Golden Thread, The: The Ageless Wisdom of the Western Mystery Traditions

The Western Esoteric Tradition, including Hermeticism, Gnosticism, alchemy, magic, and theosophy, can be viewed as a continuous thread running beneath the surface of Western history. Those within the walls of traditional faith, and even more so those outside it, have all drawn upon its perennial wisdom throughout the ages. The Golden Thread traces the interconnectedness of esoteric wisdom in the Western world, from classical antiquity to contemporary Europe and America. Joscelyn Godwin lends personal perspective to an arrangement of text that is historical and wisdom that is timeless, creating a source of inspiration that calls us to action in our everyday spiritual practice. Every chapter, therefore, makes reference to some aspect of contemporary life and issues of immediate concern. Elegantly written and not without irony and humor, readers will appreciate the non-threatening tone of Godwin’s writing, which is not meant to preach or convert but rather inform the public on an often baffling field. Educated readers who are curious about the esoteric and mystery traditions and interested in finding surprising, new approaches to subjects that veer away from the trends of current thought will be particularly drawn to this book.

172 pages

About the author: Joscelyn Godwin was born in England in 1945, and educated as a choirboy at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, then as a music scholar at Radley College and Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1966 he came to the United States and earned a Ph.D. in Musicology from Cornell University. After two years teaching in Cleveland, he returned to New York State and joined the music faculty at Colgate University. He has taught Music History at Colgate since 1971. While still a schoolboy, Godwin discovered the Theosophical Society in America and famed psychoanalyst C.G. Jung, and found them wiser than his priests and teachers. Later he met Anthony Damiani, founder of Wisdom’s Goldenrod Philosophic Center near Ithaca, New York. In the 1970s he made several visits to Switzerland to see Paul Brunton, whose philosophy has had the strongest influence on him. He remains unattached to any religion or organization. Godwin has published, edited, and translated over 30 books. Many of these treat the spiritual or philosophical dimensions of music and the Western esoteric tradition. He combines a sympathetic approach to spiritual realities with an academic’s regard for accuracy and impartiality.