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Sunday, 10 December, 2023

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Metaphysics of Freedom: Slavery, Self-Sufficiency, and the Quest for Inner Truth


 

Metaphysics of Freedom: Slavery, Self-Sufficiency, and the Quest for Inner Truth

 

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates

 

Our world, a complex tapestry woven from the threads of human interactions and societal constructs, is rife with paradoxes. Some of these contradictions are particularly stark, such as the dichotomy between masters and slaves - a metaphor for the imbalance of power that underlies many human societies. Who we are, what we think, and how we live, often results from societal constructs and the perpetuation of power hierarchies. Yet, at the core of our existence, lies the pursuit of freedom, self-sufficiency, and truth.

 On Slavery and Power Structures

The concept of slavery has evolved from physical chains to more insidious forms of control: economic disparity, information asymmetry, and the manipulation of societal narratives. It is a grim reminder of the power structures that persist, largely fueled by the quest for wealth and control. This inequality, while often justified as a by-product of 'civilization', is a distorted reflection of our collective failure to uphold human dignity.

Theoretically, an equal distribution of Earth's resources among all people could create a society of equals. However, this utopian vision is destabilized by power dynamics and the human inclination towards hierarchy. The collapse of such inequality would disrupt the established order, shattering the illusion of civilization that we show pride in but perhaps secretly carry a sense of shame.

Freedom and the Pursuit of Truth

The quest for freedom is a journey towards self-sufficiency and independence from societal constructs. True freedom lies in the relentless pursuit of truth, unencumbered by the biases and manipulation of the powerful. This journey often involves an inward expedition, a deep dive into the realm of self-awareness and consciousness.

Our bodies are vessels, sanctified by the purity of consciousness. Yet, they are often filled with the muck of selfishness, where the eternal is mixed with the transient. The result is a life lived in the shadow of superficiality, a life devoid of the profound beauty that arises from the interplay of consciousness and reality.

Self-Sufficiency and the Source of Knowledge

Self-sufficiency, in the metaphysical sense, is not merely about economic independence but pertains to the source of our knowledge and wisdom. The wise seek knowledge from within, drawing from the wellspring of their consciousness. They are self-sufficient, free from the shackles of external dependencies.

In contrast, those who seek knowledge outside themselves often find themselves ensnared in a web of dependence, becoming susceptible to manipulation. This external search for knowledge, while not inherently flawed, becomes problematic when it is devoid of critical introspection and self-awareness.

Conclusion

The metaphysics of freedom, slavery, and self-sufficiency invites us to ponder our place in the world and our relationship with power structures. It challenges us to seek truth and knowledge from within, to strive for self-sufficiency, and to resist the shackles of societal constructs. As we navigate through the complexities of life, may we remain steadfast in our quest for truth, for in truth lies the essence of our freedom.

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Μεταφυσική της Ελευθερίας: Σκλαβιά, Αυτάρκεια και η Αναζήτηση της Εσωτερικής Αλήθειας

 

«Την αστόχαστη ζωή δεν αξίζει να την ζεις.» - Σωκράτης

 

Ο κόσμος μας, μια περίπλοκη ταπετσαρία που υφαίνεται από τα νήματα των ανθρώπινων αλληλεπιδράσεων και των κοινωνικών κατασκευών, είναι γεμάτος από παράδοξα. Μερικές από αυτές τις αντιφάσεις είναι ιδιαίτερα έντονες, όπως η διχοτόμηση μεταξύ αφεντικών και σκλάβων - μια μεταφορά για την ανισορροπία ισχύος που βρίσκεται κάτω από πολλές ανθρώπινες κοινωνίες. Το ποιοι είμαστε, τι σκεφτόμαστε και πώς ζούμε, συχνά προκύπτει από τις κοινωνικές κατασκευές και τη διαιώνιση των ιεραρχιών εξουσίας. Ωστόσο, στον πυρήνα της ύπαρξής μας, βρίσκεται η επιδίωξη της ελευθερίας, της αυτάρκειας και της αλήθειας.

Σχετικά με τη δουλεία και τις δομές εξουσίας

Η έννοια της δουλείας έχει εξελιχθεί από φυσικές αλυσίδες σε πιο ύπουλες μορφές ελέγχου: οικονομική ανισότητα, ασυμμετρία πληροφοριών και χειραγώγηση των κοινωνικών αφηγήσεων. Είναι μια ζοφερή υπενθύμιση των δομών εξουσίας που επιμένουν, τροφοδοτούμενες σε μεγάλο βαθμό από την αναζήτηση πλούτου και ελέγχου. Αυτή η ανισότητα, ενώ συχνά δικαιολογείται ως υποπροϊόν του «πολιτισμού», είναι μια στρεβλή αντανάκλαση της συλλογικής μας αποτυχίας να προασπίσουμε την ανθρώπινη αξιοπρέπεια.

Θεωρητικά, μια ίση κατανομή των πόρων της Γης μεταξύ όλων των ανθρώπων θα μπορούσε να δημιουργήσει μια κοινωνία ίσων. Ωστόσο, αυτό το ουτοπικό όραμα αποσταθεροποιείται από τη δυναμική εξουσίας και την ανθρώπινη κλίση προς την ιεραρχία. Η κατάρρευση μιας τέτοιας ανισότητας θα διατάραζε την καθιερωμένη τάξη πραγμάτων, συντρίβοντας την ψευδαίσθηση του πολιτισμού για την οποία δείχνουμε υπερηφάνεια, αλλά ίσως κρυφά κουβαλάμε μια αίσθηση ντροπής.

Ελευθερία και επιδίωξη της αλήθειας

Η αναζήτηση της ελευθερίας είναι ένα ταξίδι προς την αυτάρκεια και την ανεξαρτησία από τα κοινωνικά κατασκευάσματα. Η αληθινή ελευθερία βρίσκεται στην ακατάπαυστη αναζήτηση της αλήθειας, ανεπηρέαστη από τις προκαταλήψεις και τη χειραγώγηση των ισχυρών. Αυτό το ταξίδι συχνά περιλαμβάνει μια εκστρατεία προς τα μέσα, μια βαθιά κατάδυση στο βασίλειο της αυτογνωσίας και της συνείδησης.

Τα σώματά μας είναι αγγεία, αγιασμένα από την καθαρότητα της συνείδησης. Ωστόσο, συχνά γεμίζουν με τη λάσπη του εγωισμού, όπου το αιώνιο αναμειγνύεται με το παροδικό. Το αποτέλεσμα είναι μια ζωή που ζει στη σκιά της επιπολαιότητας, μια ζωή χωρίς τη βαθιά ομορφιά που προκύπτει από την αλληλεπίδραση της συνείδησης και της πραγματικότητας.

Η αυτάρκεια και η πηγή της γνώσης

Η αυτάρκεια, με τη μεταφυσική έννοια, δεν αφορά απλώς την οικονομική ανεξαρτησία, αλλά αφορά την πηγή της γνώσης και της σοφίας μας. Οι σοφοί αναζητούν τη γνώση από μέσα τους, αντλώντας από την πηγή της συνείδησής τους. Είναι αυτάρκεις, απαλλαγμένοι από τα δεσμά των εξωτερικών εξαρτήσεων.

Αντίθετα, εκείνοι που αναζητούν γνώση έξω από τον εαυτό τους συχνά βρίσκονται παγιδευμένοι σε ένα πλέγμα εξάρτησης, και γίνονται επιρρεπείς στη χειραγώγηση. Αυτή η εξωτερική αναζήτηση γνώσης, αν και δεν είναι εγγενώς ελαττωματική, γίνεται προβληματική όταν στερείται κριτικής ενδοσκόπησης και αυτογνωσίας.

Συμπέρασμα

Η μεταφυσική της ελευθερίας, της σκλαβιάς και της αυτάρκειας μας καλεί να αναλογιστούμε τη θέση μας στον κόσμο και τη σχέση μας με τις δομές εξουσίας. Μας προκαλεί να αναζητήσουμε την αλήθεια και τη γνώση από μέσα, να αγωνιστούμε για αυτάρκεια και να αντισταθούμε στα δεσμά των κοινωνικών κατασκευών. Καθώς περιηγούμαστε στις πολυπλοκότητες της ζωής, ας παραμείνουμε σταθεροί στην αναζήτησή μας για την αλήθεια, γιατί στην αλήθεια βρίσκεται η ουσία της ελευθερίας μας.

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Our Prayer

The Path Within

 

O Cosmos, we stand at the precipice of the Absolute, gazing into the void of the Unknown. We search for a way to transcend the bounds of thought and ego, to experience the essence of our deepest being.

The Buddha, the Masters of the East Upanishads, Orpheus, Jesus – all these wise beings have pointed us towards the Path. But it is not a path that is external, not a journey that can be traversed by the feet. It is a path that lies within, a journey that must be undertaken by the heart and the mind.

We must let go of the external orientations that nurture and educate us, that direct us towards other goals. We must look inward, to the stillness and silence that resides within. We must listen to the whispers of our soul, to the voice that speaks of the Absolute.

Krishnamurti and other modern Sages have shown us that it is possible to experience the Absolute, to transcend the limitations of thought and ego. They have shown us that it is not a mystery, not a miracle, but a possibility that lies within our human nature.

So let us embark on this journey, this Path that few follow. Let us let go of the burdens that weigh us down, the attachments that bind us. Let us embrace the unknown, the uncertainty, the chaos that lies within.

For in the depths of the Absolute, we will find the stillness and peace that we seek. We will find the answers to the questions that have plagued us for centuries. We will find the Truth that lies within.

Let us be brave, let us be bold, let us be fearless. Let us take the step into the void, into the unknown. For it is there that we will find the Absolute, the essence of our being. It is there that we will find our true nature, our true self.

May we be guided on this journey by the wise words of the Sages, by the light of the Absolute that shines within us. May we find the strength and courage to let go of the old, to embrace the new. May we find the peace and stillness that we seek, the Truth that lies within.

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Glimpses of the Absolute

 

Within each of us lies the potential to transcend the limitations of ordinary mind and experience a deeper reality - what some traditions call the Absolute, the Ground of Being, or God. While this state of unity or peak experience has often been considered the domain solely of mystics and saints, the truth is that the capacity dwells dormant in every human soul. It is our essential nature, awaiting discovery through disciplined inner work.

All genuine spiritual paths point to the same destination, though using different languages and methods. At their core, they offer a process of liberation from identification with separate ego and gradual awakening to our intrinsic divine essence. This involves cultivating noble virtues, practicing presence of mind through meditation, and cultivating wisdom through inquiry into the nature of reality and self.

Over time, such disciplines help peel away layers of superficial conditioning to reveal our true blissful and peaceful self - one with the fundamental pure consciousness that underlies all forms. In that state of inward stillness and clarity, the usual boundaries between subject and object fall away. One perceives directly that all is contained within the one infinite life and knows directly one's identity with the eternal. Though ineffable, this realization brings transcendent peace, love, creativity and compassion.

While glimpses of the Absolute may come through grace to anyone at any time, consistent experience depends on committed effort. The seeker must firmly resolve to strip away all that obscures their true nature like the proverbial onion, layer by layer. With patient practice of presence and purification, the trappings of small self dissolve, and one may abide as peaceful, blissful awareness itself - fully awake in every moment to life's deepest meaning. Then daily living becomes worship, and ordinary reality is transfigured by love, joy, wisdom and service. This is the fruit of following the perennial path with heart and will - a taste of our shared spiritual potential.

 

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Quotes

Constantinos’s quotes


"A "Soul" that out of ignorance keeps making mistakes is like a wounded bird with helpless wings that cannot fly high in the sky."— Constantinos Prokopiou

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CHAPTER III

 

QUIETING PEOPLE

Neglecting to praise the worthy deters people from emulating them; just as not prizing rare treasures deters a man from becoming a thief; or ignoring the things which awaken desire keeps the heart at rest.

Therefore, the wise ruler does not suggest unnecessary things, but seeks to satisfy the minds of his people. He seeks to allay appetites but strengthen bones. He ever tries by keeping people in ignorance to keep them satisfied and those who have knowledge he restrains from evil. If he, himself, practices restraint then everything is in quietness.

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Quieting People

Neglecting to praise the worthy:

Neglecting to acknowledge and praise individuals who deserve recognition can discourage others from emulating their positive qualities.

Just as not appreciating rare treasures deters a person from engaging in theft, the absence of recognition can hinder the development of desirable traits in others.

By recognizing and praising the worthy, we can inspire others to strive for excellence.

Ignoring the things that awaken desire:

When we disregard or ignore the things that evoke desire, we can maintain a sense of contentment and inner peace.

By not constantly seeking external stimuli, we can cultivate a state of tranquility within ourselves.

This approach allows us to find satisfaction in what we already have, rather than constantly chasing after new desires.

The wise ruler's approach:

A wise ruler understands the importance of satisfying the minds of the people they govern.

They do not unnecessarily burden their subjects with irrelevant information or demands.

Instead, they focus on allaying appetites and reinforcing the overall well-being of their people.

The wise ruler restrains those with knowledge from engaging in harmful actions and promotes a culture of restraint and tranquility.

The benefits of quietness:

When individuals practice restraint and embrace a state of quietness, harmony and peace prevail.

By prioritizing calmness and self-control, both on an individual and societal level, conflicts can be minimized.

The pursuit of quietness allows for personal growth, contentment, and a more harmonious coexistence.

Embracing quietness

Quieting people involves recognizing the worthy, ignoring unnecessary desires, and fostering a state of tranquility. The wise ruler seeks to satisfy the minds of their people by allaying appetites and promoting restraint. By embracing quietness, individuals can experience personal growth and contribute to a more peaceful society. Remember to appreciate the positive qualities in others, find contentment in the present, and practice self-restraint for a harmonious existence.

 

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Copyright

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Δικαιώματα πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας

Το σύνολο του περιεχομένου του Δικτυακού μας τόπου, συμπεριλαμβανομένων, ενδεικτικά αλλά όχι περιοριστικά, των κειμένων, ειδήσεων, γραφικών, φωτογραφιών, σχεδιαγραμμάτων, απεικονίσεων, παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών και γενικά κάθε είδους αρχείων, αποτελεί αντικείμενο πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας (copyright) και διέπεται από τις εθνικές και διεθνείς διατάξεις περί Πνευματικής Ιδιοκτησίας, με εξαίρεση τα ρητώς αναγνωρισμένα δικαιώματα τρίτων.

Συνεπώς, απαγορεύεται ρητά η αναπαραγωγή, αναδημοσίευση, αντιγραφή, αποθήκευση, πώληση, μετάδοση, διανομή, έκδοση, εκτέλεση, «λήψη» (download), μετάφραση, τροποποίηση με οποιονδήποτε τρόπο, τμηματικά η περιληπτικά χωρίς τη ρητή προηγούμενη έγγραφη συναίνεση του Ιδρύματος. Γίνεται γνωστό ότι σε περίπτωση κατά την οποία το Ίδρυμα συναινέσει, ο αιτών υποχρεούται για την ρητή παραπομπή μέσω συνδέσμων (hyperlinks) στο σχετικό περιεχόμενο του Δικτυακού τόπου του Ιδρύματος. Η υποχρέωση αυτή του αιτούντος υφίσταται ακόμα και αν δεν αναγραφεί ρητά στην έγγραφη συναίνεση του Ιδρύματος.

Κατ’ εξαίρεση, επιτρέπεται η μεμονωμένη αποθήκευση και αντιγραφή τμημάτων του περιεχομένου σε απλό προσωπικό υπολογιστή για αυστηρά προσωπική χρήση (ιδιωτική μελέτη ή έρευνα, εκπαιδευτικούς σκοπούς), χωρίς πρόθεση εμπορικής ή άλλης εκμετάλλευσης και πάντα υπό την προϋπόθεση της αναγραφής της πηγής προέλευσής του, χωρίς αυτό να σημαίνει καθ’ οιονδήποτε τρόπο παραχώρηση δικαιωμάτων πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας.

Επίσης, επιτρέπεται η αναδημοσίευση υλικού για λόγους προβολής των γεγονότων και δραστηριοτήτων του Ιδρύματος, με την προϋπόθεση ότι θα αναφέρεται η πηγή και δεν θα θίγονται δικαιώματα πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας, δεν θα τροποποιούνται, αλλοιώνονται ή διαγράφονται εμπορικά σήματα.

Ό,τι άλλο περιλαμβάνεται στις ηλεκτρονικές σελίδες του Δικτυακού μας τόπου και αποτελεί κατοχυρωμένα σήματα και προϊόντα πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας τρίτων ανάγεται στη δική τους σφαίρα ευθύνης και ουδόλως έχει να κάνει με τον Δικτυακό τόπο του Ιδρύματος.

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