VestigesofaPhilosophy:Matter,theMeta-Spiritual,andtheForgottenBergsoncoversafascinatingyetlittleknownmomentinhistory.Attheturnofthetwentiethcentury,HenriBergsonandhissister,MinaBergson(alsoknownasMoinaMathers),werebothlivinginParisandworkingonseeminglyverydifferentbutnonethelesscomplementaryandevencorrelatedapproachestoquestionsaboutthenatureofmatter,spirit,andtheirinteraction.HewasaleadingprofessorwithintheFrenchacademy,soontobecomethemostrenownedphilosopherinEurope.Shewashisestrangedsister,alreadycelebratedinherownrightasafeministandoccultistperformingontheatrestagesaroundPariswhilealsoleadingoneofthemostimportantoccultsocietiesofthatera,theHermeticOrderoftheGoldenDawn.Onewasarespectableifcontroversialintellectual,theotherwasanotoriousmystic-artistwho,togetherwithherhusbandandfellow-occultistSamuelMacGregorMathers,havebeendescribedasthe“neo-paganpowercouple“oftheBelle?poque.NeitherHenrinorMinaleftanyrecordoftheirfeelingsandattitudestowardstheworkoftheother,buttheirviewsontime,mysticism,spirit,andartconvergeonmanyfronts,evenastheyemergedfromverydifferentformsofculturalpractice.InVestigesofaPhilosophy,John?MaoilearcaexaminesthisconvergenceofideasandusestheBergsons’strangecorrelationtotacklecontemporarythemesinnewmaterialistphilosophy,aswellastherelationshipbetweenmysticismandphilosophy.
mysticism spirit MYSTICISM SPIRIT
