Franklin Merrell-Wolff

Franklin Merrell-Wolff, born Franklin Fowler Wolff, was an American mystic and esoteric philosopher. He pursued the goal of transcending the normal limits of human consciousness, exploring various mystical teachings and paths, and dedicating himself to jnana yoga and the writings of Shankara. Merrell-Wolff studied mathematics and philosophy at Stanford and Harvard Universities. He briefly taught mathematics at Stanford in 1914 before leaving academia. In 1920, he married Sarah Merrell Briggs, and they adopted the hyphenated surname. In 1928, they founded the esoteric group 'Assembly of Man', which met at the Tuttle Creek Ashram in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Mount Whitney. Sarah Merrell-Wolff died in 1959, and Franklin remarried, living in the mountains until his death in 1985. He authored several books and numerous recorded lectures explaining his philosophy, which Arthur Versluis described as a 'consistent and extensive body of work with a unique vocabulary and set of concepts.' His book 'Pathways Through To Space' details a profound spiritual realization in 1936, termed the 'Fundamental Realization,' which led to states of consciousness described as the 'Current of Ambrosia' and 'High Indifference.' Central to his philosophy was the concept of 'Primordial consciousness' and 'Introception,' or 'Knowledge through Identity.'