Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils—no, nor the human race, as I believe—and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.
-Plato, Republic
There's a fascinating resonance between Plato's ancient vision of philosopher kings and Rob Burbea's modern spiritual insights. Both invite us to step beyond our everyday selves, to touch something larger and wiser. Plato dreamed of leaders who could access eternal truths to guide society towards flourishing. Burbea, in his gentle way, encouraged us to engage with imaginal "others" - figures of depth and potency that can open us to new dimensions of meaning. These thinkers, separated by millennia, share a profound hope: that by transcending our limited perspectives, we might access a wellspring of wisdom. It's a wisdom that could transform not just individuals, but entire societies. In our complex world, perhaps we need both - the aspiration for wise leadership and the inner practices that connect us to something beyond ourselves. What if the path to human flourishing lies in this dance between the philosophical and the imaginal, the societal and the deeply personal? It's a question that invites us to ponder our own potential for wisdom, and how we might bring that wisdom into our shared world.
Energy, Image, Emotion (Part 1)
A Dharma Talk by Rob Burbea
Meditation Practice
The mind possesses an inherent emptiness, a vast and boundless space within which all phenomena arise and dissolve. Just as the objects of our perception appear and disappear within this expansive awareness, so too does the mind itself remain fundamentally empty, free from inherent existence. This profound insight into the nature of mind and reality invites us to explore the depths of our own consciousness, recognizing the ephemeral nature of all experiences and the ultimate freedom that lies in embracing this emptiness.
I open myself to the wisdom beyond my everyday self.
The Republic by Plato
