Prologue.
Like the holy martyr on the day of his vocation ...
The cardinal was waiting for me in the small study adjoining the church of the country. Each month, the bishop summoned me to trust small refurbishment of the wooden parts of the sacred ornaments or touching up the color with the statues adorn the walls of the building. I was still very young, but I worked for a year at a workshop of a painter of Milan and Cardinal unusual reposed confidence in my craft skills. Entering the room, the Cardinal looked up from the book he was reading, deeply absorbed in thought unfathomable to me.
"Ah, my young artist ... I was thinking of something to fix you, but I remember nothing, for the moment." As usual I was dazzled by the bright red tunic of the mantle that emerged from the white as milk. I stood waiting for me to say something or that I took my leave as soon as possible, but this time, for a specific desire to "give me" something to work, the cardinal made me sit on the chair with a gesture of the hand.
"Dear son, your father asked me to teach the doctrine of the Church in return for your favors, and I just compensate for your diligent work with the money that God distributes to those who devote themselves body and soul for the redemption of sinners. Many times I wondered if this is a mission possible for us humble servants of God, but faith in the healing power of the divine word and the incessant demonstrations of his powers, they help me every day to face with courage, hope and compassion of the heavy commitments preaching. The man is unaware of being a sinner, because acts according to the dictates of the flesh and it is difficult for us as servants of the Word of Christ, take note of being like all other men to sin, and perhaps the most humble and simple people of the heart. Perfection is reached after a "via longhissima" drawn from the saints who believed in the existence of the Christ made flesh within each person. Such perfection is not achieved through learning, abstinence or renunciation of bodily pleasures, but through three stages of knowledge of human nature, the divine nature and spiritual nature. Well, what if you do not mind, I put myself at your disposal to educate your soul to the simple principles of meat processing life-giving love of Christ and then in the knowledge of his spirit. "Cardinal I walked around, head down, gesticulating with his hands in apparent effort to choose the right words so I could understand at least the good intention of translating Christian doctrine in a simple and direct words. I did not know what to say, because the bishop did not seem interested in my opinion about this, believing that a voluntary commitment to repay my services, so I could not escape. I felt unusually nervous. I turned his hat in his hands as if I were about to be subjected to an examination of conscience that I never thought in my life, and I wiggled inwardly like a caged animal. "I will not force you to listen to my lessons and do not ask you to understand. You're still young, but have shown a spirit of sacrifice in the work that sets you apart from others. Do not be afraid to opt out of spiritual education, because the virtuous person acts in accordance with the divine consciousness and his every action, even the most immediate and instinctive, is shot through with grace. Your Father has asked me to instruct you to the knowledge of human nature, virtues and the Christian sacraments. This will help you in your work, and difficulties in life. "Cardinal laced his fingers waiting for a response. I lowered my head. I had never experienced such a disturbance, but after a few seconds I felt more relaxed and nodded, although I was not sure that was my precise intention. I had never had a religious vocation, even though my mother had wanted education in obedience, respect and good conduct. I was just a craftsman, ignorant and unambitious, but fate had willed that I had the opportunity to be trained to the doctrine which until then had always been a stranger, like the St. Matthew that I painted, a few years, later sitting conversation in a tavern in the city. In fact, I felt at that moment as the holy martyr on the day of his vocation: the same head bowed, the same embarrassment against friends and the fear of not being able to go back. Christ was calling me from the depths of my being, and San Pietro, in the role of the cardinal pointed out to me among those who could undertake the Great Work and to complete the blackening of the first subject. I had no choice. I could only look down and recognize me. Like the holy martyr on the day of his vocation.
First lesson:
human nature is like a basket of fruit ... ..
The lessons were short-lived. At times, the Cardinal asked me to draw the fruit basket that was on the desk and without stop talking, I pointed out the parts of the design which he considered not conform to reality.
"Observe calmly, do not judge, let the image shine its light. So you can recognize the reflection of a rotten apple from the dull glare of bright ripe pear, and similarly, to distinguish the difference between a faded flower from a just blossomed. Freshness and decay, brightness and opacity, harmony and contrast. Only by painstaking observation is possible to perceive the composition in all its contradictions. There are nuances to grasp, but only states of vitality, maturity or truth. In the light there is no compromise and size grading values \u200b\u200bbut only absolute stages identified by the red, green and blue. The knowledge of human nature will allow you to proceed with the order because yellow, the color projected by the sensory perception, can be gradually transformed in the red brown, up to define all shades of green. This first step of differentiation made from yellow corresponds to a specific work of learning of the cardinal virtues, the only antidote that man has to distinguish the rotten fruit, good from bad, right from iniquity. Well, now the basket of fruit is well balanced: even if the picture drawn is not what you see in reality. This you have drawn is an interpretation of the viability, maturation and truth from the soul made in accordance with a code of values \u200b\u200bthat are constantly changing with the experience and knowledge. Depth, balance of shapes and sizes, discrimination and compositional harmony and then the first intuitive cognitive shadows are parameters that allow the artist who is a disciple of Christ to free itself from the state of ignorance which is usually the man as a carnal sinks putrid swamp. The knowledge of human nature, as well as the analysis of the basket of fruit, we learn directly from the observation of behavior, gestures, words and finally of things unsaid or deliberately forgotten. Omit the word is even more serious misconduct which may repent. Omit the word is more serious than a gesture inspired by the instinct from which we can free himself. Omit the word is the most serious of the words suggested by the instinct can be satisfied that once again brought back to the good. Do not forget to respect their word, but equally committed to giving your word in all situations in which you are required to comply with a commitment to which you're not prepared. The tests always lying in wait. You can not escape the law of the word in the pledge of money, love, or truth, so as not escape the law of the commitments rejected for cowardice, material interest, opportunism, arrogance and pride. The bad apples will not recognize those who do not know how to respect our commitments, to which the law is sufficient to teach men in individuals who are not committed to face the truth and proceed through the practice of 'omission or misrepresentation of delegation, often perpetrated by cunning, deception and falsehood, with determination to gain material advantage or personal power. Beware of cowardly, the lustful, the opportunists, especially by the proud and arrogant. The pride the worst sin that man can committed against God I wish you read it carefully so that the St. Augustine Pride coincides with the fallen nature of man. Looking at the works, words and omissions of pride you will fully understand my recommendations with confidence and discriminate the light from the shadows, the freshness of the decay, the opacity gloss, harmony by contrast. Human nature, remember, is like a basket of fruit. Apparently people on the surface look good, fair, impartial and correct, but in reality, inner nell'Homine praised by Augustine, hatching inside the element that leads rapidly decaying. The fall of human nature in the swamps putrid generated by the libido is one of the key themes of the doctrine of the bishop of Hippo and is the hub which can originate from a rational commitment to the principles of virtue. In any form of learning must be carried out first in denial, that he may emerge with clarity the catastrophic effects generated by Lucifer sidereal universe. Human nature is always on the edge of a ravine sul'estremità . As long as it remains in the horizontal plane this buggy even the fruit in a basket of fruit may be acceptable to both the palate and the eyes, as also the error, arrogance and pride play their role in harmony "
Words of Cardinal remained etched in my memory, and only after several years of study, reflection and inquiry into the nature of the physical sensations stimulated by shapes, colors and by a combination of different elements within a single representation, I was able to paint the basket fruit that the prelate would like to see the painting. Even now, as I prepare to paint the bright sword of David, I remember with affection the recommendation of the Cardinal to remain humble in the face of those who wield the scepter of the law and knowledge. "You're just an artist ignorante.Devi resign yourself to make your life a test, learning and research. You can not imagine and do it alone. Knowledge is not the result a single tree, but the harvest of red apples that grow in the garden of the Hesperides. Use the yellow background and will emerge in your mind the need to discriminate the goodness of each fruit, the correctness of the decoration of leaves and the proportion between the parties are not homogeneous. Learn the art of climbing trees to collect his fruit. Do not wait to fall on their own, as truth, beauty and knowledge emerge in the mind after a careful selection of what develops in the brains of men. Take only the best fruit, the most mature and tasty and not succumb to the temptation to be lazy and wait for the food fits into your soul will fall on his head, as this will not happen ever. "
second lesson:
Learn the art of being free ....
"How many times have you met in the streets of Milan, the beautiful gypsies intent on reading hands of fools or steal the bag from the belt of cleverly distracted. Yet the world is not evil for these reprehensible things, be they small or large-scale theft. Thieves are everywhere, at every level of society and there is no distinction between a gypsy woman who pulls the ring from the fingers of a customer at the bakery that passes the money the buyer changing the weight balance. Of people attending is obtained a beautiful clarity to judge men. And 'well, my son, you have experience of the world because in our little corner we are all small and shrunken in ourselves and we look beyond our nose. Asked Socrates where he was. Not answered: "Athens", but "the world". He had the fantasy that wider and wider, embraced the universe as his city, extending his knowledge, his company and affections to all mankind, not just us who look beneath us. When the vines to freeze Caravaggio my priest argues that it is the wrath of God upon the human race and that the Day of Judgement there is addossso, without thinking who've seen things worse and that misfortunes, storms, wars, disease and pestilence are an essential part delal life and death of the man, faithful sisters which is not easy to get away without being chased by them. Yet unto whom hail on the head it seems that the sky is stormy and stormy, without realizing that just a few hundred paces the sun continues to shine. From these trivial examples of human blindness can understand that we all, sooner or later fall into the error of believing in the center of the scene, whereas we are only pale spectators of events that dominate us, and we hurt the most are blind and foolish . But one who is, as in a picture, in the to observe the events as a spectator, humble disposition to be part of mother nature in the fullness of his majesty, that the law on the face of so general and constant a variety of situations, events and upheavals, and in there you see, if not just the same, but an entire kingdom as a sign of a bit thin: only those judges things according to their right size. "The Cardinal was a passionate man, and never tired to stress the close convergence of meaning between the majesty of Nature and the Majesty of the Virgin Mary, mother of men who are detached from the plane of causality czech through adherence to the faith, hope and Christian charity. This was his way to make me understand the doctrine, as images of reality are only a pale reflection of the sacred symbols, which can hold all the kingdoms of men as a sign of a bit thin.
"The one that embraces faith in the powers of the Mother to create the perfect chaos or order that is not perfect can not be humble in heart and poor in spirit, they must be willing to understand arinunciare through streamlining the certainties of thought. This great world, as some species multiply in a genre, is the mirror in which to look for to know the right way, so, dear Michael, mirrored in the actions of others and learn the art of saying "do not and this is not the one. " Our life, said Pythagoras, resembles the great and populous assembly of the Olympic Games. Here is one exercise the body in order to achieve glory in the games, others take to sell the goods to earn. There are some, and not the worst, not seeking another fruit that looks like how and why everything happens, and be spectators of the lives of other people to judge and regulate their own. The words of Persius are still printed in my memory:
quid fas opt, quid asper useful njummus Habet, patriae charisque propinquis Quantum elergiri deceat; you Deus quem they Iussit, et humana qua part locatus es in D; quidsumus, aut quidnam victuri gignimur ;
What is reasonable want, what use has the money hard to earn, to what extent we should devote to home and their loved ones, whom God has willed that you were assigned you, and that part in human life: what we are and what we were generated to life. "
listened in silence, sometimes surprised by the ease with cu Cardinal went to the Latin quotation from the parable, as if there was no discontinuity between the actions and words, they were indeed the words themselves to create the perimeter of a kingdom yet to be deciphered .
"the purpose of the study is not know by heart the books of essays but understand what you know and what you can ignore: what are the value, temperance, prudence, fortitude and justice, what is the difference between ambition and avarice, servitude and subjection, license and freedom, by what signs we recognize the true and solid satisfaction, the extent to which we must fear death, pain and shame, et quo quemque fugiatque feratque laborem way, or how to avoid or endure the pain, such as impulses move us, and the reasons for such different motions and emotions in us. The first
Aragon with water where you have the mind must be those that govern your costumes and your good sense will teach you to know, to live well and die well. Every man is an artist when he learns the art that makes us free. The liberal arts there teach us how to live and enjoy our life, but choose one that is directly and specifically to that, neglecting the fact that is really essential to satisfy the thirst of the soul. If we knew to contain everything about our life in its just and natural limits, we would find that most of science and knowledge that are practiced there is no profit, and even in those that are profitable, there are digressions on pprofondimenti absolutely useless, we'd better leave out, limiting, according to the teachings of Socrates, the course of our study in this direction, because the utility is lacking in them. How
Anaximenes writing to Pythagoras: "How dare I waste my time to know the secret of the stars, when before my eyes I always either death or slavery?" How can a man troubled by ambition, greed, the temerity, superstition more like the monstrous Goliath to a being with feelings, to act, think and create the right things for yourself and others? Dear Michelangelo, Goliath is within us, is that we must defeat the enemy, as it has its evil eye that prevents us from observing the motion of the world and learn life's lessons in humility and inner courage. True knowledge is obscured from view of libidinous Goliath, vainly straining to capture ephemeral glories instead of widening the sgaurdo the spiritual dimension of the soul.
You know why he won the little David? His sling is a symbol of how they should run the two halves of the brain, is connected to the center of the eye, the seat of consciousness, that the center of the heart, the home of the soul. Do not you think that David is the parable of the art of being free from the inner enemies? "
I had no objection. I hardly knew any history of the Old Testament, like that of Joseph and his brothers, but I did not think the Bible as a text to be interpreted ... I was taught that biblical truth can not be interpreted and that the texts of revelation could not be questioned. Yet the argument of Cardinal fascinated me, his words were not vain, useless or spoken out of turn, but were taken into some dark area of \u200b\u200bmy brain.
"The Old Testament is a philosophical text of the recognition of God within the human body, while the New Testament is the revelation of the science of human transformation of the child in the Son of God The Gospel describes the process of deification soul through the sacred chrism of Christ consciousness. Do not think that these issues are unknown to the Holy Father. The Pope of Rome is governed the Church is reflected in the radiance of the sublime virtues taught by Christ and the Church of those who face the trials of beheading rationalizing intellect, the dissolution of identity, the name and emblem of loyalty to the family and the crucifixion of will evolve through the pain and suffering.
the two churches in Rome live as the day and night, you heard about the black pope? "
I shook my head. I do not inetressavano gossip that came from Rome, the capital of vice and depravity of the senses and at the same time a sacred and imperishable spirit.
"You have to go to Rome. Your statement about human nature is about to end and I can not go beyond what I've already said. Now the time has come for you direct experience, but first I must teach you the meaning of philosophy, otherwise not comprehend the divine nature that dwells within you, as in every other. But please, paint for me the severed head of Medusa by Perseus. Here, take home this book will be useful to draw inspiration. "
Lesson Three: philosophy is a mirror that reflects who you are ...
passed five months before meeting again cardinal. I had made a preparatory study of Medusa and I eager to submit it for evaluation by the prelate.
Finally, by day of May, I was summoned in the diocese of Milan.
Cardinal made me wait a long time before rivevermi. He seemed preoccupied, as if to solve burning issues. However, both voice was calm, detached and free of any vibration. Stroking his white beard, the cardinal, while wandering in many speeches, at last came to the importance sottilineare delal philosophy, the field is still too much neglected by the clergy that the nobility.
"It 's very strange that in our time, things have come to the point that philosophy is, even for people of talent, a vain and fantastic name, which is useless and not has no merit, both in theory and in practice. I believe that because those are quibbles that have invaded his paths.
You have a great wrong to describe it inaccessible to children, and sullen face, and frowning horrible. Who gave it to me disguised under that false face, bloodless and eripugnante? The filosfia is not the pastime of melancholy, more inclined to write poetry rather than to reflect. In fact there is nothing more gay, more lively, more joyful and I would almost say, a joker. The character of blood is best to seek the most ridiculous nuances present in the human, so, I would say that the principle of filosofiia is the joke, the saying and the beat sarcastic, critical and poisonous. It does not preach that party and good time. A wax sad and disconsolate shows that his home is not here. Not for nothing is said among the common people "take life philosophically, as if this was a great lady to be taken under the arm.
The soul that lodges philosophy DVE, with health care, also render healthy body. Must shine beyond its tranquility and well-being, must give his stamp on the outer bearing and a lovely garnish of pride, an air of active, cheerful and a happy and good-natured attitude. The gift left by filosfia is the wisdom and the most characteristic sign of wisdom is a constant joy, and its condition is like that of things which are above the moon, always serene. The wisdom of the philosopher has to reassure the storms of the soul, and teach a laugh of hunger and fever, not some imaginary epicycle, but arguments with natural and palpable. The filosfia has to end, the virtue, that is, as the school, planted on top of a mountain scoscieso, steep and inaccessible. Those who have approached to consider, by contrast, located in a beautiful fertile plain and flourished, from which it sees, it, all things well under him, but those who know where the leadership can get for shady streets , grass and flowers gently, easily and for a smooth and easy slope, as times that of Heaven. For not having practiced the supreme virtue, comparable to the power of divine mercy, beautiful, triumphant, loving, delightful, and at the same time courageous, declared and implacable enemy of all bitterness, sorrow, fear and coercion, with perguida nature, companions fortune and pleasure, they are gone, according to their weakness, who invented that silly picture, sad, litigious, angry, menacing, grim, and place it on a rock apart, among thorns, ghost to scare people. The Melancholy, extremely popular among German philosophers in the effigy of an inner world which stands in loneliness, sadness, and a morbid attachment to the carnal soul, not what you seek.
The great Italian masters of the past, such as Leonardo, we were lucky enough to see working here in Milan, practiced philosophy as the Greeks, or as the highest virtue in the solar interior to protect the creature. Looks good that I said "creation" and not the inner Homina. The man who wants to put himself to live free from all forms of coercion, and thus free to create himself and the propagation life in art forms, has dela divine creature that evolves within it. The creature has to be defended both by individual dell'egoicità destructive tendencies, and by the suicidal tendencies of the soul psychic, able to poison the body Putra poisons generated by anger, rage, anger, envy, jealousy and resentment. Now you can understand that the shield forged by Athena for the brave Perseus is the hero who relies on the philosophy to protect the creature from the enemies within.
The shield reflects the face of Medusa as well as the philosophy reflected in the horrible and poisonous thoughts that creep into the heads of those who are attracted by the substance, of flesh and instinct of possession. The lesson of philosophy warns of dangerous pace of the enemy not to not be seduced, and finally ammalliati petrified by the gaze of the monster that propels a man and a woman to forget to take care of himself, the creature that grows inside the daily exercise of virtue. The quality and nobility of the true philosophical virtues is the ease, utility and pleasure of doing it., Something so devoid of difficulties that children are capable as men, simple like the sly. Moderation, not force, is his instrument, so the reflection produced by the shield of Athena is his primary means of investigation. Socrates, his first favorite, deliberately gives up his intellectual strength to sit in the simplicity and ease of his progress. It is nurse of human pleasures. With them just makes them safe and pure. Moderators keeps their breath and taste. Excluding those who refused, impels us towards those who leave us: and leaves us plenty of all that nature and the creature he wants, and to satiety, as a mother, if not up to fatigue. The philosophy of moderation is what is holding the first dell'ubriacatezza drinker and eater first indigestion, so that the body can enjoy life without harm to himself and greed become the enemy of our pleasures. If the municipality fails luck, or makes it eschews the less, and he fashioned another of his own, no more floating and unstable. It knows how to be rich, powerful and wise, and sleeping on mats scented. The filosfia you want suggest to practice loves life, loves beauty and glory, and health. E 'daughter of Venus in Taurus, as they say the more educated to the knowledge of the creature, a symbol of wealth and prosperity, but its function and its specific philosophy is knowing how to use those assets to measure, and know how to lose without disturbed: function well nobler than difficult, without which all life is unnatural, abnormal and cloudy, and you can just add those rocks, those thorns and those monsters that wind nelal restless minds of men, often called desires, passions and dreams confessed.
But the underlying problem, my friend, is the education of young people like you. You have almost but not vent'nni know nothing of what is important to know.
Since philosophy is one that teaches us to live, and since, like all other ages, even little children learn what is in it, why not be taught. I think your beautiful design is the only possible answer. Young minds need to be educated for pictures with the stories of viasggi and adventure, in the same form of the childish mind by utiulizzate filosfi Greek, lovers of heroes, monsters to defeat and endless battles and perilous journeys. The mind is like clay, as we understand Persia:
Udum et lutum springs east properandus nunc nunc, et sine fine rota fingendus acres.
The clay is moist and soft, quick, quick, make haste and agility modelliamola turning wheel without fine.Ci taught to live when life is over. One hundred pupils took syphilis before they arrived at the lecture on Aristotle on temperance. Cicero said that even if he lived the life of two men, it would take the leisure to study the lyric poets. And I find this quirk even more sadly useless. Our child has a much greater hurry: all'struzione is only the first fifteen or sixteen years of his life: the rest is due to the action. That such a short time is employed to give the necessary instructions. Are not you agree with me? Have you started working very young, but not have the opportunity to receive proper education to your soul. Are you an artist blood and become a better disciple, even before a good philosopher, but how many bites you get from lizards?
Petite hinc, iuvenesque senesque, finem certum mind, miserisque Viaticum canis, Epicurus said at the beginning of his letter to Meniceo. "Look here, young and old, a safe limit for your spirit and an encouragement for miseraq gray hairs." The youngest does not shy away from philosophy, nor the most tired old man. " Who does otherwise, seems to say, or that he has not yet time to live happily, or that it is longer. Hear now this advice. Listen carefully about your feelings, reflect on the content of your perception of the world and life and reflect on the meaning of experience. Philosophy is an easy exercise. Linking the feelings and combine with the words the perception of images and finally close the circle of your arguments by establishing the spiritual needs of your experiences so that the creature continues to live and feed on them. And remember: nothing happens by chance and everything happens for the best. Do not regret anything and compares it with the philosophy of detachment that comes from your being with others. You will have much to learn and even more to teach.
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