Frithjof Schuon

Frithjof Schuon (18 June 1907 – 5 May 1998) was a Swiss philosopher, poet, and spiritual leader, considered a key figure in the Traditionalist School of Perennialism. Born in Basel, Switzerland, he became a French citizen in his youth and later a Swiss citizen. Schuon authored over twenty books in French on metaphysics, spirituality, religion, anthropology, and art. He was also a painter and a poet. Schuon affirmed the reality of an absolute Principle (God) and believed that all divine revelations share a common essence. He was initiated into the Sufi Shādhilī order and founded the Tarīqa Maryamiyya. His writings explore the universality of metaphysical doctrine, the necessity of spiritual practice, the importance of virtues, and the role of beauty. He had significant relationships with various spiritual and religious figures and was adopted into Lakota and Crow tribes. After spending much of his life in France and Switzerland, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana, in 1980, where he lived until his death.