Taking a Second

Heading out my Uncle's 60th birthday. GOing to be a big fancy dinner apparently. Made some new connections and waffled a hell of a lot on the ADF thingy. Still on the fence a bit, but I think we have have found OUR OWN druidry. And it is techno!!

Back at the Blog

Crazy weekend, crazy day ahead. Went to Thornhaven's ritual on Saturday and then invited Mark and Edain over for supper and wine. It was a good time. Sunday was devoted to Lin and Adam's recitals, who both did really well. Today it looks like back to back to back meetings. Won't be getting anything done then.Tonight is 'The Audition' so no rest for the wicked.

The Prayer of the Stoic

In a follow up post, Peter described my response as a Prayer. Inspired by that, I have adjusted the post to be read as such, to accompany my morning prayers.

By my faith in logos, my trust in phusis and my hope of eudaimonia, may I gain the courage to face the world and its visicitudes.

Through acting virtuously, towards virtuous ends, for virtue's sake, may I be granted the serenity of knowing that I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.

As I subject appearances to hesitation, acts to reservation, and practice to examination, may I receive the wisdom upon which to build my days.

Finding my core

I seem to have lost my way. My OC personality once again focussed too strongly on the trappings of my life, without due consideration for the content. I had forgotten that ADF serves as framework, the language, for my life style, and that the core of it is Stoicism. I wrote the following in and email this morning, trying to explain what Stoicism meant to me, to a self proclaimed Cynic:

---

Peter: ...When we take on, or attempt to take on this mantle of Stoicism... we are [placing ourselves] 'up there' with the all-time greats: Pythagoras, Socrates, Epictetus, Jesus, Buddha, and the like--no? It's not a very long list: but have we got what it takes to join it? If we haven't then our Stoicism is a waste of time--we're living a make-believe Stoicism, a substitute Stoicism, a second-best Stoicism. But then don't they say you shouldn't give up, doesn't Epictetus say it, you should not give up just because there islittle chance of attaining the highest. ...So a qualified Stoicism is better than none?... Where's the optimistic voices in this group?

Me: Here is your optimistic (and resounding) YES! Even the path to
becoming a Sage (whoever, where ever, whatever that is) is strewn with
diamonds.

By my faith in logos, my trust in phusis and my hope of eudaimon, I
have the courage to face the world and its visicitudes.

Through acting virtuously, towards virtuous ends, for virtue's sake, I
am daily granted the serenity of knowing that I am in the right place,
at the right time, doing the right thing.

In my efforts to subject appearances to assent, acts to reservation,
and practice to examination, I daily receive the wisdom upon which I
build my days.

I may not be a 'true' Stoic (I do not believe that enough of their
teachings survive to know) but I am grateful for the joy I experience
daily through these teachings.

And that is enough (and ideed all we can expect).

---
And for me, it is enough. It truly is Stoicism that is the core of my life. I need to remember that. Always

June 7th

Interesting, if full, weekend.

On a spiritual front, we had our dedicants meeting today. 2 things struck me. Lee's comment that the well and the water from it cleanse us all. It washed us inside and out like the rivers in our shrine dedication. She mentioned tears as an example.

Farrell explained that the fire, or pure energy, are represented in the Gods, who are also the embodiement of perfection towards which we reach. Like the path to virtue, it reminded me of the Stoic method of living.

June 5th, 2009

Meditations along the Sacred Way. Following the path from the Tholos and Temple of Athena, past the Gymnasium and the Springs, up through the winding streets to the Temple at Delphi. 27 meditations, one for each Oracle, with an insight and experience to match. Meditating on the Greek Phrase as a mantra at the place. The sites need not occur in alphabetical order, but in the order that makes the most sense along the journey.

The two form of mediation I am choosing to follow, Oracular and Wisdom, aling beautifully with my two Patrons. My primary goal is to complete the Oracular Meditations prior to my final submission. If I don't get to the Tarot meditations, that is less of a worry to me.

Wisdom as a virtue vs. Wisdom as a practice.

Looking to build up some rationalization for the UPG in the Restore Greek Alphabet Oracle.

I need to get to work on 'Scroll/Tablet/Papyrus/' for the first one on how to use the rest of them.

June 4, 2009

 It has been a difficult morning. I am trying to remain Stoic about it, but it is really difficult.

I have to start on the Meditation portion of my DP. So far, I see it as two fold. The Oracle Meditation, and the Virtues Meditation. I will be adding the Nature Meditation in due time.

For the Oracle Meditation, I figure that if i spend 1 week on each of the Greek Alphabet Oracle letters, and one week on each of the Major arcana in the Tarot, this gives me 49 weekly Meditations. I could do something like the visualizing exercise I once did for the Fool. It was quite moving. Trying that with the Greek Alphabet Orcale will be interesting. Is there a story I can use to tie them all together?

The second method will be the Virtues Meditation. I have about 11 months to complete this. If I spend the balance of June writing the introductory meditation (maybe 500 words). Then implement it in July while I re-write the Industry Meditation to better include the character stregths and the Stoics into the meditation.

Using this system, I could complete the entire series in a year, perhaps even publish it as a book through Lulu. With all of the footnotes, and an introduction. With worksheets in the back. Virtues based, not salesman based like the Greatest Salesman in the World.

Ok, on to the letter meditation. Start at the temple at Delphi. Good place to start meditation.