The Symbolism of the Cross

REVIEW QUOTES:

“To read this book is to never see the Cross in the same way again. This is because it will become immeasurably more to you. Indeed, the metaphysician and mathematician Guenon demonstrates the symbol of the Cross to be the fundamental key, model, and archetypical pattern to all of creation.
Briefly, the upper axis of the cross is shown to be the spiritual axis. This is the divine ray of emanation from the Source, it is the connection to the higher Self, the direction of divine attraction in spiritual evolution, the “will of heaven”, and the connection between all possible worlds.
The horizontal axis is shown to be the created world, the plane of earthly life and existance, the stage on which the individual ego operates.
The intersection of the two axes is where “heaven and earth” meet. This is the point of divine influence. This is also the goal of the seeker, for to find this center is to merge your will with the will of heaven and obtain perfect harmony and”effortless action.”
Guenon demonstrates in detail the parallels of this model with that of the Cross of Christ, the World Tree, the Sephirotic Tree, the Net of Brahma, the Neoplatonic system of heavenly spheres, the Hermetic macrocosm and microcosm, the Hindu Gunas, the Taoist Yin-Yang, as well as many other cross-cultural relationships.
This study fits perfectly into the rest of the great edifice of Guenon’s other work on the perennial wisdom. Numerous footnotes show one where to refer to his other books for further elaboration of various concepts.” – Oakshaman’s Reviews – Amazon.com

“I began reading Guenon’s works in the early 1980s. My 1975 edition of Symbolism of the Cross is falling apart. Guenon, I think, goes beyond mere perennial wisdom when he discusses the metaphysical meaning and essential symbolism of the ‘cross.’ In this symbol is a cosmic reality that nothing in universal manifestation escapes; that much comes across to the reader. This is tough stuff unless one allows an intuitive grasp. For me, Guenon restores the cross of Christianity as the final Word. According to Guenon, a Muslim convert via Sufism, the “Universal Man” is the mediator between “heaven” and “earth” [Purusha and Prakriti]. Guenon quotes the Gospel: “Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (note at end of Chapter XXVII). No matter what your religious orientation, this book can serve as a great intellectual exercise, if nothing else.” – J. Szimhart’s Reviews – Amazon.com

“The cross is mostly seen in its historical and redemptive importance, without a hint of a esoteric meaning. Guenon- rather than dismissing those interpretations- makes it clear that one can have one- if not multiple- symbolic intrepretations of a symbol, without denying it’s literal ones. Sounding very much like Thomas Aquinas, he explains how the horizontal line of the cross represents the physical world of constant change and duality- like a time line- and how the vertical line is the Primordial state of being: the static, eternal Now through which the manifested world flows out of. It is the undifferentiated, quintessential, non-localized One. The unity behind the duality. And together with both lines overlapping, is the union of humanity and divinity. Guenon goes on to repeat the same unitive formula in all the spiritual traditions: Atman and Brahamin, Macrocosom and Microcosm, Ying and Yang, Prakriti and Purusha, ect. To justify his usage of different spiritual languages to communicate the same truth, he makes the critical distinction between synthesis and syncretism- the later being the one to stay away from.

Guenons knowledge of hinduism, buddhism, taoism, pythagoreanism, Plato, Aristotle, hermeticism, kabbala, christianity and islam is so crystal, that he interchangeably uses different concepts from all of them to communicate his points. A thing I’m not qualified to judge is his apparent knowledge of mathematics, which he uses to discuse the many dimensions and modalities of different states of being and how they all issue forth from the horizontal cross- I’ll admit it got over my head at times. However, whether one grasps his mathematical explanations of the cross or not, isn’t essential. What’s important is not necessarily the information, but the number of comparisons made between all these seemingly different religions and philosophies. This book should serve to make the union of all the religions-or, the perrenial philosophy- easier to see.” – Alex Kartelias’ Reviews – Goodreads