Thank you for this one. This course is helping me feel connected to this stream of wisdom, so I do not feel as abandoned in our modern times. This post is quite relevant for me now as I have moved from the USA to Portugal and still have a house full of stuff back in Arizona. In that house, my son still lives. In a year we will sell it, he will leave his childhood home and graduate from university and we will bring some of the objects here to Porto. But which ones? And how much? I have seen other expats here move entire houses and it is overwhelming how much they brought. We are planning to let go of most fit. To bring some of our most favorite art, and some books.
A note. I have been back once in the last three years and I have already noticed that most things there now feel like they belong to someone else form another life and time. I have changed, and I really do not want to bring the stuff here. It is as if it belongs to another person. I have transformed so much in the last three years that the objects of the past are actually like props of a character I played in a theater production called my former life.
I suspect this is exactly how all this stuff will seem in the after life. The transformation through death being so radical as it feels like what remind behind belongs to someone else.
I think you are absolutely right - as we age, the stuff of our earlier years feels like 'left-overs' from another life. This set of verses really makes it plain to us. One more of the really difficult verses to go and we will be back in the area of deflecting human persuasion! Let us know again, when you know your travelling times - it's a bit frantic still.
Sounds good. I am working on that with my wife Betsy right now. She is heading to the states. Looks like from sept 17 - Oct. 14 is the likely. I will let you know once it is firm and when my pilgrimage will be and when I might be able to visit. Best wishes, M
Gosh this is such timely wisdom for me as I am clearing my father’s house this weekend with my sister. He died leaving a very divisive Will in my sisters favour for which he had his reasons but I am processing such a tangle of emotions of hurt and betrayal. I am hoping that in time I will have fully realised my souls lessons within all of this - primarily forgiveness. Even though I am behind on reading your articles , it is perfect timing for me. Thankyou 🙏
That is a hard task indeed! The little simmering resentments that endure, only to explode in the will! We are facing a big change when it comes to our own wills, which now have to be administered differently, and we are similarly in a double bind of emotion and upset.
“Wealth consists not of possessions, but of having few wants” and especially “Wishing for a fig in winter.” 🙌 This wisdom is so important for these times. I love how, with very few words, a whole life perspective can change. Thank you! 🙏 A delightful little book that reminds me of this post is Journeys of Simplicity- Traveling Light with Thomas Merton and others.
Thank you for this one. This course is helping me feel connected to this stream of wisdom, so I do not feel as abandoned in our modern times. This post is quite relevant for me now as I have moved from the USA to Portugal and still have a house full of stuff back in Arizona. In that house, my son still lives. In a year we will sell it, he will leave his childhood home and graduate from university and we will bring some of the objects here to Porto. But which ones? And how much? I have seen other expats here move entire houses and it is overwhelming how much they brought. We are planning to let go of most fit. To bring some of our most favorite art, and some books.
A note. I have been back once in the last three years and I have already noticed that most things there now feel like they belong to someone else form another life and time. I have changed, and I really do not want to bring the stuff here. It is as if it belongs to another person. I have transformed so much in the last three years that the objects of the past are actually like props of a character I played in a theater production called my former life.
I suspect this is exactly how all this stuff will seem in the after life. The transformation through death being so radical as it feels like what remind behind belongs to someone else.
I think you are absolutely right - as we age, the stuff of our earlier years feels like 'left-overs' from another life. This set of verses really makes it plain to us. One more of the really difficult verses to go and we will be back in the area of deflecting human persuasion! Let us know again, when you know your travelling times - it's a bit frantic still.
Sounds good. I am working on that with my wife Betsy right now. She is heading to the states. Looks like from sept 17 - Oct. 14 is the likely. I will let you know once it is firm and when my pilgrimage will be and when I might be able to visit. Best wishes, M
Gosh this is such timely wisdom for me as I am clearing my father’s house this weekend with my sister. He died leaving a very divisive Will in my sisters favour for which he had his reasons but I am processing such a tangle of emotions of hurt and betrayal. I am hoping that in time I will have fully realised my souls lessons within all of this - primarily forgiveness. Even though I am behind on reading your articles , it is perfect timing for me. Thankyou 🙏
That is a hard task indeed! The little simmering resentments that endure, only to explode in the will! We are facing a big change when it comes to our own wills, which now have to be administered differently, and we are similarly in a double bind of emotion and upset.
“Wealth consists not of possessions, but of having few wants” and especially “Wishing for a fig in winter.” 🙌 This wisdom is so important for these times. I love how, with very few words, a whole life perspective can change. Thank you! 🙏 A delightful little book that reminds me of this post is Journeys of Simplicity- Traveling Light with Thomas Merton and others.
Most of the Golden Verses carry a basic wisdom which seems so important for our time. Simple is best always.
Very timely article, thank you.
Unable to get the link (https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2023/07/Resource_24.pdf) to work and tried in several browsers - comes back with "404 Not Found' error message. Is it just me or has anyone else had this issue and if so, how did they resolve it please?
I don't know what that link is, Raven!
https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Resource_24.pdf -
ah the Aristotle! I just opened this
If it won't open try searching Aristotle, Generosity and Nichomachean ethics
Such an inspiring post, full of ancient wisdom! One of my students is working on Epictetus and I forwarded it to him.
Thank you Caitlin - all good!
I very much appreciate the wisdom that you teach you teach us here. Many thanks