To the Glory

Just a tribute to the glory of May. The month dedicated to the mother of Jesus. When the cloak of blue adorns the corners of the wooded wilds, and fondly lays a royal carpet at the foot of every standing tree.

The month is almost over, and the bluebells will fade from view; but their beauty is eternal, and there is a blessing in the knowing that they will return again next year. And hopefully, I will return again next month. Until then, remember every day to shut out the raging cacophony as often you can. Truly there is peace to be found in silence.

Do you see yourself, abiding within yourself, in pure solitude? Does nothing now remain to shatter that interior unity, nor anything cling to your authentic self? Are you entirely that sole true light which is not contained by space, not confined to any circumscribed form, not diffused as something without term, but ever immeasurable as something greater than all measure and something more than all quantity?

Plotinus.

 

Photography ©Amanda Moloney.

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Plotinus from Platonic Spaces

 

 

“Let him who can arise, withdraw into himself, forego all that is known by the eyes, turn aside forever from the bodily beauty that was once his joy. He must not hanker after the graceful shapes that appear in bodies, but know them for copies, for traceries, for shadows, and hasten away towards that which they bespeak. …

“Withdraw into yourself and look. … Do as does the sculptor of a statue that is to be beautified: he cuts away here, he smooths it there, he makes this line lighter, this other one purer, until he disengages beautiful lineaments in the marble. Do you this, too. Cut away all that is excessive. straighten all that is crooked, bring light to all that is overcast, labor to make all one radiance of beauty. Never cease “working at the statue” until there shines out upon you from it the divine sheen of virtue….

“Have you become like this? Do you see yourself, abiding within yourself, in pure solitude? Does nothing now remain to shatter that interior unity, nor anything cling to your authentic self? Are you entirely that sole true light which is not contained by space, not confined to any circumscribed form, not diffused as something without term, but ever immeasurable as something greater than all measure and something more than all quantity? Do you see yourself in this state? Then you have become vision itself.

“Be of good heart. Remaining here, you have ascended aloft. You need a guide no longer. Strain and see.”

 

 

Words from the quill of a matured teacher. If you double-click on the artwork you can enjoy a generously close close-up view. Namaste, Amras.

 

Art ©Francis Moloney: 2006 – 2012.

Related articles

• Plotinus (plato.stanford.edu)
• The Theology of Aristotle (plato.stanford.edu)
• The Last Great Greek Philosopher (benbartley.net)