Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Commentary on Meditations: B5:30-31

The intelligence of the Whole is a social intelligence. Certainly it has made the lower for the sake of the higher, and set the higher in harmony with each other. You can see how it has subordinated some creatures, coordinated others, given each its proper place, and brought together the superior beings in unity of mind.

How have you behaved up to now towards gods, parents, brother, wife, children, teachers, tutors, friends, relations, servants? Has your principle up to now with all of these been 'say no evil, do no evil'? Remind yourself what you have been through and had the strength to endure; that the story of your life is fully told and your service completed; how often you have seen beauty, disregarded pleasure and pain, forgone glory, and been kind to the unkind.

If we keep in mind, that the whole universe is of one mind - one desire - then we can gladly accept our fate and place in life.  We are meant for each other; and some minds are on a different level, so to speak.  A crude example: the food chain.  Plants were made to be consumed by animals.  Horses were made to be beasts to help humans cultivate plants.

With regard for humans interacting with humans; we are made for each other.  And in some cases, we were meant to lead others and sometimes we were meant to follow others.  In every case, we can evaluate our duties in relation to parents, siblings, teachers, employees.

Lastly, praise yourself when you live virtuously (when you have endured, chosen wisely, disregarded pleasure, served others).

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