Background
Godwin, Joscelyn was born on January 16, 1945 in Kelmscott, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Arrived in the United States, 1966.
(This is a historical study of music contending that it is...)
This is a historical study of music contending that it is a powerful agent for self transformation, for the healing of body and soul and for awakening the spirit within. The collection reflects the view that from whatever age music emanates there is a close link between music, mysticism and magic and as illustration the author includes the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of the work of Plato, Plutarch, Kepler, Balzac, Gurdjieff, Schopenhauer and Stockhausen, Wagner and Schumann - none of these names may appear related but the common ground is shared through music.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140190406/?tag=2022091-20
(Athanasius Kircher (1602-80) was acknowledged to be the m...)
Athanasius Kircher (1602-80) was acknowledged to be the most learned man of his age. By profession a Jesuit priest, he made himself an authority on every subject under (and above) the sun and published the results of his researches in over thirty lavishly illustrated volumes in Latin. His museum in Rome was famous and visited by everybody in the world of learning. Inevitably, his work has been superseded in most areas of study, but he remains a key figure in the history of ideas and in recent years there has been a revival of interest, in which Joscelyn Godwin has played a leading role. But while every other aspect of his thought has been studied, the fascinating engravings with which he illustrated his ideas have been largely ignored. This book fills that gap. It is divided into 15 chapters grouped by the engravings subject; these illustrations reveal his singular mind and the way he was drawn to mysticism and magic.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500291748/?tag=2022091-20
( The book that inspired Ian Caldwell's bestselling The R...)
The book that inspired Ian Caldwell's bestselling The Rule of Four—discover the secret codes of the best-selling novel! One of the most famous books in the world, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, read by every Renaissance intellectual and referred to in studies of art and culture ever since, was first published in English by Thames & Hudson in 1999. It is a strange, pagan, pedantic, erotic, allegorical, mythological romance relating in highly stylized Italian the quest of Poliphilo for his beloved Polia. The author (presumed to be Francesco Colonna, a friar of dubious reputation) was obsessed by architecture, landscape, and costume—it is not going too far to say sexually obsessed—and its 174 woodcuts are a primary source for Renaissance ideas on both buildings and gardens. In 1592 an attempt was made to produce an English version but the translator gave up. The task has been triumphantly accomplished by Joscelyn Godwin, who succeeds in reproducing all its wayward charm and arcane learning in language accessible to the modern reader. 174 black-and-white illustrations
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500285497/?tag=2022091-20
(This book is an adventure into the unexplored territory o...)
This book is an adventure into the unexplored territory of French esoteric philosophies and their relation to music. Occultism and esoterism flourished in nineteenth-century France as they did nowhere else. The book beginswith the anti-Newtonian 'colour harpsicord' of Peere Castel, and closes with the disciples of Rene Guenon and their fierce anti-modernity. The major forces in between - Fabre d'Olivet, Charles Fournier, Wronski, Lacuria, Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, and their disciples - were all at odds with the world. They were truly Renaissance men ranging over the whole field of learning and not shying away from the enigmas that beset the human condition. For them, music was a blend of science and art that could bring insight into the cosmic order. Theirs was a speculative music in the tradition of Pythagoras, Plato, Ficino, and Kepler, which is generally thought to have died with the coming of the Enlightenment. On the contrary, as this book shows, it flourished more vigorously than ever.
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(The Golden Thread traces the interconnectedness of esoter...)
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.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0835608603/?tag=2022091-20
(A lively, illustrated overview of the variety of mystery ...)
A lively, illustrated overview of the variety of mystery religions that flourished at the dawn of the Christian era. In clear, enlightened text and striking images, Mystery Religions holds up a "distant mirror" to our own times, showing that the quest for spiritual illumination from Eastern religions, and emphasis on spiritual development and experience, and a concern for hidden knowledge are deeply rooted in Western culture. Mystery Religions brings the myths, the magic, their rites and the wisdom of a bygone age to compelling life, making them comprehensible to modern readers.... Here is a compelling account of the forms mystery religions took, from the cults of Mithras, Dionysus, and Orpheus to those of the Goddess, esoteric Christianity and Judaism, and Gnosticism. Godwin offers a rich and varied selection of illustrations; the symbolism of paintings, statues, releifs, and other visual imagery provides a wealth of additional information about these religions. --- excerpts from book's back cover
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(Robert Fludd was one of the last of the true Renaissance ...)
Robert Fludd was one of the last of the true Renaissance men who tool all learning as their preserve and tried to encompass the whole of human knowledge. Born in Elizabethan England, he became a convinced occultist while traveling on the Continent. His voluminous writings were devoted to defending the philosophy of the alchemists and Rosicrucians and applying their doctrines to a vast description of man and the universe. All of Fludd's important plates are collected here for the first time, annotated and explained together with an introduction to his life and thought.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0933999690/?tag=2022091-20
( Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason's The Rule of Four is ...)
Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason's The Rule of Four is already a bookselling phenomenon. The Ivy League super-achievers drew upon an authentic 1499 Renaissance text to create their thriller about two Princeton undergraduates who try to unravel the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (pronounced "HIP-ne-RO-to-MA-kia PO-li-FEE-li"). The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili is an erotic, pagan epic, written in a private language peppered with words taken from Latin and Greek and decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphs. It was not translated into English for 500 years, until 1999, when Joscelyn Godwin finally achieved that near-impossible task. In The Real Rule of Four, Professor Godwin carefully investigates each aspect of the history of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its use in The Rule of Four, including: • What is the Hypnerotomachia? • Who wrote the Hypnerotomachia? (A central theme of The Rule of Four) • What does the Hypnerotomachia mean? • Places and people in The Rule of Four • Glossary of names and terms in The Rule of Four Lavishly illustrated with reproductions of the many beautiful woodcuts in the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a fold-out color map and photographs of the featured locations at Princeton University, The Real Rule of Four is an indispensable guide to the many fans of Caldwell and Thomason's best-selling novel.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932857087/?tag=2022091-20
(A major study of both the written and pictorial work of a...)
A major study of both the written and pictorial work of a neglected genius whose breadth of interest made him the last Renaissance man • Fully examines every area of Kircher’s wide field of study and accomplishments • Magnificently illustrated with stunning engravings from Kircher’s work Jesuit, linguist, archaeologist, and exceptional scholar, Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) was the last true Renaissance man. To Kircher the entire world was a glorious manifestation of God. His exploration was both a scientific quest and a religious experience. Credited with being the first Egyptologist, his works on Egyptology, music, optics, magnetism, geology, and comparative religion were the definitive texts of their time--and yet they represent only a part of his vast range of knowledge. A Christian Hermeticist in the style of Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola, his work also examined alchemy, the Kabbalah, and the Egyptian mystery tradition exemplified by Hermes Trismegistus. The Hermetic cast of Kircher’s thought, which was foreign to the concerns of those propelling the Age of Reason, coupled with the breadth of his interests, caused many of his contributions to be widely overlooked--an oversight now masterfully rectified by Joscelyn Godwin. It has been said that Kircher could think only in images. The stunning engravings that are a distinguishing feature of his work are included here so we may fully appreciate and see for ourselves the life work, philosophy, and achievements of “the last man who knew everything.”
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(Professor of Music at Colgate University and a widely res...)
Professor of Music at Colgate University and a widely respected musicologist, Godwin traces the history of the idea, held since ancient times, that the whole cosmos, with its circling planets and stars, is in some way a musical or harmonious entity. The author shows how this concept has continued to inspire philosophers, astronomers, and mystics from antiquity to the present day.
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(During the Renaissance, a profound transformation occurre...)
During the Renaissance, a profound transformation occurred in Western culture, fueled in large part by the rediscovery of the pagan, mythological imagination. While the Greek gods and goddesses had never been entirely eclipsed during the "Dark Ages,"' with the Renaissance their presence once again became a powerful force in the European imagination, and their influence was felt in almost every aspect of Renaissance life and culture. This over-size and highly-illustrated work is the first book to introduce the general reader to the revival of the pagan imagination in Renaissance culture and art. "The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance" also provides new perspectives on this hidden stream of spirituality that is so well reflected in art, monuments, and literature, but, until now, has been poorly understood from an inner perspective. In "The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance", Joscelyn Godwin explains how the European imagination was seduced by the pagan gods, and how people of wealth and leisure -- including those associated with the Catholic Church -- began to decorate their villas and palaces with images of them, write stories about them, and even produce music and dramatic pageants about them. In one of the most fascinating chapters, Godwin explores the use of mythic symbolism in the "Garden Magic" of the Renaissance villas, and takes the reader on a stunning tour of these complex esoteric landscapes, in which statuary, landscape design, grottoes, and flowing water were all combined to transport their visitors into an enchanted, imaginal realm, in which transformations of the soul became possible. In another chapter on the origins of opera, we discover that without the rebirth of the pagan dream, opera as we know it would not have been possible. Godwin explores how the pagan imagination existed side-by-side -- sometimes uneasily -- with the official symbols and doctrines of he Church, and documents how pagan themes were used to enhance both public and private life. In its deepest and most vibrant form, we discover how the pagan dream of the Renaissance represented nostalgia for a classical world untroubled by sin and in no need of redemption. This was the hopeful fantasy that briefly flowered in the Renaissance. It faded as the Reformation, Counter-Reformation, and religious warfare swept across Europe. But the dream still exists as a possibility for those who are in harmony with it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890482846/?tag=2022091-20
(Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of...)
Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of the Poles: celestial and terrestrial, North and South. This engrossing and sometimes hair-raising voyage through cosmology, occultism and conspiracy theory leads to startling revelations about the secrets of the Poles. The author investigates legends of a Golden Age, which some claim ended in a prehistoric catastrophe, a shift in the earth's axis. This is examined in the light of the latest geological theories, as are predictions of a coming pole-shift. The perennial fascination of these ideas is shown to be part of a "polar tradition" of hidden wisdom. There are many recorded tales of an ancient race said to have lived in the Arctic regions, which later spread through the Northern Hemisphere. This supposedly "Aryan Race" entered the pantheon of Nazi Germany, with dreadful consequences. The author examines the origins of modern neo-Nazi ideology, its "polar" inspiration, and its links with other arcana, including the survival of Hitler, German bases in Antarctica, UFOS, the Hollow Earth, and the hidden kingdoms of Agartha and Shambhala. However, "Arktos" differs from most writings on these subjects in its responsible and scholarly treatment, and its extensive use of foreign-language sources. Born in England, Joscelyn Godwin teaches at Colgate University, New York State. His many publications include "Athanasius Kircher" (1979), "Robert Fludd" (1979), "Mystery Religions in the Ancient World" (1982) and "Harmonies of Heaven and Earth" (1988), all available from Thames and Hudson.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500277133/?tag=2022091-20
(Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of...)
Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of the Poles: celestial and terrestrial, North and South. This engrossing and sometimes hair-raising voyage through cosmology, occultism and conspiracy theory leads to startling revelations about the secrets of the Poles. The author investigates legends of a Golden Age, which some claim ended in a prehistoric catastrophe, a shift in the earth's axis. This is examined in the light of the latest geological theories, as are predictions of a coming pole-shift. The perennial fascination of these ideas is shown to be part of a "polar tradition" of hidden wisdom. There are many recorded tales of an ancient race said to have lived in the Arctic regions, which later spread through the Northern Hemisphere. This supposedly "Aryan Race" entered the pantheon of Nazi Germany, with dreadful consequences. The author examines the origins of modern neo-Nazi ideology, its "polar" inspiration, and its links with other arcana, including the survival of Hitler, German bases in Antarctica, UFOS, the Hollow Earth, and the hidden kingdoms of Agartha and Shambhala. However, "Arktos" differs from most writings on these subjects in its responsible and scholarly treatment, and its extensive use of foreign-language sources. Born in England, Joscelyn Godwin teaches at Colgate University, New York State. His many publications include "Athanasius Kircher" (1979), "Robert Fludd" (1979), "Mystery Religions in the Ancient World" (1982) and "Harmonies of Heaven and Earth" (1988), all available from Thames and Hudson.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0932813356/?tag=2022091-20
(This is an intellectual history of occult and esoteric cu...)
This is an intellectual history of occult and esoteric currents in the English-speaking world from the early Romantic period to the early twentieth century. The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875 by Helena P. Blavatsky, holds a crucial position as the place where all these currents temporarily united, before again diverging. The book's ambiguous title points to the author's thesis that Theosophy owed as much to the skeptical Enlightenment of the eighteenth century as it did to the concept of spiritual enlightenment with which it is more readily associated. The author respects his sources sufficiently to allow that their world, so different from that of academic reductionism, has a right to be exhibited on its own terms. At the same time he does not conceal the fact that he considers many of them deluded and deluding. In the context of theosophical history, this book is neither on the side of the blind votaries of Madame Blavatsky, nor on that of her enemies. It may, therefore, be expected to mildly annoy both sides. "As in all his former books, Godwin's style is not only elegant but clear and understandable. It lends itself to a pleasant reading by any person who, though being a layman in the field, has a minimal breadth of culture." -- Antoine Faivre, Sorbonne "This is a wonderful work: witty, charming, erudite, profound. It demonstrates on the basis of extraordinary research and scholarship that the theosophical, spiritualist, and esoteric movements of the nineteenth century were significant in many ways we are only now in a position to realize." -- Christopher Bamford, Lindisfarne Press
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/079142152X/?tag=2022091-20
Godwin, Joscelyn was born on January 16, 1945 in Kelmscott, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Arrived in the United States, 1966.
He was educated as a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford, then at Radley College (Music Scholar), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (Music Scholar. Bachelor, 1965, Music B, 1966, Master of Arts 1969). He moved to the United States. in 1966 to undertake post-graduate work in musicology at Cornell University, where he gained his Doctor of Philosophy in 1969 with a dissertation on "The Music of Henry Cowell".
He then taught at Cleveland State University for two years before moving to Colgate University Music Department in 1971. Amongst his work is the first complete English language translation (1999) of one of the first illustrated printed texts, the incunabulum Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499). His only work of fiction to date is the novel The Forbidden Boook, co-authored with Guido Mina di Sospiro, which has been translated into eight languages.
He continues to teach in the music department at Colgate University, where he often teaches semester-long courses delving into the life and work of a single composer.
In the past, Godwin has also taught "The Atlantis Debate," a class which focuses on the feasibility of flood myth, as well as "Western Esoteric Tradition.".
(A major study of both the written and pictorial work of a...)
( The book that inspired Ian Caldwell's bestselling The R...)
(Professor of Music at Colgate University and a widely res...)
(The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance recounts the almost un...)
(This is a historical study of music contending that it is...)
(During the Renaissance, a profound transformation occurre...)
(This is an intellectual history of occult and esoteric cu...)
(Robert Fludd was one of the last of the true Renaissance ...)
(The Golden Thread traces the interconnectedness of esoter...)
(A comprehensive study of the major occult writings on Atl...)
(This book is an adventure into the unexplored territory o...)
(A lively, illustrated overview of the variety of mystery ...)
(Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of...)
(Arktos is the first book ever written on the archetype of...)
( Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason's The Rule of Four is ...)
(Occultism and esotericism flourished in 19th-century Fran...)
(Athanasius Kircher (1602-80) was acknowledged to be the m...)
(An unusual study of the vowels in music, magic, and mysti...)
(First Edition)
(Brand New. In Stock. Will be shipped from US. Excellent C...)
Member of European Society Study Western Esotericism, Association Study Esotericism.
Son of Edward Fell Godwin and Stephanie Mary Allfree, Muriel G. Hodge. Married Sharyn Cook, July 31, 1971 (divorced May 18, 1979). Married Janet Matthews, November 21, 1979.
1 child Ariel.