1.“Knowing demands the organ fitted to the object.”
Plotinus, The Fifth Ennead; Fifth Tractate: Section 12
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/plotenn/enn464.htm
2. “There is a sacred science, and for thousands of years inquisitive people have sought in vain to penetrate its secrets. It is as if they attempted to dig a hole in the sea with an ax. The tool must be of the same nature as the objective to be worked upon. Spirit is found only with spirit, and esoterism is the spiritual aspect of the world, inaccessible to cerebral intelligence.”
R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, Esoterism and Symbol
Johfra Bosschart, “Primordial Mother”
symbolreader 
Sacred texts or not …just got to follow your heart at times … if in survial mode, trust your self … great post though, thank you … Love, cat. http://catsruledogsdroole.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Thank you, Cat. I absolutely agree about the inner knowledge of the heart.
LikeLike
Magnificent quote Monica. Just love the image of the axe and the sea.
LikeLike
Oh yes, me too, I wish I could find an image to show that.
LikeLike
I will consider Plotinus’ comment about beauty and violence/etc. and his statement about good having precedence over beauty. I would have thought that that beauty is a quality of the good and both are qualities of the true.
LikeLike
What you said is pure Romanticism. I think they were inspired by Plotinus. “The Good has no need of The Beautiful, while the Beautiful does need The Good.” I recently thought I should read more Plotinus – return to the source in order to understand better.
LikeLike
Didn’t you just drink that de Schwaller book? A brilliant between-worlds union of perceived and perceivable, thus encouraging us to span the breadth of what can be known along with him.
LikeLike
Absolutely brilliant – I am reading it right now. He writes straight from the source, you can feel the mystical experience and the wisdom.
LikeLike
I wanted to drink that book!
LikeLike
I have a nice hardcover copy of Plotinus’ works that I picked up for $5 at a used bookstore years ago. I may have to reread it some time soon.
LikeLike
That library of yours must be very impressive.
LikeLike
Ha Ha! Yeah, it is. In fact, the photo of the leather bound books across the top of my blog page is only about half of one of my many shelves.
LikeLike
A carpenter builds homes with the bones of trees. When one sits in a wooden rocking chair it is not the towns built of tree bones one feels, but the forest from whence the chair came.
LikeLike
Beautiful metaphor – thank you very much for this.
LikeLike
“…for all that exists desires and aspires towards the Supreme by a compulsion of nature, as if all had received the oracle that without it they cannot be.”
Knowing this compulsion of nature, while not helping much to reach the Supreme, certainly helps me understand why the aspiration never leaves. 🙂
You inspire me too to revisit Plotinus. I do not keep a whole lot of books, but I do have two of his books which I have not read in a long time. It’s great to see them available online.
Great stuff Monika!
LikeLike
Thank you, Debra! Great quote you found. When I am very busy I still feel I need to update my blog with anything because I miss it. I have now almost completely switched to kindle. I love the sense of freedom of movement it gives me.
LikeLike
True for me too. I love the Kindle reader, and I use the computer reader for easily copying quotes from books. 🙂
Happy reading!
LikeLike
Pingback: Minds, both open and closed | Gypsy Kiltbomb
Other people are excited,
as though they were at a parade.
I alone don’t care,
I alone am expressionless,
like an infant before it can smile.
Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.
Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Other people are sharp;
I alone am dull.
Other people have purpose;
I alone don’t know.
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.
I am different from ordinary people.
I drink from the Great Mother’s breasts.”
― Tao Te Ching
Dear Monika, I absolutely love your blog. Thank you so much for taking the time to post even though you are busy. Visiting your blog is like visiting another world, and always a treat for me.
X amanda
LikeLike
Dear Amanda, you captured my spirit with that poem. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words.
LikeLike