"To lay low a despot who devours the people, by whatever means you please, is no cause for wrath from Heaven."

Theognis, Elegies 1181-1182

ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ
KNOW YOURSELF

"We can attain likeness to God, first of all, if we are endowed with a suitable nature, then if we develop proper habits, way of life, and good practice according to law, and, most importantly, if we use reason, and education, and the correct philosophical tradition, in such a way as to distance ourselves from the great majority of human concerns, and always to be in close contact with intelligible reality.

The introductory ceremonies, so to speak, and preliminary purifications of our innate spirit, if one is to be initiated into the greater sciences, will be constituted by music, arithmetic, astronomy, and geometry, while at the same time we must care for our body by means of gymnastics, which will prepare the body properly for the demands of both war and peace."

Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism 28.4

The above quote from Alcinous summarizes the Platonic spiritual program and is an excellent place for us to start when trying to understand what Platonic spirituality looks like as a practice. Alcinous is drawing heavily from The Republic, and so we can look there for guidance as well.

It is important that we understand the Platonists on their own terms, else we risk smuggling in false assumptions.

You do not need any kind of initiation to be an authentic and pious follower of this tradition.

This is a misunderstanding, largely stemming from an inappropriate application of Eastern, Traditionalist, or Christian ideas. In the classical West, while there were initiatory cults and the like, the validity of priests was not tied to initiation, and there was no obligation for practitioners to gain initiation into a mystery cult. The deeper mysteries of philosophical ascent were often understood in terms of initiation, but this likewise was not dependent upon lineage and was above and beyond ordinary practice and piety.

CORE DOGMAS OF CLASSICAL SPIRITUALITY

Correct practice is insufficient! Correct opinion is essential!

A very common view in the pagan community is that one's opinions matter very little, and that only correct practice matters. But the surviving philosophical literature could not be clearer: though action is key, opinion is of critical importance.

Four core beliefs:
1. Gods exist.
2. Divine providence (care, guidance) extends to all things.
3. The gods govern the universe well and with justice.
4. The gods cannot be corrupted.

Sources: Proclus, Theology of Plato 1.13; Epictetus, The Handbook 31.

"When we are become wholly soul, and are out of the body, and raised up in the intellect, we traverse the heights in company with all the immaterial gods; but when again we are confined in our hard-shelled body, we are held fast by matter and are corporeal. Once again, then, we come back to the necessity of the double mode of worship; for the one type will be simple and immaterial and purified from all taint of generation, that which relates to unpolluted souls, whereas the other is filled with bodies and every sort of material business, that which is proper to souls which are not pure nor released from all generation. And so I postulate two sorts of sacrifice; the one which is that of men who are entirely purified, which would only arise rarely … the other being material and corporeal and based on alteration, as is suited to those still in the grip of the body. So if one does not grant some such mode of worship to cities and peoples not freed from the fated processes of generation and from a society dependent on the body, one will contrive to fail of both types of good, both the immaterial and the material; for they are not capable of receiving the former, and for the latter they are not making the right offering. Similarly, each person performs his cult according to the nature that he has, not that which he does not have; one should not, therefore, overstep the measure proper to the sacrificing agent."

Iamblichus, On the Mysteries 5.15

"Govern yourself no less than your subjects, and consider that you are in the highest sense a king when you are a slave to no pleasure but rule over your desires more firmly than over your people."

Isocrates, To Nicocles 29

"But when the soul inquires alone by itself, it departs into the realm of the pure, the everlasting, the immortal and the changeless, and being akin to these it dwells always with them whenever it is by itself and is not hindered, and it has rest from its wanderings and remains always the same and unchanging with the changeless, since it is in communion therewith."

Plato, Phaedo 79d

You may send any questions, critiques, or comments to ClassicalWisdomTradition@gmail.com.

Just as land must be specially cultivated by him who wishes to obtain from it the best fruit, so the soul should be most carefully and attentively cultivated, in order that it may produce fruit worthy of its nature.

Iamblichus, Exhortations 15

Seven Day Spiritual Retreat: Purifying the Statue of the Soul
New Year Reset 2026

“Come now, go to your work, having first prayed to the gods to accomplish it.” The Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans 48–49

The new year is a time of inspiration and new possibilities! Join our 7-day Platonic meditation journey: starting tomorrow, we will share daily quotes to gently guide your soul toward the Good.

Through daily contemplation or journaling on selected quotes from The Flower of the Mind: Protreptikos, participants will purify the mind, detach from sensory distractions, and orient themselves toward higher realities. Begin each day with 20–30 minutes of quiet reflection on the quote, visualizing its meaning. Then journal responses: personalized thoughts, connections to life, and aspirations for soul elevation.

We'd love to hear your insights. Share them in the comments below.

In the coming year, we're excited to release The Flower of the Mind, Volume One: Protreptikos in print—a book for those seeking spirituality rooted in Western tradition. The publication date will be announced in the future.

For now, you can download it as a free PDF right here. May this wisdom bring you closer to the gods, guide you in laying a solid spiritual foundation, and inspire you to create a better life.

Happy New Year!

Day 1: Sculpting away excesses and distortions

“So know these things, and accustom yourself to control these: first of all, the belly, and sleep and lust and anger. Never do anything shameful, neither with another nor in private, but most of all, feel shame within yourself.” The Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans 9–12

Identify habits that obscure inner radiance. Pythagoras emphasizes the belly: control your stomach first and you will control yourself. The Stoic philosopher Seneca adds, “The body should be treated more rigorously, that it may not be disobedient to the mind.”

For day one, take note of what you are struggling with most. Are you overeating? Procrastinating? Overindulging? Is your temper too short? Focus your intention on increasing your awareness of these. Self-awareness, not belittlement, is the point!

A PDF edition of this meditation is attached and can be printed.

Day 2: Cultivating actions as true adornment

“Shape adorns a statue but actions adorn a man.”
The Similitudes of Demophilus 38

Which habits diminish my character’s adornment, and how can I gently replace them with uplifting actions? Drawing from ancient Stoic wisdom, Epictetus offers a proven step-by-step path to conquer bad habits and cultivate virtuous ones:

1. Commit to obtain the purity that lies within you and that comes from divinity. Sincerely wish to be beautiful before God.
2. Imitate great men, such as Socrates, or any others you know. Remember how they behaved in difficult situations.
3. When anything happens–a temptation or a problematic situation or anything else–call on the aid and support of God.
4. When your thoughts and emotions feel overwhelming, tell them to wait a moment. When they ask you to start imagining all sorts of things that might happen, say no and instead think of something beautiful and noble.
5. Offer a sacrifice and prayer. To whatever extent you committed a wrong, gave into temptation, etc., acknowledge that in your sacrifice and prayer.
6. Consciously note every day that goes by since you were last defeated by your problem. “The last time I lost my temper was yesterday.” “The last time I was overcome by lust was three days ago.” Enjoy your victory each time.
7. If you defeat your problem for thirty days in a row, offer a sacrifice to God.

A PDF edition of this meditation is attached and can be printed.

Day 3: Practicing detachment from things we cannot control

“There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power.” These are the opening words of The Handbook by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. He continues, “Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion, and, in one word, whatever affairs are our own. Beyond our power are body, property, reputation, office, and, in one word, whatever are not properly our own affairs.”

Follow this simple 4-step guide, focusing only on what you truly control. With daily practice, you will deepen your connection to God, cultivate a stronger character, and find relief from stress.

1. Note what kinds of things are in your power: opinion, aim or intention, what you avoid, what you move towards. Note what kinds of things are not truly in your power: everything else, including your body, your property, your reputation, as well as the behaviors and opinions of other people.
2. Recall anything you may be anxious about, angry about, feel guilty about, or are otherwise troubled by, and determine whether those worries belong to the class of things within your power or to the class of things that are beyond your power.
3. If they are within your power, commit to taking corrective action. If they are beyond your power, release them and return your focus to those things within your power.
4. When you accept the impermanence of external things, what quiet strength emerges within?

A PDF edition of this meditation is attached and can be printed.