by Horatius Piscinus on Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:17 am
Salve bene Aule Flavi
"Love mankind. Follow the Gods...and it is enough to remember that the Law (of Nature) rules all."
The emperor Marcus Aurelius tells us something of his own journeys within the religio Romana. He does not speak to us about a state religion. Rather his faith is spiritual, intellectual, personal.
II 5: "Think steadily at every moment as a Roman and as a man of virtue to do what you have in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and with a feeling of affection, and with freedom and justice, and relieve yourself of any other thoughts."
V 28: "Live with the Gods. And he does live with the Gods who constantly shows to Them that his own soul is satisfied with that which is assigned to him, and that he does all that his Genius wishes of him, which Jupiter has given to every man as his guardian and guide, a portion of Himself, and this is every man’s reason and understanding."
What Jupiter has given us as our guide is a Genius. Noster Stoicus, Seneca, also wrote, "God is near you, with you, within you. I say it, Lucilius, a holy spirit sits within us, spectator of our evil and our good, our guardian (Letters 41.12)"
And then too, there was Epictetus who instructs us on how to be free and virtuous men. And our purpose, as virtuous men, identifying our true being in our Genius, Epictetus sets out for us.
"It is a soul I want, let one of you show me the soul of a man who wishes to be at one with God, and no longer to blame either God or Man, to fail at nothing, to feel no misfortune, to be free from anger, envy, and jealousy, one who desires to change his manhood for godhood, and who in this poor body of his has his purpose set upon a communion with the Gods."
Spirituality, in all religious faiths I would say, is living consciously. On the one hand we must be aware of ourselves living in Nature, and Marcus Aurelius advised, "Frequently consider the connection of all things in the universe." Every action that we perform, every choice we make, impacts on the universe in which we live. Thus we must remain conscious of our part, and how our actions create the universe in which we desire to live. If one wants to live in a just world then one must consciously live a life of justice in every moment. And likewise in all things, all of the virtues and reasoning that we wish to see in our universe is to be found within our Genius, and these must be brought then into our daily lives at every moment. And then there is the other side. Marcus Aurelius also advised us, as did other Romans, "Since it is possible that you may depart from life at this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly." The path we set before us is one leading to our communion with the Gods, as a God, for that Genius within you, your Authentic Being, is divine. Plotinus spoke of the path to godhood, how we must set ourselves to "Flee to the Fatherland," and that this is done by our greater understanding of the virtues as we evolve more into spiritual beings. That process begins in this life, as our Genius remains trapped within this body, but if you enter the virtuous path then your Genius continues on in its journey, continuously evolving spiritually, on its way into reunion with the Gods from whence it comes.
There are others who have already begun this journey and who remain to lend us assistance on our own journey. These are the Maiores, the community of our Roman ancestors, among who are those most special to us, our Lares, whose abode is near the Gods. So one begins first by celebrating one's own Genius, cherishing it, consciously acting upon one's Genius as a member among the Lares, and They in turn as part of the greater community that is one with the Gods.
The religio Romana never really was a state religion. The state religion of Rome was merely an outgrowth of the religio Romana. We are already in a relationship with the Gods, a communal relationship, one that is personal, and thus it is only a matter of discovering what you already know, that the Gods are all around you, with you, within you, as They are within all things, with all things, around all things. Your "contract" with the Gods must begin as a contract with your Genius. Your Genius will then instruct you, guide you back, into your communion with the Gods.
Vale et vade in pace Deorum
M Horatius Piscinus
Sapere aude!