Little illuminations

« … fools are full of certainties, whilst intelligent people are full of doubts and I've been very careful not to nourish certainties facing a very doubtful job on myself …»

Such a harsh concept might sound like pessimism. Perhaps it is better to say that doubt originates curiosity and this pushes intelligence to look for new (or old) solutions. Whilst the fool is content to believe (credulousness) the intelligent wants to understand by developing the ability to evaluate (discrimination).

What is really understood becomes eventually a fund of certainty, although relative, that illuminate us and that can be transmitted and provoke in others as many little precious illuminations.

In the text about the apex of the initiatory mountain, that is the apex of the inner wisdom, it is written: « everyone tries to reach “the top” through his own means... the good mason can't think of reaching perfection, the top, because it is very likely that the top doesn't exist, but there is only a growth in the attempt to perfect oneself...»

Statistically there is an apex to human intelligence. It might be liable to transformation because it is in motion, but it does exist.

It is sufficient to list in the history of man (in the East and the West) the examples of the highest scientific, artistic, philosophic, political and religious creativity; to compare them to the common mediocrity and then add at the end the greatest examples of negativity and rashness of scientific, artistic, philosophic, political and religious creativity.

This observation originates a scale in which all of us, if we have critical sense, can recognize ourselves, finding our place in the human classification. It is difficult, though, not to cheat at this game.

I rather believe that the apex to climb is one's own. It means ascending one's potentialities, included the latent ones; judging with honesty and sense of responsibility, if we have done our best to improve developing our virtues. It means wondering, eventually, if we are really able to understand and want; that is if we know the difference between “freedom of choice” and “free will”. If we are really able to distinguish reality from imagination and detach from the world of illusions which humankind sleeps in. If we have annulled the original faults and vices (metallic transmutation) turning into “gold” the “lead” (thoughts and feelings) of our profane being. If we are clean from the profane transfers and imprinting of the family and the bigger group, national cultures, race and popular religions.

The apex, then, is there. But before fixing the one belonging to the humankind we should try and reach the apex of our inner mountain.

Athos A. Altomonte