A Call to Joyous Epicurean Living (Revised 01/16/23)
Rejoice in the joys of the body and the soul. Rise up and dance! For the soul keeps safe the seat of wisdom. Mother Nature governs the body and easily teaches us the wisest ways to enjoy living.
Partake in the all the joys of the body often and with prudence. Feel your skin, feel your breath, see the sunlight and all the colors, taste the delight of water and sometimes wine, smell and savor that which nourishes you at every mealtime.
As the ancient song of Seikilos says: "While you live, shine! Have no grief at all. Life exists only for a short while, and time demands its due."
The soul does not live forever, as some may believe. For it only comes to animate the flesh just as heat comes from a burning fire. And when the organs of the body cease to function and the heat of the body dissipates, so too does the soul cease to be.
And just as a kernel of wheat ripens, so too the soul ripens with the experience of living. Even in the midst of a feast of pleasure, you must always hold pain in its proper place, or you will lose the benefit of its guidance. By pain we learn what to avoid, and by pleasure we learn what to move toward. Through this we learn that a life of joy takes no pride in pain or the endurance of painful over-indulgences. We endure the pains that we must when we know that a greater pleasure will come in the future, such as when we must work to sustain our future security and happiness.
A life of joy rejoices in the merits of wisdom, the fullness of delight, and the intimacy of uplifting friendship. A life of pleasure dances with the past, present, and future free from fear and anxiety. A life of joyous Epicurean living unfolds with blessedness, daily knowing that this is the best way to live.
A Call to Joyous Epicurean Living (First Draft 11/21/21)
Rejoice in the joys of the spirit. Rise up and dance! For the spirit keeps safe the seat of wisdom. Partake in the joys of the body often and with prudence. For the spirit animates the body and it knows the wisest way to enjoy living.
As the ancient song of Seikilos says: "While you live, shine! Have no grief at all. Life exists only for a short while, and time demands its due."
The spirit does not live forever, as some may believe. For it only comes to animate the flesh just as heat comes from a burning fire. And when the heat of the body dissipates, so too does the spirit.
And just as a kernel of wheat ripens, so too the spirit ripens with experience of wisdom. Even in the midst of a feast of pleasure, you must always hold pain in its proper place, or you will lose the benefit of its guidance. For pain always guides one who makes foolish mistakes. By pain we learn what to avoid, and by pain we learn wisdom. A life of joy takes no pride in pain or the endurance of painful over-indulgences. Instead, a life of joy rejoices in the merits of wisdom, the fullness of delight, and the intimacy of uplifting friendship.
*Above image: William Stott 1857-1900
"Hide and Seek in the Garden of Epicurus, Leontium and Ternissa"
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