The relationship between Imamology and Self-Knowledge in Henry Corbin's though

Henry Corbin, a Western philosopher, is looking for an original spirituality that can maintain openness to the sacred world in all times and places. Pursuing this concern makes him familiar with Shi’a, and he finds Shiite spirituality and thought compatible with his worldview. One of the advantages of Shiite thought for Corbin is the soul studies. He believes that man, as a seeker, should go through the stages of passage according to his existential capacity in order to reach his inner truth. He emphasizes that reaching the inner truth is done through knowing the soul. Henry Corbin believes that the soul has two dimensions, earthly and heavenly, and to connect these two dimensions, a guide is needed. He considers this guide to be equivalent to Imam in Shiite thought, and emphasizes that the appearance and physical presence of the Imam is not relevant for acquiring knowledge and spirituality, but what is important in the path of self-knowledge is to know the truth and inner nature of the Imam as a manifestation and form of an inner guide. Corbin considers the existence of Imam and the effort to know the truth of the Imam necessary since it leads to the knowledge of the existential levels and the interior of the soul of the seeker.