The Soul Values Posts
In his book Ageless Soul, American psychotherapist Thomas Moore presents a "checklist" of ten soul values - elements in our lives that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. Although Ageless Soul, subtitled "The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy," explores these values in the context of aging, they are applicable at all points in our lives. To me, they represent much of what makes us human and much of what makes life most worth living. Moore's chosen soul values are beauty, contemplation, deeply felt experiences, meaningful relationships, knowledge, a sense of home, art, spiritual peace, community, and relaxation and comfort. You or I may have produced a somewhat different list, but Thomas Moore's list is as good a place to start as any. Other writers and philosophers have also said much about these values. Their thoughts as well as Moore's, complemented by the findings of research studies, are the subject of these Mind & Spirit Soul Values Posts.
Soul Values: Beauty
POSTED NOVEMBER 4, 2020
In his book Ageless Soul, American psychotherapist Thomas Moore presents a "checklist" of ten soul values - elements in our lives that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. Although Ageless Soul, subtitled "The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy," explores these values in the context of aging, they are applicable at all points in our lives. To me, they represent much of what makes us human and much of what makes life most worth living.
Moore's chosen soul values are beauty, contemplation, deeply felt experiences, meaningful relationships, knowledge, a sense of home, art, spiritual peace, community, and relaxation and comfort. You or I may have produced a somewhat different list, but Thomas Moore's list is as good a place to start as any. Other writers and philosophers have also said much about these values. Their thoughts as well as Moore's, complemented by the findings of research studies, will be the subject of the next few Mind & Spirit posts.
Links to other "Soul Values" posts: Contemplation, Community, Art
Beauty
Although physical beauty usually jumps to mind first, "capital-B" Beauty has many forms. Besides physical, Beauty can also be spiritual, artistic, holistic, or that particular form found in the natural world.
The Greek philosopher Plato identified Beauty as one of the three primary intrinsic qualities from which all other values are derived - the others being Truth and Goodness. Plato considered these qualities as Absolutes, as Ideals. Western philosophers through the centuries continued to recognize their importance. The three great treatises of the Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant are all about Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
During the Greek Awakening, the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras developed a theory that has held sway over the Western concept of physical beauty for centuries. Besides his eponymous geometrical theorem, Pythagoras wrote of how people experience pleasure when aware of a certain type of pattern present in reality, perceivable by sight or through the ear. His followers, the Pythagoreans as well as philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, considered harmonious proportions—often based on mathematical formulas—as an indication of beauty.
The Greeks felt that since beauty was dependent on symmetry and proportions, it was a form of order, bringing a philosophical bent to beauty that is "only skin deep."
Twenty-five centuries later, scientists have confirmed some of Pythagoras's ideas for what makes for physical beauty. For example, they found that faces deemed attractive tend to be symmetrical and the preference for symmetry extends even to the animal kingdom.
Some cultures concept of physical beauty include other qualities than those of the Greeks - most notably the Japanese "Wabi-Sabi" - beauty in imperfection. Contrary to ancient Greece's celebration of an idealized perfect beauty, Japan's aesthetic sensibility finds beauty in imperfection.
Wabi-sabi represents a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete”. It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence, specifically impermanence, suffering, and emptiness.
Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include "asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes." [1]
Even in the Western tradition, beauty does not always correspond to the Greek ideal. Mark Greif, basing his thoughts on aesthetics on Flaubert, states that one approach to beauty might be "to view every object as you would a work of art." Look closely at everything you encounter - experience each thing to its fullest, allowing it to stimulate desire, wonder, awe. Quoting Flaubert: "For anything to become interesting you simply have to look at it for a long time."
Some speak of a person's inner beauty. These are the "good souls" we often encounter in our families as well as in our day-to-day lives. This inner beauty often overwhelms a person's mere physical appearance. For a musical interpretation of this holistic beauty, listen to Melanie celebrate the "beautiful people" in her 1969 hit song. As similarly expressed in Ray Stevens' "Everything is Beautiful" from 1970, they are everywhere. [both in sidebar]
Beauty in nature has a particularly beneficial effect on the human psyche. Sunsets, sunrises, walks in a forest, flower gardens, starry skies, snow covered mountains - the list is endless.
Humankind has revered and celebrated nature as well as our unity with it for millennia. I've explored this in several earlier posts. The link to one of my favorites is in the sidebar.
[1] https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/09/16/wabi-sabi-principle-japanese-aesthetics-emphasizes-beauty-found-imperfection/
The Discus Thrower
A Wabi-Sabi Cottage
Soul Values: Contemplation
POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2020
In his book Ageless Soul, American psychotherapist Thomas Moore presents a "checklist" of ten soul values - elements in our lives that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. Although Ageless Soul, subtitled "The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy," explores these values in the context of aging, they are applicable at all points in our lives. To me, they represent much of what makes us human and much of what makes life most worth living.
Links to other "Soul Values" posts: Beauty, Community, Art
Thomas Moore's list of soul values contains several that are closely related to each other. One such set is the trio of contemplation, knowledge and rest and relaxation. Contemplation is taking time to think deeply about something, to reflect thoughtfully on an idea, an experience, something we read, something we saw. Rest and relaxation – having time to ourselves – is a great aid to contemplation, and knowledge – particularly self-knowledge - may be one of the results.
Thomas Moore was a Catholic monk for a number of years so it is not surprising that contemplation makes it to the number two spot on his checklist. A hectic, multi-tasking, information-bombarding world is a difficult place to cultivate its practice. Moore writes that “we live in a highly extroverted society that interprets life in terms of external events and objects. Our capacity for reflection is diminishing day by day.”
Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Contemplation is a way of examining our lives, and Moore has some suggestions how we can integrate it into our daily routine in today's world.
For Moore, contemplation does not necessarily require pure quiet but "can be evoked in deep and pleasurable conversation, relaxing, reading” and even while listening to thoughtful analyses of world events and cultural developments.
For a person caught up in everyday modern life, a first stage of reflection or contemplation might start by “reading or listening to someone else offer an understanding of events. You listen or read and make those ideas your own in your own way.”
The second stage might then be conversation, speaking with “people who have something worthwhile to say and with whom you enjoy speaking.”
A third stage “is to find some mode in which you can express yourself. It could be writing of various forms – journals, poems, essays, fiction...videos or audio programs...a letter to a friend.”
If you do have some quiet time, reading is a good starting point for reflection and contemplation. I often begin my day with a few passages from Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, the Stoic philosopher-emperor's reflections on life and how to live a good one. Also recommended are the works of Alan Watts, such as The Wisdom of Insecurity.
Thomas Moore suggests a number of works, among them:
-Tao Te Ching: the “beautiful text from China that promotes naturalness and an absence of striving and effort.”
-The Odyssey: “This is a sacred story of a man's initiation into life while he is on his way home...This [homecoming] is the longing to feel at home in the world – finally. It involves encounters with deep mysteries like illness and love, and encounters with the dead. It's a soul journey where the point is the discovery of who you are.”
-The Book of Genesis is a “beautiful story of beginnings, but it has been read far too literally for centuries.” Moore suggests “finding a good, recent translation and commentary” Another creation story, one of Thomas Moore's favorites is from the Hopi in the book Finding the Center by Dennis Tedlock.
-Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind – a “stellar collection” of Shunryu Suzuki's talks from his years at the San Francisco Zen Center.
Finally, many of the posts here at “Mind & Spirit” could also serve as a jumping off point for contemplation and reflection if you are looking for a place to begin. The sidebar has links to some of these.
Selected Mind & Spirit Posts
The Tao Te Ching and positive psychology on "flow"
David Foster Wallace delivers the greatest commencement speech of all-time
Soul Values: Community
POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2020
Community is another of Thomas Moore's “soul values” discussed in his book Ageless Soul, relevant today in a time of pandemic. In addition to the terrible toll in lives, the pandemic has uniquely challenged the ability of almost everyone on the planet to experience this most important and beneficial value.
Links to other "Soul Values" posts: Beauty, Contemplation, Art
It's been more than three millennia since the author of the Book of Genesis observed, “It is not good for man to be alone.” The pandemic with its stretches of isolation and its social distancing have made us appreciate again the importance of connection, relationships and physical touch. Besides the phone call or the letter, we've had to find and enjoy community in unconventional ways – whether it be a family Skype call, a weekly Zoom meeting, a virtual birthday or graduation, or “going live” on social media to connect with others.
The mental and physical benefits of connection are well-known. Where isolation and loneliness can raise stress levels, physical touch and even just expressing feelings of love and affection are powerful stress-reducers. Susan Zinn, blogging at PsychCentral, writes:
“Individuals who regularly express love do not produce as much stress hormone, and their blood pressure is lower during moments of stress. Highly affectionate people have an easier time with stress than do their less affectionate counterparts. Additionally, when affection and love are expressed, it can lower the receiver’s stress hormones and strengthen their immune system.” [1]
At some point in the not too distant future, things will get back to normal and we will be able to better realize and express our feelings of “community” and connection.
Thomas Moore devotes an entire chapter of his book Ageless Soul to friendship and community. After discussing the importance and advantages of friendship, he relates how anthropologists sometimes use the Latin word communitas* to “put a spin on the idea of community.” In contrast to a common use of the term, Moore posits that community, communitas, is not “a collection of people who think alike or even have a strictly common purpose.” Rather he sees it in a different light:
“The joy of community [comes] in the simple pleasure of being together with people who have sublime values, who want to share their talents, and who love humanity, the ultimate community that embraces the others....
“Communitas...refers to a gathering of people who are so varied in their makeup - multifaceted, diverse, free, and articulate – that they can be open with others, too...a depp orientation toward life that is not tightly bordered by a rigid and anxious sense of self...
“Communitas has an outward orientation. Its gesture is an extended arm ready to shake a hand or embrace a body...”
As for humanity, that “ultimate community” that embraces all the other communities, I'll close with the thoughts of one of the heroes of my youth, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the heart of King's philosophy is the goal of establishing the “Beloved Community.” This “Beloved Community” is akin to the biblical “Kingdom of God” - not as some future rapturous state but as a goal achievable by a critical mass of committed people across the world.
"Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, not military power.” [2]
Selected Mind & Spirit Posts
Notes: *”The word community is derived from from the Latin communitas, fellowship, which, in turn, is derived from communis, or 'common'. The prefix com signifies 'with, together, in conjunction, joint'. Removing the com from the Latin, leaves you with munis, which derives from munire , meaning 'to fortify, strengthen, or defend'.” [3] So “stronger together” would be a good approximation of the Latin root.
References: [1] psychcentral.com [2] The King Center [3] documentroot.com
Soul Values: Art
POSTED JANUARY 3, 2021
In his book Ageless Soul, American psychotherapist Thomas Moore presents a "checklist" of ten soul values - elements in our lives that lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. Although Ageless Soul, subtitled "The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy," explores these values in the context of aging, they are applicable at all points in our lives. To me, they represent much of what makes us human and much of what makes life most worth living.
Moore's chosen soul values are beauty, contemplation, deeply felt experiences, meaningful relationships, knowledge, a sense of home, art, spiritual peace, community, and relaxation and comfort. You or I may have produced a somewhat different list, but Thomas Moore's list is as good a place to start as any. Other writers and philosophers have also said much about these values. Their thoughts as well as Moore's on the soul value of Art is the subject of this Mind & Spirit post.
Moore's soul value of Art encompasses all arts, all creative pursuits. Both the appreciation and the practice of Art can be part of more soulful living.
Art is closely related to two other of Moore's soul values already discussed - Beauty and Contemplation. Much of our enjoyment of art comes from a recognition of the beauty of a work, and oftentimes we have deeper insights into ourselves when we experience great art. The production of art - whether it be a painting, playing an instrument, writing a poem, to name a few - is one of the most creative things that a person can do.
In Art as Therapy, philosopher Alain de Botton and art historian John Armstrong examine "art’s most intimate purpose": its ability to mediate our psychological shortcomings and assuage our anxieties about imperfection. The authors outline seven core psychological functions of art: remembering, hope, sorrow, rebalancing, self-understanding, growth and appreciation.
Right: Johannes Vermeer "Woman in Blue Reading a Letter" (1663) (Remembering)
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Neurologist and author of "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain", Dr. Oliver Sacks relates how on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, he witnessed the power of music to heal and comfort. On his morning bike ride near the tip of Manhattan, he "joined a silent crowd who sat gazing out to sea and listening to a young man playing Bach’s Chaconne in D on his violin. When the music ended and the crowd quietly dispersed, it was clear that the music had brought them some profound consolation, in a way that no words could ever have done."
Right: Bach's Chaconne in D (Sorrow)
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"If you're interested in aging with soul...you read the humanities, fiction, and non-fiction that raises and deepens your thoughts. Too often we put unnecessary boundaries around what we consider sacred. I especially like the poems of Wallace Stevens, D.H. Lawrence, and Emily Dickinson to supplement the classic sacred texts." - Thomas Moore
"Literature, music and painting, to mention only a few of the arts, nurture the soul and shift your focus to archetypal and eternal matters, the foundations of life." - Thomas Moore
Playing music can relieve stress or anger or undo a mental block. Both Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Albert Einstein played musical instruments. Ginsberg would play the piano or cello to "distract from whatever useless emotion I was feeling." Einstein would pick up his violin or play the piano when he was working out one of his theories.
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Thomas Moore relates how his friend Hugh Van Dusen in his retirement found more time to paint and quilt and enjoy time with his wife, making "what were formerly avocations into vocations." He had a way pf making beauty while being reflective." For Hugh, quilt-making and painting had become forms of meditation.
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From Art as Therapy:
"The dancers in Matisse’s painting are not in denial of the troubles of this planet, but from the standpoint of our imperfect and conflicted — but ordinary — relationship with reality, we can look to their attitude for encouragement. They put us in touch with a blithe, carefree part of ourselves that can help us cope with inevitable rejections and humiliations. The picture does not suggest that all is well, any more than it suggests that women always delight in each other’s existence and bond together in mutually supportive networks."
Left: Matisse "Dance" (1910) (Hope) and link to Maria Popova post
Soul Values: a Sense of Home
POSTED AUG 3, 2021
Thomas Moore lists a sense of home as one of his ten "soul values"* - elements in our lives that add to our contentment and happiness and help us lead a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. "Home" means safety, acceptance, peace, sanctuary, and a private space. Having a sense of home is more than having a place to live. While various locales can give us this sense of home, it is better thought of as a psychological state, one that we carry within ourselves.
Safety is a basic evolutionary need. A species cannot survive without developing skills at staying free from harm. The "fight or flight" response is still engrained in us. Situations that we deem threatening cause stress, whether these situations actually represent a physical danger or not.
The trope "Home is where you go and they have to let you in" relates to acceptance. If we have a sense of home, we feel accepted. Those who give us this feeling are non-judgmental, accepting us for who we are. In turn, it is important that we extend this acceptance to others. Acceptance is a first step towards love, or, in Dostoevsky's words, "To love someone means to see him as God intended."
With safety and acceptance, one can feel at peace with oneself. Psychologist Rick Hanson of the Greater Good Center at UC-Berkeley considers this the natural state for a person when the mind is not disturbed by threat, frustration, or rejection. Hanson calls this the Responsive mode of living - "a sustainable equilibrium in which the body refuels and repairs itself and the mind feels peaceful, happy, and loving...It is our home base, which is wonderful news. We are still engaged with the world, still participating with pleasure and passion, but on the basis of a background sense of safety, sufficiency, and connection." [1]
Sanctuary originally meant a sacred place. The word is derived from sanctus, Latin for holy. Since the time of the ancient Israelites' Holy of Holies, it has meant the most sacred of places. The connection of sanctuary with religion continued through the ages, and Christian religious services are held in the portion of the church called the sanctuary. The transition of sanctuary to mean a place of refuge began in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who declared that fugitives or debtors enjoyed immunity from arrest in certain churches. Constantine's decree continued to be upheld by medieval Church law. By the mid sixteenth century, sanctuary took on a more general, non-religious, meaning as a place of refuge or protection; and from the late 19th century as "land set aside for wild plants or animals to breed and live". [2]
A sense of home provides us with sanctuary - a place where we can retreat from the troubles of the world, a holy or sacred space in which we can re-nourish our being, our souls. The pandemic forced us into our homes for prolonged periods, and bloggers proposed ways to make this enforced isolation less stressful . Along with "dedicated workspaces" and other pandemic-related suggestions, PsychCentral 's post on turning your home into a sanctuary [link below right] provides some tips useful for anytime, not just during a pandemic: add meaningful touches, create a sense-based space rooted in what pleases you, bring the outdoors in, create a Zen-zone, conduct 5-minute decluttering sessions, etc.
Having a private space where we can be ourselves, relax, and do the things we love is another aspect of home. Few of us have the luxury of a "man cave" or a "she shed", but there are other ways to find this private space. For example, PsychCentral's Zen-zone ("the specific spot in your home solely for relaxation that helps you cultivate a habit of relaxation") can be anywhere— "your spare bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, balcony, or screened-in porch."
Rick Hanson writes, "As soon as you have a sense of home . . . you are home! Because body and mind are inclined toward the Responsive mode, any sense of ease in the body or feeling of calm, contentment, or caring in the mind will start activating some Responsive circuits in your brain...Your body and mind want to come home: that’s where energy is conserved for the marathon of life, where learning is consolidated, where resources are built rather than expended, and where pains and traumas are healed." Hanson suggests we practice feeling at home in our bodies, our senses, our actions, adding ""Be at home here, wherever you are...Be at home in this moment, right now...Be at home in life...Be at home in this universe...If it is meaningful for you, be at home in your personal sense of Whatever may transcend the material universe." [1 and link below left]
Note: *The complete list of Moore's ten Soul Values is in the header of the Mind and Spirit page.
Sources: [1] Psychology Today [2] Online Etymology Dictionary
Soul Values: Peace of Mind and Spirit
POSTED JANUARY 13, 2022
In the Catholic Mass, there is a section of the liturgy during which the participants bless each other with the words, “Peace be with you.” I can't think of a nicer wish for any human being than to wish them peace, and these days we all could use some peace of mind and peace of spirit.
Troubling times often afflict humanity. Troubling thoughts affect all of us at times. When our reactions to these troubling times and thoughts are not grounded in the present, we cannot fully enjoy life and can even develop pathologies.
If we dwell too much in the past, we may experience guilt over actions taken, regret over paths not followed, anger over long-ago wrongs or recent hurts.
Being overly concerned about the future can lead to anxiety and fear. In some people, these emotions become crippling. In their extreme state, they can cause depression.
Pondering the past and fearing the future are part of the human condition. The great Scottish poet Robert Burns alluded to this in his poem "To a Mouse".[below right] Burns was plowing his land when he turned up a mouse nest. Upset that he had frightened the creature and wrecked her home, he apologizes that "Man’s dominion has broken Nature’s social union." Winter is coming on and the mouse has just had all her careful preparation ruined. After making his famous observation that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, Burns concludes his poem to the mouse:
"Still thou are blest, compared wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I cannot see,
I guess an’ fear!"
Regrets
The original Biblical meaning of sin is “to miss the mark.” Other than a blessed few, we all miss the mark at times. I don't know who first said it, but there is a saying that we are not punished for our sins, rather we are punished by them.
Remorse and guilt over past actions are not high on most people's lists these days, and that is, generally, a good thing. But there are times that our actions call for “making things right” and we need to have the humility (another word not much in use these days) to admit we have been wrong. “Love means never having to say you're sorry” is a famous, but wrong-headed, line from the 1970 movie Love Story. If “missing the mark” results in our hurting another person, admitting you have wronged them could be the first step towards repairing your relationship. Hopefully, that person will accept your apology, but even if he does not, you have made a sincere effort to repair the damage.
Anger directed at someone who wronged us in the past, blaming another for our current situation, holding a grudge or even hating that person - all take energy away from living in the present. Two thousand years after Jesus noted the power and necessity for forgiveness, Don Henley of the Eagles wrote the song “The Heart of the Matter” about how anger eats you up inside and that the heart of the matter is all about forgiveness. [sidebar]
Besides forgiving others and asking their forgiveness, we also need to forgive ourselves for perceived missed opportunities. “The road not taken” can be a source of regret, another life-sapping emotion that takes away from our living a full life. What's done is done. If some action can be taken to make a course correction, then we need the courage to do it. If nothing can be done, we need to learn from the experience and move on.
Worries
Concerned about what the future holds, we can miss out on enjoying the life right here in front of us in the present. Anxiety is a common condition, experienced by many. Change, perceived and real threats, uncertainty - all can trigger the emotion. In the worst cases, anxiety can cause a panic attack. That we live in an "Age of Anxiety" [sidebar] makes the condition all the more common.
Marcus Aurelius and Albert Camus on courage and hope in troubling times
Hope and courage in troubling times redux
The Stoics maintained that it is not the external event or condition that distresses us, but rather our internal reaction to it. Control the reaction and we remove the anxiety. Understand too that change, one of the causes of anxiety, is the natural way of the universe or, in the words of one of our modern-day philosophers, "Everything passes, everything changes, just do what you think you should do."*
If you can't abide the Stoics' advice quite yet, increased sunshine, warm baths, moderate tea drinking, reduced caffeine and alcohol consumption and exercise are among the natural treatments for anxiety. [right]
Focusing on the present is another good way to address anxiety. Below right is a 10-minute guided meditation f0r anxiety.
Remember too: we can be that peace for others. I can do no better than to close with the beautiful Simon & Garfunkel song, "Bridge Over Troubled Waters." It kind of says it all.
*The words are from Bob Dylan's song "To Ramona".
The Age of Anxiety
We live in the "Age of Anxiety." The term was first applied to WWI and its aftermath. It is also the title of a book-length poem by W.H. Auden, published in 1947 and the inspiration for Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 2.
Later expanded to include the entire 20th century, the Age of Anxiety is still a relevant description of the world today. Rapid societal change is disruptive. Existential threats such as nuclear war, pandemics, and environmental magnify personal concerns.
These "soul value" posts were inspired by the Jungian psychotherapist, former monk, and spiritual writer Thomas Moore. Moore names ten soul values in his book Ageless Soul (2017). His list has graced the Mind and Spirit home page from the beginning.