Frithjof Schuon

Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998) was a Swiss metaphysician known for his association with the Perennialist or Traditionalist School of thought. Alongside figures like René Guénon and Ananda Coomaraswamy, he is considered a significant representative of philosophia perennis in the 20th century. Schuon’s writings, primarily in French but translated into multiple languages, covered topics like metaphysics, spirituality, religion, anthropology, and art. He affirmed the existence of an absolute Principle (God) from which the universe emanates, and he believed that all divine revelations share a common essence: the same Truth. Schuon also emphasized the potential of humans for supra-rational knowledge and critiqued modernity for its disconnection from traditional roots. He was initiated into the Sufi Shādhilī order and founded the Tarīqa Maryamiyya. Schuon valued the universality of metaphysical doctrine, the practice of religion, virtues, and beauty. He formed close relationships with diverse religious and spiritual figures and had a particular interest in the traditions of North American Plains Indians. Later in life, he moved to the United States at the age of 73.