Mystic Mantra: Soul dance and balance

Most of us cultivate or foster certain interests in areas that may, in reality, not fascinate, draw, or propel, us — because we have to somehow survive, while keeping the “financial wolf” from the door. What we customarily showcase on our curriculum vitae, therefore, becomes a norm in the course of time — a presage to dwelling in our own self-imposed cocoon, or comfort zone. The resultant effect is obvious: We do not endeavour to explore our latent talents — perish at the thought of passion in the first place. However, the fact is — we would be able to turnaround things to astound ourselves only when we challenge and make every effort to release the archetypal trappings of our dormant or “hidden” talents.

Agreed that we are all endowed with our own distinctive personalities — they are as unique as our signature, or fingerprint. While science would emphasise that our personality type is “patented” the moment we are born, it is a given fact that nurturing it originates by observing, perceiving, listening and of course, by doing. This underlines not just one definitive model of learning, but also a whole, new concept of swotting and growing. It quantifies our distinctive personality type, learning patterns, cultural variables, fostered subtexts, or innate keynotes, which one may instinctively relate to, or reflect, within and outside of our psyche — and, not just one’s true “self.” Studies also evidence that our personality type is just as much “wired” to our brain, mind, thoughts, actions, and responses, as our emotional, or environmental, stimuli. This may explain why certain people having had the same experience as others often amplify certain contexts of the similar experience in another way, or differently, too.

The philosopher Plato thought of it all as a mirror reflecting the soul through our personality. The soul, for Plato, comprised of three elements, viz., (i) logistikon, (ii) thymos, and (iii) epithymia — which translates to (i) the thinking component, with emotion being the structural constituent of the soul; (ii) the devoted, passionate side that pines for honour, recognition and respect, and (iii) the potential, measurable part that yearns for things that fulfil our sensual, biological and material hankerings. In his “Allegory of the Chariot” Plato epitomised thymos and epithymia as the two horses that pull the chariot of our personality, or soul. He articulated that it is entirely up to each of us, the charioteer, representing logistikon, to fix direction and speed, while synchronising the movement of the two stallions to plotting the chariot’s course. What does this connote? To live a life of virtue, as Plato emphasised, it is essential to usher in balance and harmony between the three cogs. Else, the predictable outcome would be nothing but discord in life.