Way of Knowledge—Reign of Antichrist

This first episode of Metaphysics of the Real includes readings from my book The Way of Knowledge in the Reign of Antichrist.

Part One: What is Metaphysics?

Part Two: Way of Knowledge (Introduction)

Part Three: Sacred Magic of Abramelin

Part Four: The True Self

Over time the Way of Knowledge has become increasingly divided to the modern mind, so that we now have forms of Westernised ‘yoga’ that are exclusively concerned with physical fitness and so completely divorced from the principle of yoga, which is knowledge through union with first God (or Shakti) and then the Infinite. Owing to this division of the Western mentality, devotional practices, the discipline of pure knowledge and the path of yoga are frequently seen as separate disciplines, each one representing a specialisation—a word that has no real meaning in ancient doctrines. All ways or paths must serve the one purpose of ultimate deliverance (Sanskrit moksha), or at least ‘salvation’ as according to the strict limitations of religious paths, which are necessarily exoteric. Symbolism is the only way to convey metaphysical reality without direct knowledge; language itself comprises a set of symbols. Ancient languages, with all their subtlety of etymology, roots of words and phonetics, are nonetheless well equipped to symbolise metaphysics, which is solely concerned with principles that amount to pure knowledge. Such principial knowledge is most adequately set down in the Hindu Vedas and Vedanta. Such knowledge is not in any way derived from an individual author, as is the case with all Western philosophical theories. With the Vedanta, the goal is always that of pure knowledge: untransmissible, infinite and absolute reality. That is what we mean by ‘metaphysics’. The Spanish classical guitar music was performed by Oliver St. John. This episode features Valso Choro composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos.