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Vestiges of a Philosophy: Matter, the Meta-Spiritual, and the Forgotten Bergson — Mysticism

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Vestiges of a Philosophy: Matter, the Meta-Spiritual, and the Forgotten Bergson

Name: Vestiges of a Philosophy: Matter, the Meta-Spiritual, and the Forgotten Bergson
Price: 105.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780197613917

✍️ Ó Maoilearca, John

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This compelling volume delves into a forgotten intellectual crossroads at the turn of the 20th century. It illuminates the parallel yet profoundly interconnected paths of Henri Bergson, the celebrated philosopher, and his estranged sister, Mina Bergson (Moina Mathers), a leading figure in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ó Maoilearca meticulously explores how their seemingly disparate pursuits—one academic, the other esoteric—converged on fundamental questions concerning matter, spirit, and consciousness, offering a fresh perspective on a pivotal era in intellectual history.

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Mysticism

Praise for this book

“Henri and Mina Bergson form one of the most enigmatic sibling duos of the fin-de-siècle. The unfamiliar reader might assume little common ground between the two--the former a highly respected philosopher, the latter a feminist occult leader largely unknown outside of specialist circles today.”

— Manon Hedenborg White

“Vestiges of a Philosophy performs its ideas with visionary urgency, as Ó Maoilearca sustains a diffractive reading of a vast array of sources--canonical works alongside obscure archival texts exhumed through meticulous archeology--that proposes conspicuous concordances between the thought of siblings Mina and Henri Bergson.”

— Matthew Goulish, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

“In this revelatory study of the intersecting interests of mystic Mina Bergson and her brother, philosopher Henri Bergson, Ó Maoilearca meticulously and cautiously tracks philosophical developments from nineteenth-century spiritualism to recent new materialism.”

— Dennis Denisoff

🏛 Oxford University Press 📅 2022 📖 256 pages 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780197613917

Fun Fact

Ó Maoilearca's 'Vestiges of a Philosophy' is a revelation, deftly weaving together intellectual history, occult studies, and critical philosophy. It excels at uncovering a previously underexplored connection, offering a nuanced perspective on both Henri Bergson's legacy and Mina Mathers's often-overshadowed contributions. While it might disappoint those seeking a straightforward biography or a purely academic philosophical treatise, it will deeply resonate with readers interested in the intricate dialogues between different modes of knowing and the rich tapestry of turn-of-the-century thought. A truly essential addition to our esoteric collection.

📝 Description: Vestiges of a Philosophy: Matter, the Meta-Spiritual, and the Forgotten Bergson

Vestiges of a Philosophy: Matter, the Meta-Spiritual, and the Forgotten Bergson covers a fascinating yet little known moment in history. At the turn of the twentieth century, Henri Bergson and his sister, Mina Bergson (also known as Moina Mathers), were both living in Paris and working on seemingly very different but nonetheless complementary and even correlated approaches to questions about the nature of matter, spirit, and their interaction. He was a leading professor within the French academy, soon to become the most renowned philosopher in Europe. She was his estranged sister, already celebrated in her own right as a feminist and occultist performing on theatre stages around Paris while also leading one of the most important occult societies of that era, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. One was a respectable if controversial intellectual, the other was a notorious mystic-artist who, together with her husband and fellow-occultist Samuel MacGregor Mathers, have been described as the "neo-pagan power couple" of the Belle Époque. Neither Henri nor Mina left any record of their feelings and attitudes towards the work of the other, but their views on time, mysticism, spirit, and art converge on many fronts, even as they emerged from very different forms of cultural practice. In Vestiges of a Philosophy, John Ó Maoilearca examines this convergence of ideas and uses the Bergsons' strange correlation to tackle contemporary themes in new materialist philosophy, as well as the relationship between mysticism and philosophy.

📑 What's inside

AcknowledgementsPrologue: A Reciprocity of AccelerationStrange Memory: An Introduction in Five Parts
1° = 10° Zelator Covariant
One: Ordinary Mysticism, the Hyperbolic, and the Supernormal
Two: Meet the Bergsons
10° = 1° Ipsissimus Covariant (Neophyte)
Three: Hyper-Ritual
Four: "O My Bergson, You Are a Magician"
Five: On Watery Logic, or Magical Thinking
2° = 9° Theoricus Covariant
Six: Of the Survival of Images
Seven: On the Meta-Spiritual
4° = 7° Philosophus Covariant

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Ó Maoilearca presents a meticulously researched account that illuminates the parallel paths of Bergson and Mina Mathers, offering fresh insights into their shared concerns regarding consciousness. However, this is not a casual introduction to esotericism; it demands patience and a willingness to engage with dense philosophical discourse alongside historical analysis. Readers seeking quick occult secrets or simple biographical anecdotes will likely find the academic rigor tedious and the narrative structure too abstract for their tastes. It is best suited for scholars and serious students of intellectual history who are ready to tackle complex arguments about matter and meta-spirituality without expecting a straightforward, accessible story.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the隐秘 connections between rigorous academic philosophy and high magic will find this volume indispensable. It offers a rare glimpse into how two siblings navigated the same metaphysical waters through vastly different lenses, revealing that the boundaries between 'spiritual' and 'material' are often illusory constructs of modern thought. If you have ever wondered how esoteric practitioners influenced or were influenced by contemporary philosophical giants, this book provides the missing link. It is particularly rewarding for those who appreciate deep, scholarly dives into the psyche of the occult elite during a pivotal era of intellectual transformation.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're fascinated by the hidden currents connecting academic philosophy with esoteric traditions, or curious about the intellectual landscape of turn-of-the-century Europe, this book offers a unique and thought-provoking journey into uncharted intellectual territory. It's for those who…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Ó Maoilearca presents a meticulously researched account that illuminates the parallel paths of Bergson and Mina Mathers, offering fresh insights into their shared concerns regarding consciousness. However, this is not a casual introduction to esotericism; it demands patience and a willingness to engage with dense philosophical discourse alongside historical analysis. Readers seeking quick occult secrets or simple biographical anecdotes will likely find the academic rigor tedious and the narrative structure too abstract for their tastes. It is best suited for scholars and serious students of intellectual history who are ready to tackle complex arguments about matter and meta-spirituality without expecting a straightforward, accessible story.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While Henri Bergson is a central figure, this book is less a traditional biography and more an intellectual exploration of the implicit philosophical dialogue and complementary perspectives between him and his sister, Mina Mathers, on fundamental questions.

No, the author adeptly introduces key concepts and historical context for both Henri Bergson's philosophy and Mina Mathers's work with the Golden Dawn, making it accessible to readers with varying levels of background knowledge.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Sibling Philosophies

The book masterfully draws connections between Henri Bergson's groundbreaking philosophical concepts, particularly his ideas on time and intuition, and Mina Bergson's mystical practices and esoteric understanding of reality. It posits that despite their lack of direct collaboration, their intellectual and spiritual quests were deeply complementary, each illuminating the other's insights into the nature of existence.

The Meta-Spiritual

This concept, central to the book, explores a unifying framework where the material and the spiritual are not separate but interwoven aspects of reality. It examines how both Bergson siblings, through their unique lenses, sought to transcend the traditional mind-body dualism, proposing a more integrated and dynamic understanding of consciousness and its interaction with the physical world.

Belle Époque Esotericism

The work richly contextualizes Mina Bergson's pivotal role within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the broader occult revival of late 19th and early 20th century Paris. It highlights the intellectual ferment of the Belle Époque, showing how esoteric societies were vibrant centers of philosophical inquiry, challenging conventional thought alongside academic institutions.

📜 Historical context

Set against the backdrop of the Belle Époque, an era of immense scientific, artistic, and spiritual upheaval, this book positions its subjects at the heart of a cultural shift. It explores how the burgeoning fields of psychology and quantum physics, alongside a widespread revival of occultism, created an environment ripe for new theories on mind, matter, and the unseen, exemplified by the Bergson siblings' divergent yet resonant paths.

📚 Glossary

Belle Époque
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Meta-Spiritual

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might our understanding of 'truth' differ if we acknowledge both academic rigor and mystical experience as valid paths to knowledge?
Consider a prominent intellectual or artist from history. Are there 'forgotten' family connections that might shed new light on their work or worldview?
In what ways do contemporary scientific advancements, like quantum physics, echo or diverge from the 'meta-spiritual' questions explored by figures like Bergson and Mathers?