Isha Schwaller de Lubicz

René Adolphe Schwaller de Lubicz, born in Alsace-Lorraine, was a French scholar who developed a unique approach to Egyptology, focusing on sacred geometry and symbolism. After an early apprenticeship in pharmaceutical chemistry, he moved to Paris to study science and developed a deep interest in alchemy and painting, becoming a student of Matisse. He adopted the surname 'de Lubicz' in 1919 and also wrote under the mystical name 'Aor'.

Schwaller de Lubicz founded the esoteric group Les Veilleurs, which engaged with mystical political philosophy. His work in Egypt, particularly his extensive study of the Temple of Luxor, led him to propose that ancient Egyptian architecture and art were imbued with profound symbolic meaning, often relating to sacred geometry and the human form. He argued that Egyptian temples served as sites for mystical initiations and reflected advanced astronomical and philosophical knowledge. While his theories have been largely dismissed by mainstream Egyptologists, they have found resonance within alternative Egyptology circles and influenced figures in esoteric thought.

Born René Adolphe Schwaller in Alsace-Lorraine, he left home at eighteen after completing an apprenticeship in pharmaceutical chemistry. He then relocated to Paris to study modern chemistry and physics. During this period, Schwaller developed a significant interest in alchemy, immersing himself in alchemical texts by authors like Paracelsus and Ramon Llull. Concurrently, he pursued painting and studied under Henri Matisse. In 1919, he was granted the surname 'de Lubicz' by Oscar Vladislas de Lubicz Milosz, a Lithuanian writer and mystic. Schwaller also adopted the mystical name 'Aor,' signifying 'Light of the Higher Mind,' and his writings frequently explored themes of Theosophy and Syncretism.

In 1919, Schwaller de Lubicz co-founded Les Affranchis, later reorganized as Les Veilleurs ('the Vigilants'), an esoteric, right-wing French group involved in art, philosophy, and mystical political thought. The group published a journal called L'Affranchi-Hiérarchie. Les Veilleurs issued a manifesto in December 1919, and a letter signed by 'Aor' advised Jewish people to 'go back home,' reflecting views that have been described as antisemitic by some commentators. Later, in the 1920s, he and his wife Isha established the Station Scientifique Suhalia in Switzerland. This research center included laboratories, an observatory, workshops, and a theater. It was at Suhalia that Schwaller de Lubicz fully developed his philosophical vision, publishing 'L'Appel du Feu' in 1926, and began elaborating his philosophy on the evolution of consciousness.

Schwaller de Lubicz spent twelve years in Egypt, meticulously studying the temples of Thebes. Alongside French Egyptologist Alexandre Varille, he pioneered a symbolist approach to ancient Egyptian civilization. He posited that the temples were designed for mystical initiations and that their architecture conveyed a complex belief system integrating religion, philosophy, art, and science. A central tenet of his work is the concept of sacred geometry, suggesting that the human form served as a fundamental blueprint for Egyptian architecture, with temple layouts mirroring anatomical structures, as illustrated in his comparison of Luxor Temple's plan to a human skeleton in 'The Temple in Man.' He also proposed that Egyptian civilization predated conventional chronology and incorporated advanced astronomical knowledge, such as axial precession, into their cosmology.