Peter Kingsley

Catafalque offers a revolutionary new reading of the great psychologist Carl Jung as mystic, gnostic and prophet for our time. This book is the first major re-imagining of both Jung and his work since the publication of the Red Book in 2009 -- and is the only serious assessment of them written by a classical scholar who understands the ancient Gnostic, Hermetic and alchemical foundations of his thought as well as Jung himself did. At the same time it skillfully tells the forgotten story of Jung's relationship with the great Sufi scholar, Henry Corbin, and with Persian Sufi tradition. The strange reality of the Red Book, or "New Book" as Carl Jung called it, lies close to the heart of Catafalque. In meticulous detail Peter Kingsley uncovers its great secret, hidden in plain sight and still -- as if by magic -- unrecognized by all those who have been unable to understand this mysterious, incantatory text. But the hard truth of who Jung was and what he did is only a small part of what this book uncovers. It also exposes the full extent of that great river of esoteric tradition that stretches all the way back to the beginnings of our civilization. It unveils the surprising realities behind western philosophy, literature, poetry, prophecy -- both ancient and modern. In short, Peter Kingsley shows us not only who Carl Jung was but who we in the West are as well. Much more than a brilliant spiritual biography, Catafalque holds the key to understanding why our western culture is dying. And, an incantatory text in its own right, it shows the way to discovering what we in these times of great crisis must do. Book details 844-page paperback.

REALITY introduces us to the extraordinary mystical tradition that lies right at the roots of western philosophy, science and civilization.

REALITY introduces us to the extraordinary mystical tradition that lies right at the roots of western philosophy, science and civilization.

Rupert the Fearless is the greatest Knight to ever fight a Dragon. Or a Wizard. Or a hive of Western Mountain Trolls. Along with his trusty horse and his magical sword, Sir Rupert can brave the most dangerous villains and defeat the most majestic Dragons that the world has ever seen! All before bedtime.

Rompant avec les prejuges de toute la recherche traditionnelle sur la philosophie presocratique, Peter Kingsley renouvelle dans cet ouvrage l'approche d'Empedocle: au lieu d'interpreter les fragments de sa poesie a partir d'une idee post-platonicienne ou post-aristotelicienne de la philosophie, il entreprend de nous faire entendre leur etrangete en les replacant dans leur contexte originel, un contexte ou la philosophie n'est pas d'abord concue comme une entreprise rationnelle, mais comme un mode de vie ou la pensee est etroitement liee a la mythologie, aux mysteres et a la magie. Sont ainsi reconstruites les relations d'Empedocle avec le pythagorisme ancien, mais aussi l'origine pythagoricienne des mythes de Platon, notamment de celui du Phedon qui fait l'objet d'une etude approfondie, avec un certain nombre de consequences methodologiques pour l'etude de la philosophie antique en general. La deuxieme moitie du livre reexamine le probleme des liens entre magie, science et religion dans la philosophie ancienne. Elle met en evidence une ligne de transmission qui, partant d'Empedocle et des premiers pythagoriciens, atteindra l'Egypte puis le monde islamique. Ce processus de transmission, jusqu'ici neglige, bouleverse notre comprehension non seulement de la philosophie grecque, mais aussi de l'arriere-plan culturel de l'alchimie ancienne, du soufisme et du mysticisme medieval. Peter Kingsley est professeur honoraire de la Simon Fraser University (Canada) et de l'universite de New Mexico. Aux Belles Lettres on lui doit Dans les antres de la sagesse. Etudes parmenidiennes (2007).