Sunday 23 March 2014

Sophrosyne

Like many others one day while pinning on Pinterest,  this word popped up in my Pinterest feed. I was actually looking to re-pin some good quotes. When this one word 'Sophrosyne' popped up. I loved the way it sounded (didn't know quotes could be of one word). Now, because I am a curious soul and my mind gets attracted to new words like magnet, I simply, most definitely had to dig this word up a little further. I googled it up and instantly fell in love with the meaning.


Wikipedia defines Sophrosyne (Greek: σωφροσύνη) as a Greek philosophical term etymologically meaning healthy-mindedness and from there self-control or moderation guided by knowledge and balance and a deep awareness of one's true self resulting in true happiness.

Sophrosyne was a Greek goddess. She was the spirit of moderation, self-control, temperance, restraint, and discretion. She was considered to be one of the good spirits that escaped Pandora's box. Pandora's box was actually a box given to Pandora (the first human woman created by Gods), which contained all the evil of the world.
I never thought anything good could ever come out of something like that but truly, always expect the unexpected. Thank you the world of internet for teaching me everything I need to know, regardless to say expect to learn something from everything.

Moderation is not one of my strong suits. I hate to admit but sometimes I get obsessed. I am so full of energy, good vibes and everything positive in the beginning but slowly I start to sail away to a direct direction. I loose interest as fast as I gain it. In no time something new is too old for me. There are a very few things in life I have actually stuck with, up until now and those things are very dear to me. No way in hell I could actually stick to something my heart restraints me from. Its just unnatural. I can't resist something new, I will go to the extremes, but I just cannot hold on to it if my heart says no, simple as that. I guess I need to moderate my life a little. Too much of a good thing in small amounts is good. If you have too much of a good thing, something pleasant becomes unpleasant because you have too much of it, like chocolates. Therefore, moderation is the word of the hour. The problem is moderation works for only a few people and I don't really know if it's going to work for me. I'm not sure if there are flaws. Just different ways of thinking, living, processing, and reacting. All in moderation. I might as well choose to just go with it.


Talking about choosing, making choices is not really my strong suit either. I am indecisive, sometimes paradoxical and hasty when it comes to making decisions. Knowing my weaknesses actually makes me take the right decisions. Needless to say I have plenty of wrong decisions in the bag already but now that I know how I am, I tell myself over and over again 'no hasting and be determined'. I question myself uncountable times and before saying anything I should or shouldn't, I take my time.

Frankly speaking I hate long never ending narratives/articles on How-tos (how to be happy, how to make the right decisions.. blah..blah..) because at the end of the day realization has to come from within. If you want to be happy you’ll find ways to make yourself happy. If you want to make the right decisions you’ll listen to yourself more than you listen to others, because your heart wants what it wants, can’t cheat it by overlapping and over-pouring it with millions of ifs and buts, could haves and would haves. 



"Sophrosyne" I have a feeling, that, I will never ever forget this word just because "happiness" carries a deep and true meaning for me in my life and I am on a mission in pursuit of true happiness.. and as for achieving Sophrosyne, I guess first step is to start with a healthy mind and gradually working towards a healthy body (because I'm a lazy bum and love eating and sleeping like a starfish, as my friend used to say and so I love her and miss her. Even though we are apart I feel like we are on the the same boat, sharing the same journey, heading toward the same place just separated by an opaque wall, its a perplexing yet a beautiful relationship.)



 

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