Time to Live
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An Essay on Beauty – A Review
In his search for Beauty, Plotinus starts at the lowest level of life: in the material world perceived by our material senses. There we begin to explore the mechanism or processes by which we judge things to be beautiful — either heard, spoken or perceived by sight.
Once we have amassed enough criteria to discern beauty in the physical world, he suggests we turn to perceive beauty in our internal world. Having most of us spent little time exploring our inner world or psyche, the idea of pursuing beauty in our inner world seems fraught and full of peril. Perhaps the reader will realize there was beauty worth pursuing in the mental or spiritual world – when they return to the mundacity of this material world.
For there is a soul residing in each of us and in its infancy it resembles the ugly duckling — and so it will remain if there is no effort on our part to nurture it . It will not grow into a beautiful swan on its own — we must purify our inner world by leading a life of virtue. For virtues “are certain purgatives of the soul; and hence the sacred mysteries prophecy obscurely, yet with truth, that the soul not purified lies in Tartarus, immersed in filth.”
In pursuing this refinement of the soul we may see ourselves and others in a new way. If we are fortunate to know a great soul we may admire their manner, temperance and fortitude. “For what else is true temperance than not to indulge in corporeal delights, but to fly from their connection, as things which are neither pure, nor the offspring of purity?” And true fortitude is “not to fear death; for death is nothing more than a certain separation of soul from body, and this he will not fear, who desires to be alone.”
Having formed a new philosophy, we should introduce it into our lives with magnanimity and prudence says Plotinus. “Magnanimity is the contempt of every mortal concern; it is the wing by which we fly into the regions of intellect.” Thus we are lead to the last: that “prudence is no other than intelligence, declining subordinate objects, and directing the eye of the soul to that which is immortal and divine.”
Thus we are shown a method or philosophy to purify our inner world in order to realize the beauty that lies latent within. Like a sculptor, we chisel away at the useless until we are left with a beautiful swan, the ancient symbol of the soul.
And so the reader is led to realms heretofore unimagined. And isn’t this why we read, to discover something new about ourselves and our latent potential?
Be sure to read the inciteful introduction by Thomas Taylor, who goes to great lengths to help the modern reader assimilate an ancient text by putting it into the context of modern times.
Scott Sherman
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Walt Whitman
Wisdom is not finally tested in schools;
Wisdom cannot be pass’d from one having it, to another not having it;
Wisdom is of the Soul, is not susceptible of proof, is its own proof,
Applies to all stages and objects and qualities, and is content… -
The Simple Way: Laotze (the ‘Old Boy’)
Lao Tzu was born in the early seventh century B.C. Although Taoism began before that, he put his knowledge together in the ‘Chinese Bible’, the Tao Te Ching. Thus began the rise and spread of Taoism.
It should be understood that as a religious text, the message is full of symbolism that can only be grasped with our intuition. The author is describing experiences beyond science and our senses. The common man of this age will laugh at this message – but take heed!
When a superior man hears of the Tao,
he immediately begins to embody it.When an average man hears of the Tao,
he half believes it, half doubts it.When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs out loud.If he didn’t laugh,
it wouldn’t be the Tao.Out of the many translations of the Tao Te Ching, I prefer this one by Walter Gorn Old. The most essential ingredient to translating ancient texts is to have a degree of understanding of the topic at hand. His comments are apt and thought-provoking.
It is said, a reader can only understand such texts unless he or she has read them seven times. So get to it! Read it slowly, backwards and forwards, then set it aside and ponder it.
