Philosophy as a Rite of ReBirth by Algis Uzdavinys

Philosophy as a Rite of Rebirth challenges our understanding of philosophy- indeed it challenges many centuries of assumptions which have reduced orthodox philosophy to a shadow of it's original. Algis Uzdavinys returns to the very roots of philosophy in Ancient Egypt, and shows why the Greeks revered that land of pyramids and priest-kings as the source of divine wisdom. Bringing his understanding of many great traditions of philosophy- Indian, Islamic, Greek, and others- he presents the case for considering philosophy as a human participation in a theophany, or divine drama.

Casting aside the unnatural limitations of modern philosophy, as well as the grave misunderstandings of Egyptologists, radical and exciting possibilities emerge for the serious philosopher. These possibilities will certainly change our view of the universe in general, but most particularly our view of ourselves. The Rebirth of the title is one that implies an expansion of cosmic consciousness both upwards towards the divine heights of reality, and outwards to embrace the whole of creation as a living image of the gods. The exercises of philosophy thus move from the rational to the intuitive, onward to pure contemplation and, ultimately, to a god-like energy in the divine drama.

Algis Uždavinys (1962–2010), was a prolific Lithuanian philosopher and scholar. His work pioneered the hermeneutical comparative study of Egyptian and Greek religions, especially their esoteric relations to Semitic religions, and in particular the inner aspect of Islam (Sufism).