We considered the so-simple, but so-powerful guidance of Pythagoras in our last post, with this passage…
Pythagoras
Pythagoras established a strict routine for his students, paying particular attention to the hour of waking and the hour of falling asleep.
As soon as you awake, in order lay
the actions to be done the coming day.Similarly, at nightfall, they were to recite:
Allow not sleep to close your eyes
Before three times reflecting on
Your Actions of the day. What deeds
Done well, what not, what left undone.
Allow me to ask you, how mighty are you in extracting the full meaning and import out of Pythagoras counsel? It’s a serious question. If you consider how this works for most readers, the sad truth is that it doesn’t. Most people really can’t slow their minds down and focus on ancient wisdom, take it in, process it, and then construct either a robust rejection of the counsel for good reason, or the decision to accept the counsel and execute. Most people read passively, not actively.
What about you?
So here’s my challenge. First, can you read the lines above 3 times, each time through attempting to plunge more deeply into Pythagoras’ counsel?
Second, robustly disagree with and reject Pythagoras’ counsel, if you can. Be strong. Prove that he’s wrong, or at least, give solid reasons to reject his counsel…or…
Third, take the commitment. If you do, push yourself hard. How will you make sure that you lay out the coming day’s actions BEFORE you get out of bed? How will you remind yourself that, AFTER you lay down at night, but BEFORE you fall asleep, you’ll reflect three times on all the things you did? Reflect once over what you did well. Reflect a second time over what you did not do well. And then finish up strong with a third reflection over what you left undone.
Last, let us know how its going. If you read this, and accept the challenge, make a simple comment telling us. Then, once you start working at it, come back and give us just one more comment, updating us how its going.
Not only will this be fun, it may well change your life. What do you say?
One Comment
It is interesting to note that Pythagoras suggested one reflect upon 3 items at the end of the day: what deeds done well, what not and what left undone.
Just as he suggests we reflect upon 3 items, a triangle has 3 sides and Pythagoras is best known for his Pythagorean Theorem, a2+b2=c2.
And since a theorem is something that has been demonstrated to be true or is assumed to be demonstrable, then, until we can disprove his “theorem” on reflection, we need to embrace it. Only by embracing it will we be able to prove if it is true or not.
Finally, in his theorem on the 3 sides of a triangle, everything is squared. Thus, if his “theorem” on reflection is true, then the learning we get out of it won’t be doubled but it will be squared.
And do read the above 3 times.
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