From the Good to the Good
It seems to me that, before we begin to try to access the good things in life, we should be clear as to what we consider these good things in life to be! If I think back to being a child, a good definition for me would have been something like enjoying an ice-cream on the beach on the first day of a summer holiday. I can still bring to mind the excitement of a donkey ride on the sands at Weston-super-Mare! As I got older, my view of the good things in life became a little more subtle. Exploring literature became important, with the joy of finding a previously undiscovered author whose books brought delight. Learning to play a musical instrument, and the sense of achievement when mastering a new, challenging piece, became a highlight. The appreciation of friends and family was valued. Then later, the seeking for the spiritual aspect of life became key. However, this spiritual quest did not negate any of the other aspects of the good things in life. Regular meditation and trying to practise spiritual disciplines certainly don’t stop me from savouring the taste of ice-cream on holiday or enjoying the delight of a well-written novel. Perhaps they are, in fact, more intensely experienced; but the difference could be that they are seen now for what they are: just parts of the play, the drama of life.
David and I belong to a Plato group and we’ve learnt that Plato divided goods into two kinds: the divine and the human. He said that the divine goods are wisdom, self-control, justice and courage; and the human, or lesser, goods (health, beauty, strength and wealth) depend on the divine ones. Therefore we shouldn’t be too concerned about acquiring the human goods but concentrate our efforts on the divine and the human goods will naturally follow.
In the Hamblin spiritual course, as outlined in The Way of the Practical Mystic, there’s a section entitled ‘Life is Good’. Essentially, Hamblin is saying that all our life experiences are helping us to spiritually grow and develop our true potential. When we have difficult things to cope with, we should understand that they are opportunities to overcome some negative trait in our character. Therefore we should embrace everything that comes our way, as it is ultimately for our benefit, although we may not find it pleasant or easy.
Marsilio Ficino, the Italian Renaissance philosopher, said something very similar when he was writing about patience. He said that we ‘should be willing to bear cheerfully the ills which nature herself bids you bear unwillingly’. In fact, I’ll let Ficino have the last word. In one of his letters he wrote, ‘All things are directed from the Good to the Good’. I think he was saying that the Good, or God, or the Universe, or the Absolute, whichever name you prefer, sends us everything for our own good, to help us realise the Good.
This blog post is taken from one of the articles in the summer edition of the Hamblin Vision magazine. If you would like to purchase a PDF or print copy of the entire edition, please click this link.