Primordial Traditions

Primordial Traditions

Primordial Traditions was the winner of the 2009 Ashton Wylie Award for Literary Excellence . This new second edition of the original award-winning collection features a selection of essays by Gwendolyn Taunton and other talented authors from the original periodical Primordial Traditions (2006-2010).  The new edition of Primordial Traditions features a revised design, layout, and  new content not contained in the original publication.  The first section of Primordial Traditions  deals with aspects of perennial philosophy covering the broader applications of the Primordial Tradition in the modern world. Alchemy, philosophy, civilization, the Kali Yuga, and even the problems afflicting the economy are addressed here from a traditional perspective. This section also deals with the nature of the Primordial Tradition and how many spiritual traditions  relate to this via the philosophy of religion. Contents include: Philosophy & Tradition  Sophia Perennis & the Doctrines of Ascension ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - The Primordial Tradition ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - The Age of Darkness: Prophecies of the Kali Yuga ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Mercury Rising: The Life & Writing of Julius Evola ( Gwendolyn Taunton )  - Ars Regia: The Royal Art Revisited ( Gwendolyn Taunton )  - Tempora Mutantur: The Deterioration of Men & the Aristocratic Principle ( Stephen M. Borthwick )  - The Sacred State: The Traditional Doctrine of State Legitimacy ( Patrick Boch )  - Tradition & Money ( Krum Stefanov )  The second half of the book features a range of articles about different spiritual traditions (both ancient and contemporary) and is organized by their geographic location - European Traditions, Middle Eastern Traditions, Eastern Traditions, and South American Traditions. These articles concentrate primarily on the esoteric components of spiritual traditions instead of exoteric practices. European Traditions Oneiromancy: Divination by Dreams ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Of Wolves and Men: The Berserker and the Vrātya ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Ancient Goddess or Political Goddess? ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Cuchulainn: The Wolfhound of Culann ( Tristan Arpe )  - Knowledge is Power: Rune Magic in Germanic Culture ( Stephen M. Borthwick )  - The Black Sun: Dionysus in the Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche & Greek Myth ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Those Who Wander in the Night: Magoi Amongst the Hellenes ( Damon Zacharias Lycourinos )  Middle Eastern Traditions The Sufi Path of the Wayfarer and Lover: A Perspective on Islamic Philosophy and Praxis ( Damon Zacharias Lycourinos )  - Invincible Sun: The Cult of Mithras ( Matt Hajduk )  - The Yezidis: Angel or Devil Worshippers of the Near East? ( Damon Zacharias Lycourinos ) Eastern Traditions Tantra: FifthVeda or Anti-Veda? ( Gwendolyn Taunton )  - Aesthetics of the Divine in Hinduism ( Gwendolyn Taunton )  - Divine Mortality: Natāraja, Shankara & Higher Consciousness in the imagery of Shiva ( Gwendolyn Taunton )  - Monks & Magic: The Use of Magic by the Sangha in Thailand ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Lead Us Not Into Temptation: The role of Mara in the Vinaya ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Does Practice Make One Perfected? The role of gTum mo in the Six Yogas of Nāropā  ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) - Clarifying the Clear Light ( Gwendolyn Taunton ) South American Traditions Mayan Ceremonial Astrology ( Bob Makransky ) "Gwendolyn Taunton of Christchurch won the $10,000 award in the Book category for her work Primordial Traditions Compendium 2009 , which describes a system of spiritual thought and metaphysical truths." - Writers Rewarded For Literary Excellence, Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript and Book Awards , published by Scoop Independent News In 2009 Gwendolyn Taunton was the recipient of the Ashton Wylie Award for Literary Excellence for her first book, Primordial Traditions , which was presented by the New Zealand Society of Authors and the Mayor of Auckland. Primordial Traditions featured a selection of articles from a free online magazine with the same name, which was in operation from 2006-2010. The book Primordial Traditions has since been republished as a revised edition. Gwendolyn used the proceeds of the award to establish further titles on a variety of topics, including Hellenic and Nordic Traditions. She has also published fiction and is currently working on Tantric Traditions (to be released in late 2016).