O Lord and Master of my life,
Grant not unto me a spirit of idleness,
of discouragement,
of lust for power,
and of vain speaking.
But bestow upon me, Thy servant,
the spirit of chastity,
of meekness,
of patience,
and of love.
Yea, O Lord and King,
grant that I may perceive
my own transgressions,
and judge not my brother,
for blessed art Thou
unto ages of ages.
Amen.
Here’s a very interesting essay by Dallas Willard on ascetic practice and Christian morality. A Lenten gift.
Since I posted bits of this already–its first part yesterday and its last part a while back–I thought I would go ahead and post the whole thing. I find writing talks for audiences that will include both philosophers and non-philosophers especially hard. I wish I were better at it.
Philosophical Investigations and Three Kinds of Illusion: A Talk
If you don’t know the band Uma, and almost no one does, hunt down a copy of their brilliant 1997 album, “Fare Well”. If you like delicate, challenging lyrics, complicated but wonderfully catchy tunes, and memorable vocal performances, you’ll love this album. Husband and wife Chris Hickey and Sally Dworsky do the songwriting and the singing.
I’ll be giving this talk later this week. Here are the first few paragraphs (please forgive a few still-to-be-corrected typos). Opening Section of PI and Three Kinds of Illusion
I have been laboring under a number of projects and deadlines, with no real let-up in sight until December (no joke; I have to learn to say No). I hope to begin to post a bit more regularly soon, likely by posting bits and pieces of the projects currently preoccupying me.
Leavings
New Orleans
a city to walk in
so a city to write poetry in
The streets are poetry
Toulouse
St. Louis
Music tie-dyes the air
and neon
Heard on the street (one man yelling to another)
–“Can you make the sun shine?”
–“Yes, but it is a six-week process!”
A woman leans weightlessly against a door Galatoire’s
her dress quintessence
her skin pink alabaster
black hair and violet eyes
(Vivian Leigh made contemporary but farther south)
Another woman sings jazz bravely
in the shadow of Irma Thomas’ statue
Overcast February Saturday
damp beignets
powdered sugar dusts a child’s cheeks
some spilled on the ground
sweet sorrowful leavings
A little hard to say goodbye to the Big Easy
Off to New Orleans tomorrow. APA Central Meeting. Looking forward to seeing old friends. If any readers of the blog are there, look me up. I’m easy to spot: just look for a pro offensive lineman gone to seed–and likely wearing some silly hat.
Pure meditation, pure internal life, being absorbed by the problems and devoting myself to them, and to them only, that is the hope of my future. If I do not succeed, then I shall have to live a life which is rather death.
…I have to pursue my way so surely, so firmly, so decidedly, and so in earnest as Dürer’s Knight in spite of Death and the Devil…And be God with me in spite of the fact that we are all sinners!
Quantum Est In Rebus Inane 