Instructions

The video player above plays a YouTube playlist titled “Conversations with Frithjof Schuon.” There are six video clips in the playlist. Clicking on the play button with the red background in the center of the screen will play all of the clips in a sequence. As soon as you click on the play button (or anywhere on the player screen), you will see other player controls.

There are several ways to move directly to other clips in the playlist:

1. At the top right of the video player, immediately to the left of the three vertical white dots, there are three vertical dashes with an arrow at the bottom pointing to the right. This is a dropdown menu from which you can choose another video clip with your pointer or using the up and down arrows on your keyboard and then pressing your "Enter" key.
2. After clicking on the screen to start the first video on the playlist, look at the line of video controls below the player screen. Find the button directly to the right of the play button. Clicking on this other button will move you to the next video in the playlist.
3. Another option is to use the keyboard combination of [Shift+n]. This will also move you to the next clip on the playlist. The keyboard combination [Shift+p] will move you to the previous clip in the list.

“Conversations with Frithjof Schuon” – clip summaries

1. “Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998) summarizes his essential philosophy” (2:56) In 1991, Swiss philosopher Frithjof Schuon met with a newspaper journalist for an extended interview conducted in English. This section of the interview covers Mr Schuon’s response to a request to summarize the most essential aspects of his philosophy. This is a very concise introduction to Frithjof Schuon’s philosophy and his resulting advice to spiritual seekers.
2. “Frithjof Schuon speaks on the topic of Beauty” (1:00) Here, Schuon speaks about the metaphysical (i.e. divine) origin of manifested beauty, and the importance of beauty in our lives. He begins: “Man needs beauty and he needs also symbolism.” Schuon explains that although human beings may put themselves to study or think about metaphysics, they, as human beings, will also feel a need to assimilate it or to incorporate it into themselves at a non-discursive, deeper level.
3. “Thoughts on Esoteric Islam” (0:39) Schuon discusses esoteric and exoteric Islam, a common theme in his writings.
4. “American Indian Qualities” (3:14) Schuon speaks about the qualities he admires in the American Indian culture and spirituality. He frequently wrote about American Indian religion, culture, and society. Many of his paintings also portray the world of the American Indians of the pre-reservation days, always with an emphasis on capturing the Presence of the Great Spirit in the people, their lifeways, their art, and their place in Nature.
5. “The Transcendent Unity of Religions” (2:14) Schuon explains what he means by “the transcendent unity of religions.” This was the title of his first major book, and has become a descriptive phrase widely used by scholars and other writers on religion and spirituality. Mr. Schuon also discusses what is meant by the term Religio Perennis.
6. “Frithjof Schuon discusses his perspective on metaphysics and religion” (3:00) summarizes his perspective on metaphysics, the transcendent unity of religions, the meaning of religion, and the need for metaphysical truth.