Dane Rudhyar’s concept of transpersonal life Cover Image

Dane Rudhyar’s concept of transpersonal life
Dane Rudhyar’s concept of transpersonal life

Author(s): Jindřich Veselý
Subject(s): Theology and Religion
Published by: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Nakladatelství Karolinum
Keywords: Transpersonal movement; transpersonal psychology; cosmology; theosophy; perrenialism; New Age

Summary/Abstract: Dane Rudhyar was a composer, theosophist, philosopher, artist and a significant astrologer. His conception of transpersonality is crucial in almost all of his works and ideas. The article presents this conception in the context of Rudhyar’s transpersonal psychology, philosophy of history, cosmology, metaphysics and also his interpretation of the basic themes and ideas of H. P. Blavatsky’s theosophy. Rudhyar’s conception of transpersonality is based on an idea that through transpersonal inidividuality there is influence from higher forces or beings in the time and space of our world. The transpersonal life of a person like this has its cosmological and metaphysical aspects; it might be said that transpersonality means completion of inidividual existence, evolution of mankind and cosmos. This way of life also has a profound meaning for spirituality, ethics, esoteric initiation and sexuality. The article deals with Rudhyar’s distinction between active and conscious transpersonality, and passive mediumity, too. We also consider connections between Rudhyar’s ideas and similar or parallel movements, especially with theosophy, perrenialism, transpersonal movement and New Age. Finally we briefly discuss strong and weak points of Rudhyar’s conception, but also limitations of a strictly theoretical approach.

  • Issue Year: 1/2017
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 17-41
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: English