The Perennial Philosophy in 3 minutes

The Perennial Philosophy
The world's major religious traditions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Native, and indigenous religions) have varying beliefs and traditions at the institutional level (externalized religion, holy books, buildings, teachings, theologians), so they appear to be very different from one another. As you move toward the contemplative level of these religions, they begin to converge - they become more and more similar in nature (inner religion, direct experience, meditation and prayer, mystical theology, mystics).

That's because the mystical experiences of these religions, the very core upon which these religions are based, point to the same absolute truth (or one aspect of that absolute truth). Whether you want to call that a union with god, nirvana, the god head, liberation, eternal bliss, enlightenment, spiritual awakening, brahman or something else, they are pointing to the same thing. I’m not talking about visions of angles - I'm referring to the subjective experience of oneness with all that is, an awareness of their oneness with the infinite, a deep interconnectedness, and ego dissolution.

All the great spiritual leaders – buddha, Jesus, Rumi, Krishna, Hermes, Dali Lama, Mohammed, and so on were pointing at the same thing: Absolute Truth.

"Theologians may quarrel, but the mystics of the world speak the same language" - Meister Eckhart

[StephenDix]

Severely underrated. Get it together, YouTube Algorithm.

[GnomaPhobic]

I was raised Catholic, became interested in Hinduism and Buddhism in my 20s, and now at nearly 40 I feel confident in saying this: All rivers lead to the same ocean, every faith tradition is a piece of a grander puzzle, every understanding of the higher power is another glass shard in a universal mosaic. This video is the best summation of what I feel in my heart and for which I find my own words insufficient to describe. Thank you for making this.

[ziggyfreud]

I am a devout Christian and I take my faith in God seriously. As a personal philosophy I can totally relate to this.

[ARsuffix]

Perfect overview. That was exactly what I needed. Thank you

[scottburbank]

3 minutes of understanding that most people never learn in a lifetime. Thank you!!

[jasonvoorheestheslumpgod]

Great great video man! Love how succinct but well explained it is.

[carolynhidalgo_execsoulcoach]

Thank you for this brilliant visual summary!

[Scottlp]

Your point is correct but you’ve left out a crucial point: you didn’t explicitly point out the gap between meister eckhardt and vast majority of practices of Christianity, Sufi and usual practice of Islam, etc. Mystics of all religions “converge”, but the way/practices of all mystics are very different from the practices of people practicing “conventional”/non mystic religion.

[traductionscultureen-arver]

Greatly put, the pyramid at 2 minuts. I would just have stopped the swords before the contemplative form, stopped it at the institutionnal and theologian form. It's quite rare that spirituals focused on inner spirituality, its message, teaching it and spreading it fight each others. The swords stays between the institutionnal and theologian forms, and don't cross the line further..

I agree for the rest. To be simple, the spiritual stay focused on the spiritual accomplishment of the human being with main virtuous : love, peace, generosity, courage. All religious dogma contained doctrines about the human realisation, but the institutionnalized forms of religion becomes quickly blind by the dogms that they lost the goal of accomplishment and its quite simple techniques. However, like Frithjof Schuon said "Religion is an adaptation to a certain mentality, to save everybody. With Plato you cannot save everybody. But with religion you can save the last men".

[trudihsu]

This is so good a video introducing me to Perennial Philiosphy. Thank you.

[WSmith_]

This video really resonates with me 🙏...

From my experience/experimentation, I believe psych edelics/mediation/sound frequencies breaks down the barrier between our conscious and subconscious mind, allowing our conscious mind to experience our sub conscious thoughts, feelings and however I also believe, in our subconscious mind we can access the universal

One of my first truly breakthrough experiences, during my own experimentation was the words/feeling/communication I was experiencing, felt as if they were coming from someone/something/somewhere

Hey we've been waiting for you.... don't be don't be your family is here with you don't really know him well, but he's family, he's it's (then proceeded to tell me a name) he's safe, he's here with us, he's your family don't worry, he's with us""""

3 days later I was with my mum and we were talking about our family and I was asking if any of my older family members had caught or been effected by c at first she said no.... then after a short pause she said her with the same name I had heard/felt/experienced 3 days before had been in a coma for 4 days with pneumonia and died the day after my I was gobsmacked and instantly began to feel an incredible sadness this was one of the most profound experiences of my I had only ever met the man a few times and never really seen him or his family in my day to day life or on social media as I only use there had been no mention from anyone or way of me knowing about his predicament in the weeks prior.

I was a hard-core atheist before now I have a new found sense enlightenment amazement, fascination and desire to discover the world to which is there but we cannot see or experience, not in our normal state anyway.

Peace, power and freedom to all the psychonauts out there....

[NotDanValentine]

Reading through the Perennial Philosophy was a lengthy trek, but glad I did it! Thanks for the brief summary

[soupsandwich]

Different paths to the same destination. Yet there's people on here commenting that their path is best. How many wars have been started over religion?

[kaeln]

R u guys David r Hawkins readers by chance?

[Tjb]

Many native Americans were monotheistic which is rarely talked about

[DaddyRules-bw]

When you cross-fertilise all religions there is much you can learn.

[ronadams]

I thought it was interesting how you left out Moses, the only one "who is said" to have audibly communicated with GOD.
El'ohim & Yahweh are two entirely different (things), in my opinion.
Peace/Shalom/Salaam!

[hanaazqazi]

I would honestly include atheism/scientism in this as well. Because they're also seeking the absolute, and they believe they have the means to do it, just like all the other religions.

[donnidon]

7 Absolute Monarchs
7 Rays of Light
🌈

[midnight_]

I am a little confused because I do understand the idea of perennialism but I fail to see how it would by necessity mean that all religions are equal. As a Catholic, I feel as if Catholicism is synonymous with the ultimate reality that perennialism espouses. Other religions may also come close to it. On the other hand, religions like Judaism cannot be part of this deeper unity from a Christian perspective.