Day 7: The Temple of the Soul

“God has no place on the earth more suitable to his nature than a pure and holy soul.” The Pythagorean Sentences of Demophilus 44

The divine essence finds its most congenial earthly abode not in temples, rituals, or material forms, but within a soul purified of passions and sanctified through virtue.

Human spiritual purification enables direct union with the divine. God dwells most fittingly where the inner being mirrors divine purity and holiness. Cleansing the soul invites transcendent presence amid mortal existence.

If God finds no better dwelling than a sanctified soul, what does this imply about the purpose of human spiritual striving?

A PDF edition of this meditation is attached and can be printed.

"We can attain likeness to God, first of all, if we are endowed with a suitable nature, then if we develop proper habits, way of life, and good practice according to law, and, most importantly, if we use reason, and education, and the correct philosophical tradition, in such a way as to distance ourselves from the great majority of human concerns, and always to be in close contact with intelligible reality." Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism 28

We want to say thank you to all participants who joined us in this 7-day Platonic meditation journey. We sincerely hope it has deepened your connection to the divine and provided meaningful inspiration and profound insights to enrich and elevate your life.

For those who have only recently discovered this meditation program, you are welcome to embark on it at your convenience, allowing you to fully engage with the experience and discover its deeper transformative value. We wish you the very best on your journey.

How might we best approach the profound mystery of the divine?

God is immaterial and invisible. We cannot reach Him with our senses, but He is everywhere, and everything depends on Him. He is “that which is beyond all things and to which all things aspire.” The Elements of Theology 113

The One and the Many: How Platonic Philosophy Explains Multiple Gods within European Paganism

But God is not the only god. As reality emanates from Him, like light from the Sun, what is first created is that which is most similar to Him. But if God is the king of everything, then what is most like God is a king of something: of creation (Zeus), of harmony (Apollo), of wisdom (Athena). We call these kings gods. As Plotinus writes, “what those who understand God’s power do is not to reduce divinity to a single god but to show that … He, while remaining who He is, creates all the numerous gods who depend on Him and derive their existence from Him and through Him.” The Enneads 2.9.9.34–39.

Socrates as a model for civic virtue:

"No less wonderful is it to me that some were convinced that Socrates corrupted the young men. In the first place, apart from what I have said, in control of his lusts and appetite he was the strongest of all men; further, in endurance of cold and heat and every kind of toil he was most resolute; and besides, his needs were so schooled to moderation that having very little he was yet very content. ... Furthermore, he himself never neglected his body and reproved such neglect in others. Thus overeating followed by overexertion he disapproved, but he approved of taking as much hard exercise as is agreeable to the soul; for the habit not only insured good health, but did not hamper the care of the soul. On the other hand, he disliked foppery and pretentiousness in the fashion of clothes or shoes or in behavior. Nor, again, did he encourage love of money in his associates."

Xenophon, Memorabilia 1.2

Many of us are familiar with the traditional mythological portrayals of the divine. In the upcoming series, we will explore deeper philosophical perspectives on the true essence and nature of the gods as understood by the Platonic tradition.

These descriptions are drawn from our book, The Flower of the Mind. A free PDF version is available for download [here].

A physical edition of the book will be released for purchase later this year.

"First, honor the immortal gods, as set down by the law, and revere the oath."

The Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans 1-2

"Come now, take courage, the race of men is divine."

The Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans 63