We must be aligned within
In a world plagued by discord, the wisdom of Plato resonates deeply. The concept of justice explored by Socrates shows us a link between individual and societal harmony. This post delves into the relevance of Plato’s teachings, specifically from The Republic, and explores how we can apply them today. By understanding the interplay between individual harmony and governance, we can begin a transformation towards a just and thoughtful existence.
Bottom line: if you are upset with the way things are, first look within and improve.
Plato and the Reciprocity of Harmony
Long ago, a wise man went to great lengths to discuss the meaning of the word justice. Through Socrates, he found that justice does not happen in isolation. Socrates could not give a definition without showing that individuals are inseparable from their political entity.
In order to adequately define justice, he wrote that harmony is necessary in both individuals and the governing institutions. They are reciprocal, you see. For the state to function at its optimal level, it is not only necessary for it work well but the people must also possess harmony within themselves.
Plato and our Times
Drawing parallels between Plato’s wisdom and our present era of turmoil, we uncover the root cause of societal discord: personal incongruity. Our collective disarray is a reflection of our internal disjointed natures. The answer lies within ourselves. By fostering personal harmony, we become the catalysts for positive change, realizing that we are not mere subjects of the government but an integral part of it.
In order to bring ourselves and by extension, the governing bodies, back into harmony, we must have some barometer by which to measure progress. How can you measure the progress of anything if you have no concept of what “good” looks like?
To bring harmony, we must have an ideal
The “ideal” need not be inflexible but, there must be something we work to achieve. For example, the ideal weight for a human can be around a certain weight or BMI and if you are within range of this, you are fine. But we know more or less, what are are aiming for.
It cannot be something open to interpretation in our ever-so cynical world. Look at nature for a moment and see how the universe operates. All organic life has laws and boundaries they ignore at their peril. We can have an ideal that has broad band but past a certain point, we tread no further.
The Ideal standard for Mind, Body, and Soul
To transform from one thing to another, we need a compass to gauge our progress. Just as we can measure physical health through metrics like weight and BMI, we must define our aspirations for personal harmony. This ideal should be discernible, not subject to interpretation, and grounded in the universal laws and boundaries observed in nature. With a clear standard to strive for, we can navigate our path toward true alignment.
To bring yourself into harmony according to Plato means bring all aspects of your individual self in line. I take this today as Mind, Body, and Soul. We have a physical body that requires nourishment just as we have a brain needing exercise. The most neglected side of humanity today is the Soul.
The Neglected Soul
All humans have a spiritual side that must be satiated. We spend billions each year to fill this vacuum that is a built in feature of humanity. In our era, we cannot accept subjection to a religion or higher power but we will spend money to accomplish the same thing.
Today we suspect that all of the previous religions and spiritual ceremonies came about because of leaders attempting to gain and keep power or that humans back then did not know what we know today and were afraid.
Neglect the spiritual at our peril
All religions and spiritual practices evolved as guiding forces, orienting humanity in the world and enabling genuine happiness. By neglecting the spiritual aspect of our being, we jeopardize our overall well-being. Thus, a quest for personal harmony necessitates nourishing the neglected soul.
We caste down all myth and all religion without replacing something we require as humans. We do not want to hear this because, each time the democratic element becomes dominant, we view anything above us as a form of restraint on our freedom.
Compass for the Soul
In navigating our spiritual journey, continual guidance becomes paramount. Just as humans falter amidst life’s complexities, we require reminders of what truly matters. Great religions throughout history have provided guidance and benchmarks by which we can measure our progress. While we readily accept such standards in domains like business or fitness, the spiritual realm often eludes our comprehension. It is time to recognize the significance of spiritual compasses in our quest for personal harmony.
Belief is in decline
The real reason, agnosticism and atheism are on the rise in the West is we cannot accept that there are things in this world and beyond that we do not know, and that maybe, we need help.
The problem is that, left to our own devices, we are spiritually starved. We threw off the restraints to do what amounts to a rat in a science experiment hitting the sugar to get that dopamine hit again and again and again.
We need a compass
When it comes to our soul, we need guidance. Not one time guidance, but continual guidance on a regular basis. Humans constantly get caught up in life and need reminders about is truly important. We need to be reminded of the true path for our lives. It is very hard for any us of to do this alone.
Finally, all great religions point the way and show us a standard by which we should orientate ourselves. They typically hold up an ideal by which we can measure our progress. So many of you understand this in areas such as business or fitness but when it comes to the spiritual side, you cannot accept or do not comprehend.
Our Body – The Forgotten Temple
We must be aligned within our minds, bodies, and souls. The body is incredibly adaptable for good or ill. The obesity epidemic runs rampant along with the health issues that result from poor health. The answer is human and all too human at that. Diet and nutrition have been neglected for far too long.
To be clear, I am not advocating some vegan diet but that when we eat we should do so in moderation and pay at least some attention to what we put into our bodies. Since refrigeration, the food we put into our bodies is much different that what humans consumed in the past. This food is different and should be treated as such.
Our sedentary lives
In addition to food, we have to move more. In some way, shape or form – we must move. So much of our lives are spent sitting doing nothing. We have to do some kind of physical activity as often as possible. Since we are not farming as most of our ancestors did, we must use some of our leisure time to this.
Our minds have been so neglected. We sit with the world of information at our disposal and play games or scroll – ever-so much scrolling. Even those of us who do go to school are not receiving the kind of education as in the past that truly made you well rounded instead of specialized in some discipline.
Awaken the dormant muscle – the brain
Despite access to a vast sea of information, we squander our mental potential on trivial pursuits and mindless scrolling. Our education systems, in their pursuit of specialization, often overlook holistic development.
Just as muscles weaken from inactivity, years of mental stagnation render our minds feeble. Reinvigorating our mental faculties requires deliberate efforts to exercise the brain through learning, reading, and intellectual pursuits.
Ratio to strike a balance
I use the following formula as a guide for entertainment consumption.
For every minute of entertainment, I spend two minutes studying, reading, or learning.
Example: 45 minutes of entertainment equals 1 hour 30 minutes of education.
Now, some weeks I fall short of this and others I go way above. The main idea is you have a gauged by which to measure how much time you are spending on worthwhile activities.
Align yourself within and become the catalyst for change
In sum, most of us cannot have an impact on the decisions of those in power. What we can do is better ourselves and by so doing, better the world around us which in turn, make them better as well. We can only control what we can control and that is ourselves.
The question is are you willing to put in the hard work required for real lasting change? It is all too easy to fly off the handle when something happens. It is much harder to channel those emotions and focus them on a worthy goal.
We must align ourselves by actively looking after all parts of ourselves. Doing this, in addition to whatever else, is the most immediate thing we have in our control which can have an impact.
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0168%3Abook%3D1