View allAll Photos Tagged Humility
National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine - Pyrogiv. Kyiv.
Греческим крестом называют крест, у которого линии имеют равную длину, перпендикулярны друг другу и пересекаются в середине — символ смирения, где человеческая воля во Христе (горизонтальная линия) пересекается Божественной (вертикальная линия).
True Wisdom Comes from God
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
[James 3:13-18 NLT]
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
1. Like it or not, we are ALL sinners: As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:10-12 NLT)
2. The punishment for sin is death: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT)
3. Jesus is our only hope: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NLT)
4. SALVATION is by GRACE through FAITH in JESUS: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)
5. Accept Jesus and receive eternal life: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NLT) But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NLT) And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. (1 John 5:11-12 NLT)
Read the Bible for yourself. Allow the Lord to speak to you through his Word. YOUR ETERNITY IS AT STAKE!
"Teach us, we pray, humility of heart, so that we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel to whom the Father promised to reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom. Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need even before we ask Him. Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize in the poor and suffering, the very face of Jesus. Sustain us in the hour of trouble and trial and, if we fall, let us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness. Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus and our Mother. Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed Homeland, where we too, hope to arrive to contemplate forever the Glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
– Prayer of Pope St John Paul II, prayed at the canonisation of St Pio of Pietrelcina. Today (23 Sept) is his feast day.
Statue of the saint from the altar of the Poor Clares Monastery in Tonopah, AZ.
"In true prayer there is no worshipper and worship;
there is only the worshipped".
(Baba Narinder Singh J)
True prayer is a wonderful channel through which flows the powerful love current from the humble and yearning heart of a sikh to the Lotus feet of his beloved Satguru, from the Lover's heart to the beloved Lord.
A true prayer unites the Lover with the beloved Satguru in a true bond of love relationship.
A sincere prayer from the heart cannot go unheard, unheeded and unresponded.
A true prayer is a total submission, total surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord.
It rises from total humility of the heart; 'I'ego and 'Haumain' remains neutralised.
There is no assertion of individuality.
A true sense of meekness, nothingness, Garibi takes over. With total absence of ego (haumain) a direct divine channel is established and in this channel flows Divine Grace, Bliss, peace to the yearning and thirsting soul.
The greater the sense of humility the higher the force of flow of Grace and Bliss.
In the whole process of his prayer, a true sikh does not loosen the firm grasp and hold of the lotus feet of the beloved Satguru.
He gets what he seeks. In true and sincere prayer the mind sets rolling at the lotus feet of the beloved Satguru; is actually free from all thoughts and desires and seeks from the Lord the Lord Himself; seeking worldly pleasures and material possessions is no prayer.
True Bliss is experienced when ego is non-existent.
True Bliss fills the void created by the exit of ego, of total surrender of ego at the lotus feet of the Lord.
With ego surrendered, there is no more seeking, all desires disappear, the Sweet Will and Bliss of the Lord takes over.
Prayer should not be contaminated with materialistic desires of greed and lust.
Prayer should not be commercialized.
No business and bargaining attitude in a prayer.
Lord is certainly not in need of money and other offerings as He bestows these on all.
This was shot at the Athsath Tirath, in front of the Golden Temple in Amritsar (Punjab).
© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
This is the city seen from the 30th floor of the US Bancorp building, where the Portland City Grill restaurant is located. The restaurant was quite crowded, and all the booths bordered windows overlooking the city.
Since I had traveled from Seattle to attain such a view (digitally), I was determined to get some photographs, even if it meant having to ask customers in the middle of their meals. Yes, it was bound to be awkward as I scrambled through the crowds of residents and tourists to find a good vantage point.
Luckily, one gentleman was sitting by himself at a booth overlooking the vista you see here. I decided to simply inquire if he would mind me taking a few shots. He was very pleasant and said he was waiting for his girlfriend to arrive so it wouldn't be any problem.
As I took photos of the city, he started to explain the history and details behind the urban planning of downtown, which was very interesting. We probably talked for about 10 minutes, and he thanked me for being a good listener, saying most people do not seem to care about how a city comes to be what it is.
I said it was I who should be thanking him because he was so kind to let me interrupt, and for the best gift I had received that day. When he asked me what I meant, I explained it was my birthday (and it was!) and he had helped to deliver the gift I wanted -- this photograph. He wished me a happy birthday, and a happy stay in Portland. After the brief crossing of paths, we both returned to the regular routines of our individual lives.
Enjoy, and never be afraid to ask! Humility and politeness do go a long way, as preposterous as that may sound in this day and age. Nevertheless, occasionally the gesture is returned and you both gain something from the exchange. That's how life should be, I suppose.
TIA INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY / TIA Facebook / TIA Twitter / TIA Local
Created for MacroMondays - theme - Humility
“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton
MacroMondays group has become a great inspirational boost. I am always left in awe of the wonderful contributions to this pool, hoping that just a spec of the talent from others might rub off on me allowing my petals to open more fully. Thanks for being such a great group! :D
Happy MacroMonday!
Modern man is gradually recovering from the shock of realizing that, intellectually, he has no right to dream any more; no right to mourn his lost craving for that which he may need but to which he has become indifferent.
-God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism by Abraham Joshua Heschel
The sublime is not opposed to the beautiful, and must not, furthermore, be considered an esthetic category. The sublime may be sensed in things of beauty as well as in acts of goodness and in the search for truth. The perception of beauty may be the beginning of the experience of the sublime. The sublime is that which we see and are unable to convey. It is the silent allusion of things to a meaning greater than themselves. It is that which all things ultimately stand for; “the inveterate silence of the world that remains immune to curiosity and inquisitiveness like distant foliage in the dusk.” It is that which our words, our forms, our categories can never reach.
-God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism by Abraham Joshua Heschel
With all the natural humility on the California coast it makes for some wonderful wild flower shots.
oh... still found another oldie and added Shana Rae's textures.
"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all." ~William Temple~
textures Shana Rae - you can view her page here
In late February, 2018, I trekked across the megalopolis (and prefecture) known as Tōkyo, where, by the late afternoon on this day, scattered rains had crept their way across the Kantō Plain, showering the streets with cold winds and water, adding to the already brisk air blanketing the city (and her wards), and granting me a dramatic view from the highest observation deck at the top of the Tōkyo Sky Tree, 451 meters above the ground.
.
The sight was truly beautiful to see (and this image hardly does it justice), as the sprawling jungle of human construction, which stood as a marvel of progress and achievement, was yet still humbled beneath that which the Lord hath made.
.
It shows us that, no matter how great we pridefully boast to be, or how advanced we think we are, we are - in all actuality - tiny by comparison to all that God has created, and we should never forget as such.
.
Yet being humble before such a reminder doesn't mean you can't marvel at the sheer beauty before your eyes, and being tiny by comparison in no way means you're insignificant either.
.
Truly we are capable of great and meaningful things in our lifetime. Tōkyo itself stands as proof of such a statement. But none of that comes without hard work, some sacrifice, being of service, having humility, and enduring and learning from a little adversity along the way.
.
So take up thy courage, leave thy bubble, and embark on an epic journey down a path of achievement to great and meaningful things! Yet while you do, don't forget to bask in the glory of all the Lord has created, be thankful for all He has provided, and humble enough to know your place in the world...
Thank you, in advance, to those of you who take a moment to leave a comment and/or fave my photo. I appreciate it tremendously.
Stained glass window produced by Morris & Co., titled Humility, Mercy, Generosity, Charity, Justice, Liberty, Truth, Love, Faith and Courage (c. 1898)
David Healey was the mayor of Heywood, Lancashire, England. Over one hundred years ago, he made a substantial donation to the local Unitarian Church (a church that his father had helped to found). His donation enabled the congregation to commission a beautiful 15-foot tall stained glass window for the church chancel. The window now bears his name: the David Healey Memorial Window.
The piece was acquired in 1999, from collectors in Carmel, California (USA). The couple who last owned the piece bought it in 1967 from the now-demolished Britain Hill Unitarian Church in Lancashire, England (where Morris & Co. had installed it in 1898).
The abandoned church suffered through a fire the year after the stained glass window was sold. The work would have been lost, had it not been sold.
The Huntington:
A private, nonprofit institution, The Huntington was founded in 1919 by Henry E. Huntington, an exceptional businessman who built a financial empire that included railroad companies, utilities, and real estate holdings in Southern California.
Huntington was also a man of vision – with a special interest in books, art, and gardens. During his lifetime, he amassed the core of one of the finest research libraries in the world, established a splendid art collection, and created an array of botanical gardens with plants from a geographic range spanning the globe. These three distinct facets of The Huntington are linked by a devotion to research, education, and beauty.
In 1919, Henry and Arabella Huntington signed the indenture that transferred their San Marino property and collections to a nonprofit educational trust, creating The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, which hosts more than 500,000 visitors each year.
The Lord of Humility
also known as Apo Pacencia
Middle of the 19th Century
FILIPINO
A wooden image painted in frank imitation of ivory.
Dimensions: 36.5 cm or 14.6 in.
Provenance: The Antonio Martino Collection
Published in:
Jose, R. T. 2004. Power+Faith+Image: Philippine art in ivory from the 16th to the 19th century. Manila (Makati): Ayala Museum. p. 264.
Jose, R. T. 1990. Images of faith: Religious ivory carvings from the Philippines. Pasadena (CA): The Pacific Asia Museum. p. 137.
Special Note: Miniature images (also know as 'Table Top' images) made of ivory or having ivory parts depicting the suffering and passion of Jesus Christ are quite rare. There are numerous images of the the crucified Christ in ivory (both large and small) but Passion images are few and far between.
This image of the Pacnecia is of particular interest because it was specifically finished to look like ivory.
About You
OUR TRUE SELF
It is not humility to insist on being someone that you are not. It is as much as saying that you know better than God who you are and who you ought to be. How do you expect to arrive at the end of your own journey if you take the road to another man’s city? How do you expect to reach your own perfection by leading somebody else’s life? His sanctity will never be yours; you must have the humility to work out your own salvation in a darkness where you are absolutely alone…
And so it takes heroic humility to be yourself and to be nobody but the man, or the artist, that God intended you to be.
You will be made to feel that your honesty is only pride. This is a serious temptation because you can never be sure whether you are being true to your true self or only building up a defense for the false personality that is the creature of your own appetite for esteem.
But the greatest humility can be learned from the anguish of keeping your balance in such a position: of continuing to be yourself without getting tough about it and asserting your false self against the false selves of other people.
Source: New Seeds of Contemplation, 100-101
Macro Monday ~ Humility
Recognition and praise is most given to those who are the loudest and seem to have the most powerful moves. They appear to have greater value and worth. However, one should never underestimate the value of the humble pawn. This is where the game of chess, as well as life, is won.
" A passed pawn increase in strength as the number of pieces on the board diminishes." - Jose Capablanca
Rovingian Animist Perspective - Ethics of Subsistence and Relationships by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Rovingian Animist Position on Poverty and Material Possessions
Commitment to humility, reciprocity, and community solidarity
Rovingian Animist Perspective: Ethics of Subsistence and Relationships
The Rovingian animist view on poverty and material possessions presents a significant break from Western approaches, which tend to value the accumulation of resources or economic deprivation, and from Abrahamic traditions, which often associate poverty with virtue or trial. In this perspective, an ethics of subsistence prevails, where value is centered on the fluidity of relationships and solidarity among beings, rather than the possession of goods.
Fundamental Pillars of the Animist Vision
- The Notion of Poverty as Isolation
In the animist context, poverty is not defined by the absence of money or resources, but by the rupture of social and spiritual bonds. To be poor is to be deprived of a network of reciprocity with the community, ancestors, and nature. Individual accumulation is viewed negatively, as a sign of poverty of spirit or illness, because it interrupts the vital flow that sustains the collective.
- Material Goods as Agents
According to this view, material goods are not simply inert objects, but agents endowed with purpose ("anima"). The use of these goods should be ritualistic and functional, avoiding excessive accumulation that imprisons energy and prevents the renewal of resources. Thus, material goods represent transformative and solidarity potential, and should circulate among the members of the community. Possession becomes a responsibility to maintain the flow, not a right to accumulate.
- Reciprocity: The Community Flow
Rovingian economics is based on the principle of giving and receiving, promoting the circulation of goods to strengthen and unite the community. True wealth is measured by the capacity to distribute and sustain the collective, renewing and transforming the system instead of stagnating accumulated resources.
- Cosmological Humility
Humility is understood as the recognition of the human condition: we are not the owners of the earth, but its guests. Resources are seen as loans from the spirits and the earth itself, requiring gratitude and thrift, in contrast to modern extractivism. The earth is considered the property of ancestors or spiritual entities, and the living only have the right to sustainable use in order to guarantee prosperity for future generations.
Postulates of Conduct of the Rovingian Monks
Simplicity
Cultivating a sober and simple life is fundamental. The practice consists of minimizing material needs, living only with what is necessary and rejecting consumerist practices.
Humility
Humility involves renouncing the pursuit of prestige, power, or dominion, whether social, political, or spiritual. The goal is to integrate oneself equally into a natural and universal whole.
Sharing
Sharing guides that goods and knowledge should not be accumulated as private property, but circulate freely. One person's surplus meets another's need, and true abundance manifests when the flow of giving and receiving is not interrupted by selfishness.
Reciprocity
It is recognized that nothing we receive from nature is free or unilateral; every resource used must be honored with gestures of gratitude or actions of preservation, maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
Universal Communion
Community life should reflect the web of life, in which cooperation replaces competition and mutual care is the basis for collective evolution.
Volunteering and Selfless Help
Volunteering and selfless help are essential values. The willingness to help should exist whenever necessary, including in situations of conflict or under repressive regimes.
Voluntary Payment for Spiritual Services
Payment for spiritual services rendered to monks is voluntary and based on principles of ethical reasonableness. Regardless, assistance is not refused to those in need due to financial hardship. Reciprocity and Sharing: Interdependence and Breaking Down Possession
The logic of Rovingian Animist Monks emphasizes postulates of reciprocity and sharing that reinforce the interdependence between all beings and promote the overcoming of the sense of individual possession, consolidating an ethic based on flow, solidarity, and collective responsibility.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Posição Animista Rovingiana Sobre a Pobreza e os Bens Materiais
Compromisso de humildade, reciprocidade e solidariedade comunitária
Perspetiva Animista Rovingiana: Ética da Subsistência e Relações
A visão animista rovingiana sobre pobreza e bens materiais apresenta uma rutura significativa em relação às abordagens ocidentais, que tendem a valorizar a acumulação de recursos ou a carência económica, e às tradições abraâmicas, que frequentemente associam a pobreza à virtude ou provação. Nesta perspetiva, prevalece uma ética de subsistência, em que o valor está centrado na fluidez das relações e na solidariedade entre os seres, em vez da posse de bens.
Pilares Fundamentais da Visão Animista
- Noção de Pobreza como Isolamento
No contexto animista, pobreza não se define pela ausência de dinheiro ou recursos, mas pela rutura dos vínculos sociais e espirituais. Ser pobre é estar privado de uma rede de reciprocidade com a comunidade, antepassados e natureza. A acumulação individual é vista negativamente, como sinal de pobreza de espírito ou doença, pois interrompe o fluxo vital que sustenta o coletivo.
- Bens Materiais como Agentes
Os bens materiais, segundo esta visão, não são simples objetos inertes, mas agentes dotados de propósito ("anima"). O uso desses bens deve ser ritualístico e funcional, evitando-se a acumulação excessiva que aprisiona a energia e impede a renovação dos recursos. Assim, os bens materiais representam potencial transformativo e solidário, devendo circular entre os membros da comunidade. A posse transforma-se numa responsabilidade de manter o fluxo, e não num direito de acumular.
- Reciprocidade: O Fluxo Comunitário
A economia rovingiana é baseada no princípio do dar e receber, promovendo a circulação de bens para fortalecer e unir a comunidade. A verdadeira riqueza é mensurada pela capacidade de distribuir e sustentar o coletivo, renovando e transformando o sistema em vez de estagnar recursos acumulados.
- Humildade Cosmológica
A humildade assume-se como reconhecimento da condição humana: não somos donos da terra, mas seus hóspedes. Os recursos são vistos como empréstimos dos espíritos e da própria terra, exigindo gratidão e parcimónia, em contraste com o extrativismo moderno. A terra é considerada propriedade dos antepassados ou de entidades espirituais, e os vivos têm apenas o direito de uso sustentável, a fim de garantir prosperidade para as gerações futuras.
Postulados de Conduta dos Monges Rovingianos
Simplicidade
Cultivar uma vida sóbria e simples é fundamental. A prática consiste em reduzir ao máximo as exigências materiais, vivendo apenas com o necessário e rejeitando práticas consumistas.
Humildade
A humildade implica renunciar à busca de prestígio, poder ou domínio, seja social, político ou espiritual. O objetivo é integrar-se de forma igualitária num todo natural e universal.
Partilha
A partilha orienta que bens e conhecimentos não sejam acumulados como propriedade privada, mas circulem livremente. O excedente de um atende à necessidade de outro, e a verdadeira abundância manifesta-se quando o fluxo de dar e receber não é interrompido pelo egoísmo.
Reciprocidade
Reconhece-se que nada do que recebemos da natureza é gratuito ou unilateral; cada recurso utilizado deve ser honrado com gestos de gratidão ou ações de preservação, mantendo o equilíbrio do ecossistema.
Comunhão Universal
A vida em comunidade deve refletir a teia da vida, em que a cooperação substitui a competição e o cuidado mútuo é a base para a evolução coletiva.
Voluntariado e Ajuda Desinteressada
O voluntariado e a ajuda desinteressada são valores essenciais. A disposição para ajudar deve existir sempre que necessário, inclusive em situações de conflito ou sob regimes repressivos.
Pagamento Voluntário dos Serviços Espirituais
O pagamento pelos serviços espirituais prestados aos monges é voluntário e baseado em princípios de razoabilidade ética. Independentemente disso, a assistência não é recusada a quem precisa por insuficiência financeira.
Reciprocidade e Partilha: Interdependência e Rutura da Posse
A lógica dos Monges Animistas Rovingianos enfatiza postulados de reciprocidade e partilha que reforçam a interdependência entre todos os seres e promovem a superação do sentido de posse individual, consolidando uma ética baseada no fluxo, solidariedade e responsabilidade coletiva.
One year, two perspectives. This image is part of a 365(+1) project, my friend Tilo and I are working on. If you want to see more, check out our website zweisichtig.de.
Consider a humble artisan assuredly creating great masterpieces. Thinking them mere happenstance, when, in actuality such a supple intelligence portrays an artful sensitivity skilfully executed to spark moments of discernment.
Her nature, being modest, wanting nothing but to share her passion for the wondrous yet often hidden and unsung treasures. Permitting only humilities garments to frame her magnanimity, she is content with somewhat anonymity.
Humilities virtuosity in keeping with its innocence will never succumb the ego of this practitioner the impertinence of self praise, even the well deserved adulation from another will most often be set aside for modesty’s sake..
Henceforth such wonders are born to us in magnificent grandeur, thusly we are enriched by unintended circumstances. Artistic virtuosity humbly rendered to awaken us from seemingly perpetual slumber. Such depth of spirit duly submerged in the love of humanity deserves the crown of praise.
One year, two perspectives. This image is part of a 365(+1) project, my friend Tilo and I are working on. If you want to see more, check out our website zweisichtig.de.
Humility would be the reason for sure but it was also the harsh afternoon sun that made them bow and walk. Seen near Mehrauli, south Delhi.
"This past Friday, Skully's Music Diner was filled to the brink of its capacity as the Cleveland Invasion rolled in to town. The show featured Columbus natives The Midas Touch, NiQ, Le and The 3rd. The headliner for the show was Cleveland's Chip Tha Ripper."
Read the rest of the article at the Examiner
More photos at URB
to accept my humanness... to know that i am not greater than, nor lesser than anyone else... to realize there is room for all ... to be rid of petty jealousy... to know that life is for living, not competing... to keep my ego in check... for allowing something greater than myself to guide me... for all this i pray.
amen.
Buddha Bar -Desire
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB8Dk9k-iVw
"A Lover knows only humility,
He has no choice.
He steals into your alley at night,
He has no choice.
He longs to kiss every lock of your hair,
Don’t fret,
He has no choice.
In his frenzied Love for you,
He longs to break the chains of his imprisonment,
He has no choice.
A Lover asked his Beloved,
“Do you Love yourself more than you Love me?”
Beloved replied:
“I have died to myself and I live for you,
I’ve disappeared from myself and my attributes,
I am present only for you.
I’ve forgotten all my learnings,
But from knowing you I have become a scholar.
I have lost all my strength,
But from your power I am able.
I Love Myself,
I Love You.
I Love You,
I Love Myself.”
I am your Lover,
Come to my side,
I will open the gate to your Love.
Come settle with me,
Let us be neighbors in the Stars.
You have been hiding so long,
Endlessly drifting in the Sea of my Love.
Even so, you have always been connected to me.
Concealed, revealed, in the norm, in the un-manifest.
I am Life itself.
You have been a prisoner of a little pond,
I am the Ocean and it’s turbulent flood.
Come merge with me.
Leave this world of ignorance
Be with me,
I will open the gate to your Love.
I Desire you more than food or drink.
My body, my senses, my Mind,
Hunger for your taste.
I can sense your presence in my Heart.
Although you belong to all the world,
I wait in Silent Passion,
For one gesture, one glance from You."
(Taken from “The Love Poems of Rumi”)
Special thanks to Alex Y. for helping out with post production. You can check out his awesome work at: www.flickr.com/photos/114739792@N02
Metaphysical certainty is not God, though it contains something of Him. This is why Sufis accompany even their certainties with this formula: ''And God is more wise".
A cult of the intelligence and mental passion take man further from truth. Intelligence withdraws as soon as man puts his trust in it alone. Mental passion pursuing intellectual intuition is like the wind which blows out the light of a candle.
Monomania of the spirit, with the unconsious pretension, the prejudice, the insatiability and the haste which are its concomitants, is incompatible with sanctity.
Sanctity introduces in the flux of thoughts an element of humility and of charity, and so of calm and of generosity. This element, far from being hurtful to the spiritual impetus or the sometimes violent force of truth, delivers the spirit from the vexations of passions and thus guarantees both the integrity of thought and the purity of inspiration.
According to the Sufis mental passion must be ranked as one of the "associations" with Satan, like other forms of"idolatry" of the passions. It could not directly have God for its object, for, were God its direct object, it would lose its specifically negative characteristics.
Man must beware of two things: first of replacing God, in practice if not in theory, by the functions and products of the intellect, or of considering Him only in connection with this faculty; and, secondly, of putting the "mechanical" factors of spirituality in the place of the human values - the virtues - or only considering virtues in relation to their "technical" utility and not in relation to their beauty.
Intelligence has only one nature, that of being luminous. But it has diverse functions and different modes of working and these appear as so many particular intelligences. Intelligence with a "logical", "mathematical" or- one might say - "abstract" quality is not enough for attaining all aspects of the real.
It would be impossible to insist too often on the importance of the "visual" or "aesthetic" function of the intellective faculty.
Everything is in reality like a play of alternations between what is determined in advance - starting from principles - and what is incalculable and in some way unforeseeable, of which we have to get to know by concrete identification and not by abstract "discernment".
In speculations about formal elements it would be a handicap
to lack this aesthetic function of intellect. A religion is revealed, not only by its doctrine, but also by its general form, and this has its own characteristic beauty, which is reflected in its every aspect from its "mythology" to its art.
Sacred art expresses Reality in relation to a particular spiritual vision. And aesthetic intelligence sees the manifestations of the Spirit even as the eye sees flowers or playthings.
Thus, for example, in order to understand Buddhism profoundly, if one is not a Buddhist born, it is not enough to study its doctrine; it is also necessary to penetrate into the language of Buddhist beauty as it appears in the sacramental image of the Buddha or in such features as the "sermon on the flower".
The aesthetic function of the intelligence - if you may call it
that for lack of a better term - enters not only into the form of every spiritual manifestation but also into the process of its manifestation.
Truth must be enunciated, not only in conformity with certain proportions, but also according to a certain rhythm. One cannot speak of sacred things 'just anyhow", nor can one speak of them without limitations.
Every manifestation has laws and these intelligence must observe in manifesting itself, or otherwise truth will suffer.
Intellect is not something cerebral, nor is it specifically human
or angelic. All beings "possess" it. If gold is not lead, that is because it "knows" the Divine better. Its "knowledge" is in its very form, and this amounts to saying that it does not belong to it itself, for matter could not know. None the less one can say that the rose differs from the water-lily by its intellectual particularity, by its "way of knowing" and so by its mode of intelligence.
Beings possess intelligence in their form to the extent that they are "peripheric" or "passive" and in their essence to the extent that they are "central", "active" and "conscious".
A noble animal or a lovely flower is "intellectually" superior to a base man.
God reveals himself to the plant in the form of the light of the
sun. The plant irresistibly turns itself towards the light; it could not be atheistical or impious.
The infallible "instinct" of animals is a lesser "intellect", and man's intellect may be called a higher "instinct". Between instinct and intellect there stands in some sense the reason, which owes its troubles to the fact that it constitutes a sort of "luciferian" duplication of the Divine Intelligence - the only intelligence there is.
Knowledge of facts depends on contingencies which could not enter into principial knowledge. The level of facts is, in certain respects, inverse in relation to that of principles in the sense that it includes modes and imponderables that are the extreme opposite of the wholly mathematical rigour of universal laws. At least this is so in appearance, for it goes without saying that universal principles are not contradicted.
Even beneath the veil of the inexhaustible diversity of what is possible their immutability can always be discerned, provided that the intelligence is in the requisite condition for being able to discern it.
If the intellect is, so to speak, sovereign and infallible on its own ground, it cannot exercise its discernment on the level of facts otherwise than conditionally. Moreover God may intervene on the level of facts with particular things willed by Himself that are at times unpredictable, and of such things principial knowledge could only take account a posteriori.
-----
Frithjof Schuon
-----
Quoted in: The Essential Frithjof Schuon (edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr)