“Know thyself”, the Greek maxim inscribed upon the Temple of Apollo has become a timeless question of self-introspection and reflection for those of us who choose the path of enlightenment, dating back to the early 5th century BC. Plato’s “Republic” brought this philosophical thought to the forefront of human development in the 4th century BC in hopes of guiding us as individuals and as collective communities to learn who we are, what makes us tick. Why is this important? If we do not dig deep and know who we truly are, we are unable to capture the flourishing lifestyle we innately crave to experience and explore each and every day of our lives. So, how does one find their true self? Through the virtue of temperance - learning how to say “No”.
So, what is temperance? Choices that promote moderation, self control, and balance to our daily routine creating a harmonious, fulfilling lifestyle. For most of us, in this post modern world of hectic work schedules, kids, sports, and just the plain old daily expectations heaped upon us at home and at work, we are pulled in so many different directions we wouldn’t even know where to start. The old adage of “stop and smell the roses” seems to beheld hostage to the “daily grind” or is it?
Plato suggests that to know one’s true self requires searching and holding on firmly to virtuous traits such as Beauty, Courage, Wisdom and Justice. He explains how difficult this journey of self-actualization is in his allegory of the cave in “The Republic”. The prisoners chained in the cave of darkness, mistake shadows for reality and have a difficult time seeing the difference when freed into the light of day outside of the cave. Perhaps our sight is dimmed and we are deceived into thinking we are “living the life” of ease and tranquility with the conveniences of a first world economy. With over two thirds of the American population overweight, as recently reported in the New York Times, our perception of reality may be one of shadowy figures as opposed to the reality of harmful excess in today’s modern world.
Excess is not a representation of Beauty, Courage, Wisdom or Justice. It is a representation of ugliness, cowardice, ignorance and tyranny. In his documentary, “Why Beauty Matters”, English philosopher and writer, Roger Scruton asserts that Beauty is a value as important as truth and goodness. His documentary begins with beautiful orchestral music in the background, a patron gazing in wonder and adulation at the Mona Lisa and a beautiful, blooming flower. He postulates we must have beauty in our lives, in every shape and form, to have a fulfilling, purposeful life. Since the 1930s, he observes that our language, art, architecture, music and even manners have become increasingly vulgar, empty and meaningless, lacking positive purpose to uplift oneself and their community. Mr. Scruton strongly believes we are losing the true nature of Beauty and there is a danger that with its loss, we will lose the meaning of life. Beauty has been central to our civilization for over 2000 years. From its beginnings in ancient Greece, philosophy has reflected on the place of beauty in art, poetry, music, architecture and everyday life. Through the pursuit of beauty, we shape the world as a home. We also come to understand our own nature as spiritual beings through this pursuit. Beauty matters; it is not just a subjective thought, but a universal need of all human beings.
There is beauty in being courageous, being wise and being just. There is also beauty in the practice of moderation which in modern times has become a novel, almost whimsical point of view. The beauty of Self care, inside and out, cannot exist without self restraint. Saying no to poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of quality sleep, lack of quality time with positive relationships, and overcommitment says I must know myself to care for myself so I may care for others. It also says that in order to appreciate the beauty of life, I must appreciate the beauty of self, one that is worth preserving and not wasting.
In 1974, Mac Davis said it best in his song entitled “Stop and Smell the Roses”. His thoughts and feelings translated into poetic lyrics describe the beauty in having the courage and wisdom to treat one’s self as a beautiful feature in this world of ours.
Hey Mister
Where you going in such a hurry
Don't you think it's time you realized
There's a whole lot more to life than work and worry
The sweetest things in life are free
And there right before your eyes
You got to Stop and Smell the roses
You've got to count your many blessings everyday
Never forget. You are a blessing. Treat yourself as one. Every day.
Article by Stephania Streit
Photography by Provided
Originally published in Pensacola City Lifestyle