Competitions in ancient Greece, at the Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games, were a unique aspect of this rich culture because the main prize was not money but the glory symbolized by a wreath made of olive, laurel, or pine branches. The winners were the greatest pride of their cities and were celebrated as heroes, … Read more
The Great Song of the Bharata Tribe This ancient Indian epic is often referred to as the Indian encyclopedia of history and mythology, politics, law, theology, and philosophy. In addition to the historical elements that depict the development and changes within the ancient Aryan civilization, the Mahabharata reflects both the world of one of the … Read more
TIME CYCLES Describing the changes and decline of moral values, Mahabharata explains the succession of yugas, the great cycles of human existence. “Yuga, known as krta, is a period in which there is only one immutable faith. In this best of yugas, everyone is a flawless believer, and there is no need for actions to … Read more
“Virtue is nothing more than acting in accordance with the laws of one’s own nature. Spinoza” “Today, it seems that the concept of “virtue” refers to an outdated ethical system. Virtue comes from the Latin word “vir,” which means human, and “virtus” denotes the merit of a person, the moral strength that one develops, the … Read more
Being truly happy is a natural and unstoppable desire of every human being. Everything we do, we do in order to be happy, secure, to avoid suffering and feel pain. However, do we know what truly makes us happy? Common answers range from health, family, loved ones, genuine friendships, the birth of a child, the … Read more
Classical philosophies, both in the East and in the West, have viewed the world as an orderly whole. From celestial bodies to the tiniest beings on Earth, everything is subject to the laws of nature. They shape and harmonize life, giving it rhythm and regularity in expression, as well as vitality, balance, and beauty. This … Read more
Many people have remained recorded in history because of great deeds that made them famous. Some became famous for their heroism, others for their artistic abilities, third for their new inventions, fourth for social and political reforms, fifth for their religiosity, but few have enriched the world with “ordinariness” and simplicity. One of them, and … Read more
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 – 65 AD) lived in one of the most controversial periods of the Roman Empire. A philosopher, politician, lawyer, prestigious writer even during his lifetime, and a teacher of Emperor Nero, he is one of the leading representatives of Roman stoicism. In his book “What is Philosophy?”, Ortega y Gasset explains … Read more
It seems that in rhetoric, the art of proper and beautiful verbal expression, Marcus Tullius Cicero had no equal. Having acquired a broad legal education from famous Roman jurists, Cicero turned to Greek philosophy and rhetoric, first studying under the Athenian Epicurean Phaedrus, and then under Diodotus, who taught him Stoic philosophy. Cicero actively participated … Read more
According to ancient Chinese teachings attributed to the Yellow Emperor (Huang Ti) and reintroduced by Lao Tzu, the power of the Way (Tao) is in everything. Man’s task is to return to Tao through the practice of the virtue of the Way (te) that encompasses everything. To achieve this, one must master two ways of … Read more
