his writings, he...
, and later in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland where he became a close associate of the German metaphysician and mystic, Frithjof Schuon
Frithjof Schuon
Frithjof Schuon, was a native of Switzerland born to German parents in Basel, Switzerland. He is known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality....
. In 1980, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
where he resided for the last 25 years of his life. He died on November 18, 2005.
A Treasury of Traditional Wisdom
Perry's masterwork, A Treasury of Traditional Wisdom (1971, reedited twice), is a testament to his contacts and personal ties with representatives of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Sufism, and, not least, with Native American Indians. This opus is a true Summa of the Philosophia perennis, namely a harvesting of the timeless spiritual wisdom culled from every major tradition in the world.Perennialism
Perry’s commitment to traditional philosophy of the East and West led him, in 1946, to make the acquaintance of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, who, over many years, had established his reputation as the leading authority on the arts of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Indonesia, as well as on the religions of which these arts were the expression. In the later part of his life, Coomaraswamy came under the influence of René Guénon, the French philosopher and orientalist who was the founder (together with Frithjof Schuon) of what came to be known as the “traditionalist” or Perennialist school of thought. Coomaraswamy became a powerful advocate of that school, and he introduced Perry to the writings of the two founding authors. Thus it was that the Perennial Philosophy
Perennial philosophy
Perennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great...
, especially as expounded by Schuon, became the guiding star of Perry’s life.
Perry was one of the very few people who was personally acquainted with all four of the leading figures of the traditionalist school: René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon (the two originators) and Ananda Coomaraswamy and Titus Burckhardt
Titus Burckhardt
Titus Burckhardt , a German Swiss, was born in Florence, Italy in 1908 and died in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1984. He devoted all his life to the study and exposition of the different aspects of Wisdom and Tradition.He was an eminent member of the "traditionalist school" of twentieth-century authors...
(the two continuators). Titus Burckhardt was Schuon’s closest friend and collaborator, and he too lived in Lausanne.
Travels
Whitall and Barbara Perry accompanied Frithjof Schuon and his wife on many journeys. They visited the Absaroka and Lakota (Crow and Sioux Indians) in the American West in 1963 and, amongst other things, attended an Absaroka Sun dance; the famous House of the Virgin, at EphesusEphesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, Turkey, in 1968; Morocco on several occasions in the 1960s and 1970s, and also many European countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece, and England (the last-named almost annually). When, in 1980, Frithjof Schuon left Lausanne and retired to Bloomington, Indiana, the Perrys followed suit.
Personality and other works
Visible in Perry's writings was a strong and incisive manner, but underneath this lay much empathy and compassion, with a healthy sense of humor. For instance, the article entitled “The Coming of Coriolanus" (Studies in Comparative Religion, Vol. 9, No. 4, Autumn, 1975), reveals his severity, while his humor comes to the fore in “The Dragon that swallowed Saint George” (Studies in Comparative Religion, Vol. 10, No. 3., Summer, 1976), an article deriding the second Vatican Council.Ideas he considered misguided were constant targets of Perry’s writing. In his book Gurdjieff in the light of tradition (1978), a study containing considerable information, Perry argues in detail against the pretensions of those he perceives as pseudo-gurus. And in Challenges to a Secular Society (1996), among other tasks, he counters Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
’s writings extolling the allegedly “spiritual” effects of psychedelic drugs.
External links
See also
- Perennial PhilosophyPerennial philosophyPerennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great...
- Traditionalist SchoolTraditionalist SchoolThe term Traditionalist School is used by Mark Sedgwick and other authors to denote a school of thought, also known as Integral Traditionalism or Perennialism to denote an esoteric movement developed by authors such as French metaphysician René Guénon, German-Swiss...
- Frithjof SchuonFrithjof SchuonFrithjof Schuon, was a native of Switzerland born to German parents in Basel, Switzerland. He is known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality....
- René GuénonRené GuénonRené Guénon , also known as Shaykh `Abd al-Wahid Yahya was a French author and intellectual who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics, having written on topics ranging from metaphysics, sacred science and traditional studies to symbolism and initiation.In his writings, he...
- Titus BurckhardtTitus BurckhardtTitus Burckhardt , a German Swiss, was born in Florence, Italy in 1908 and died in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1984. He devoted all his life to the study and exposition of the different aspects of Wisdom and Tradition.He was an eminent member of the "traditionalist school" of twentieth-century authors...
- Ananda CoomaraswamyAnanda CoomaraswamyAnanda Kentish Coomaraswamy was a Ceylonese philosopher and metaphysician, as well as a pioneering historian and philosopher of Indian art, particularly art history and symbolism, and an early interpreter of Indian culture to the West...
- Martin LingsMartin LingsMartin Lings was an English Muslim writer and scholar, a student and follower of Frithjof Schuon, and Shakespearean scholar...
- William StoddartWilliam StoddartWilliam Stoddart is a Scottish physician, author and "spiritual traveller", who has written several books on the philosophy of religions. He has been called a “master of synthesis” and is one of the important writers on the Perennial Philosophy in the present day. For many years he was assistant...
- Angus MacnabAngus MacnabJohn Angus Macnab was a British fascist politician who was a close associate of William Joyce who later became noted as a Perennialist writer on Medieval Spain and translator of Latin and Greek poetry.-Early life:...
- Bernard Philip KellyBernard Philip Kelly-Works:Kelly's inspiration was scholastic philosophy and, in particular, the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. He was a regular contributor to Catholic periodicals, from the 1930s to the 1950s....