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.

Day 4: Release perfectionistic expectations

“At each and every thing one man is better and another worse; no man alive is skilled in all things.” Theognis, Elegies 901–902

Take time to ask yourself: What perfectionistic demands do I place on myself? Do I burden myself with unrealistic expectations to excel in everything?

Now redirect your awareness to your strengths. Make a list of them and explore how you can better use them in your life.

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

Day 5: Reflecting on your life journey

In The Golden Verses of the Pythagoreans, a technique for self-examination is outlined, traditionally practiced every night. This ancient practice fosters self-awareness and moral growth and, if practiced diligently, leads to divinization. The philosopher Seneca says, “I scan the whole of my day and retrace all my deeds and words. I conceal nothing from myself, I omit nothing.” Ordinarily, this meditation is for daily use, but we suggest taking time to reflect on your past year, the good and the bad.

The philosopher Hierocles summarizes the first half of the Golden Verses into 15 “laws” or “standards” which he says are given to us by God. We list the 15 laws below.

There are two types of misdeed: doing what we should not do (transgression), and not doing what we should do (neglect). For example, the first law is to honor divinities. We should pray but we should not blaspheme. If we fail to pray, that is neglect. If we blaspheme, that is a transgression. Similarly, the second law is to honor our parents and relatives. We should take care of our parents, but we should not abuse our parents. If we fail to take care of our parents, that is neglect. If we abuse our parents (verbally or physically), that is a transgression.

What to do: Examine yourself and determine whether you met these standards in your life. When you have, rejoice, but when you haven't, reprimand yourself.

The 15 laws given to us by the Pythagoreans:
1. Honor divinities.
2. Give parents and relatives the highest esteem.
3. Welcome and befriend good men.
4. Overcome lusts and appetites.
5. Oversee yourself and turn away from evils.
6. Engage in justice.
7. Know that your life and possessions are easily destroyed.
8. Accept your lot in life as assigned to you by divine judgement.
9. Use prudent thought that is pleasing to God and change your thinking for the better.
10. Practice the love of speaking, using real arguments.
11. Be immune to deception and slavishness in order to preserve virtue.
12. Use good counsel before you act so that you will not regret your actions.
13. Be pure of conceit.
14. Pursue a life informed by knowledge.
15. Care for your body, and be neat and tidy in your appearance and home.

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

Day 6: Harmony of the Soul

“As we live through the soul, it must be said that by the virtue of this we live well; just as, since we see through the eyes, it is by the virtue of these that we see well.” Iamblichus, Exhortation to Philosophy Chapter 2 gnômê 1

Reflect on the state of virtue in your life and see if you can improve it.

Wisdom: Do I direct all of my thoughts and actions by the standard of reason, wishing for nothing but what is right?

Courage: When difficulties arise, does my inner spirit rise steadfastly to support reason's guidance, facing fear with unwavering nobility?

Temperance: Are my desires in balance, not ruling over my better judgment?

Justice: Does my reason wisely lead, my spirit courageously ally, and my desires obediently follow?

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

Day 7: The Temple of the Soul

“God has no place on the earth more suitable to his nature than a pure and holy soul.” The Pythagorean Sentences of Demophilus 44

The divine essence finds its most congenial earthly abode not in temples, rituals, or material forms, but within a soul purified of passions and sanctified through virtue.

Human spiritual purification enables direct union with the divine. God dwells most fittingly where the inner being mirrors divine purity and holiness. Cleansing the soul invites transcendent presence amid mortal existence.

If God finds no better dwelling than a sanctified soul, what does this imply about the purpose of human spiritual striving?

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

"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." Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism 28

We want to say thank you to all participants who joined us in this 7-day Platonic meditation journey. We sincerely hope it has deepened your connection to the divine and provided meaningful inspiration and profound insights to enrich and elevate your life.

For those who have only recently discovered this meditation program, you are welcome to embark on it at your convenience, allowing you to fully engage with the experience and discover its deeper transformative value. We wish you the very best on your journey.