Perspectives on the Contemplative Life It is written in the Talmud, “Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” Concerning the spirit, the only life that a man has the power to destroy or save is his own, then and only then is an entire world destroyed or saved […]
Read moreTag: Plotinus
“Ennead III: On Love” by Plotinus
On Love Love is a real substance (ὑπόστᾰσις, hypostasis) born of the activity of the Soul. It is a kind of intermediary between desiring and desired; the eye of the desiring which through its power gives to the lover the sight of the beloved; but Loves himself runs on ahead and before he gives the lover the power of sight, he fills himself with gazing, seeing before the lover but […]
Read moreOn Travel
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. ― Augustine of Hippo The above quote by St. Augustine is perhaps one of the, if not the, most popular, quotes of his, more than all his sayings on Christian theology and philosophy. This is a testimony to the fact that the love or dream of travel is universal. Some of the most famous epic […]
Read moreCounterpoint
Plotinus’ idea of “unity-in-diversity” is perhaps best reflected in music in the art of the Fugue, which invariably brings me to J.S.Bach and Glenn Gould, my favorite interpreter of Bach on the piano. There is philosophy in music, and prayer too, if I may say so. I recently came across a WP post on Glenn Gould, with a link to a very interesting film titled “Thirty Two Short Films About […]
Read more“Ennead III: On Providence” by Plotinus
“The wicked rule by the cowardice of the ruled.” The Artist’s Approach to the Problem of Evil In works of art, there is variety, gradation and contrast, e.g., counterpoint and harmony in music; In creation, there is “unity in diversity”, and if the pattern doesn’t encompass the opposite extremes, it would not be the unity of the All. There are innumerable acts in the great Play, but we only participate in […]
Read more“Ennead II” by Plotinus
Plotinus’ Universe Simply put, Plotinus’ conception of the universe is an ensouled body. It is soul, because it is self-containing and remaining still; it is body, because the natural movement of body is in a straight line, but when it is contained by the power of the soul, it moves in a circle (geodesic), always remaining in possession of the soul. The circular or spherical motion combines both the stillness […]
Read more
The Divine Comedy: XI. The Problem of Eternal Punishment
Many people have struggled with the idea of eternal punishment in Hell. “Punishment should fit the crime, but what crime could man possibly commit in this temporal life to deserve eternal punishment?” I’m not qualified to address that question fully from a theological perspective. Truth be told, I don’t quite understand it myself. Hopefully whoever reads this might shed some light on the issue or contribute to the discussion. All I […]
Read more