Mircea Eliade
Mircea Eliade: A Life of Spirituality and Scholarship
Full Name and Common Aliases
Mircea Eliade was born on March 9, 1907, in Bucharest, Romania. His full name is Mircea Gustave Floriaan Theodor Antonin Eliade.
Birth and Death Dates
March 9, 1907 – April 22, 1986
Nationality and Profession(s)
Romanian philosopher, historian of religions, novelist, and professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago.
Early Life and Background
Mircea Eliade was born into a family of intellectuals. His mother, Cristina Golescu, came from a noble family, while his father, Gheorghe Eliade, was a journalist and writer. The young Mircea grew up in an atmosphere that fostered curiosity and love for learning. He spent much of his childhood exploring the natural world and developing a deep interest in spirituality and philosophy.
Major Accomplishments
Mircea Eliade's life was marked by numerous accomplishments, both academically and creatively. Some notable achievements include:
Ph.D. from the University of Bucharest: Eliade earned his Ph.D. at a young age (23) with a dissertation on yoga.
Professorship at the University of Chicago: He taught at the prestigious university for over 20 years, becoming one of its most beloved professors.
Prolific writing career: Eliade wrote extensively in multiple fields, including philosophy, history of religions, and literature.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Mircea Eliade's notable works include:
"Yoga: Immortality and Freedom" (1958): A comprehensive study on yoga and its significance in Eastern spirituality.
"The Sacred and the Profane" (1957): A groundbreaking work that explored the concept of sacredness across cultures.Impact and Legacy
Mircea Eliade's impact extends far beyond his written works. His life's work has contributed significantly to our understanding of comparative religion, philosophy, and spirituality. He was a pioneer in promoting interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange between East and West.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Eliade's quotes often reflect the depth of his spiritual explorations. Some notable examples:
"The sacred is that which is felt to be beyond man, which transcends him."
* "Man is not an isolated entity; he is part of a vast and intricate web of relationships."
These quotes capture the essence of Eliade's philosophy: a deep reverence for the mysteries of existence. His writings continue to inspire readers worldwide, offering insights into the human condition and our place within it.
As a scholar and writer, Mircea Eliade left an indelible mark on our understanding of spirituality and philosophy.
Quotes by Mircea Eliade
Mircea Eliade's insights on:
It is known that for the Greeks delta was a symbol for woman. The Pythagoreans regarded the triangle as the arche geneseoas because of its perfect form and because it represented the archetype of universal fertility. A similar symbolism for the triangle is to be found in India.
And since a more convincing argument could not be found – aside from a fatal accident or suicide – this way was chosen: a process of galloping senescence.
There are eras in which you can only move forward by going in the opposite direction.
The sexual classification of ores and stones was maintained in the alchemical writings and lapidaries of the Middle Ages;.
Alchemy posed as a sacred science, whereas chemistry came into its own when substances had shed their sacred attributes.
Am sentimentul vag ca libertatea individuala este o stare imperfecta de libertate, vorbi el in cele din urma, putin plictisit. Recunosc! un foarte vag si aproximativ sentiment. Cred, insa, ca o libertate colectiva, a speciei umane daca se poate, sau macar a unei anumite ramuri a acestei specii – este mult mai grandioasa, mult mai euforica...
A religious symbol conveys its message even if it is no longer consciously understood in every part. For a symbol speaks to the whole human being and not only to the intelligence.
Perhaps never before in history has the artist been so certain that the more daring, iconoclastic, absurd, and inaccessible he is, the more he will be recognized, praised, spoiled, idolatrized. In some countries the result has even been an academicism in reverse, the academicism of the “avant-garde” – to such a point that any artistic experience that makes no concessions to this new conformism is in danger of being stifled or ignored.
The majority of initiatory ordeals more or less clearly imply a ritual death followed by resurrection or a new birth. The central moment of every initiation is represented by the ceremony symbolizing the death of the novice and his return to the fellowship of the living. But he returns to life a new man, assuming another mode of being. Initiatory death signifies the end at once of childhood, ignorance, and the profane condition.
Si mai era ceva, un amanunt care m-a obsedat apoi multa vreme: mana intreaga parea goala, degetele acelea palide si nervoase erau parca facute anume ca sa poarte un inel, si inelul acesta le lipsea. Era o mana pura, nelogodita, monahala...