Long awaited update forthcoming...

I am now pursuing eudaimonics at doctoral level and working to ground it within Jungian psychology. The (very) basic theory showed here still stands, and does I believe form the fundamental basis of a considered and systematic eudaimonics (even though the language has evolved - I no longer use the word 'oalance' but consider the notion of an 'integral equilibrium'). The basic blueprint for a eudaimonics as indictive of a new emerging picture of economics, and the eudaimony as the equivalent notion of a holistic, spiritual, ethical economy are there. Hopefully, the future does have an ancient heart :-) Our souls have it. Looking back, my writings are so young! Times have moved on. I will give further details in due course... Blessings to all

An Introduction to Eudaimonics

Simply put - eudaimonia is the highest good available to humans. It is within us - not some external presence we feel duty bound toward. All people can achieve eudaimonia. It is an objective end toward which all subjectivity meaningfully applies. Everybody finds eudaimonia in different ways. It is complete, perfect happiness.

But what IS it? And is it only an anthropocentric entity? Well, no. I believe eudaimonia has a lot more to give to the world than its current Ancient Greek meaning of human happiness and well-being. Not only is eudaimonia happiness and fulfilment, it is health and intrinsic value, it is morality and justice, it is love, truth and beauty, it is heaven on earth, and, ultimately, God. This may sound confusing. How can one idea, especially one of such a debatable term as happiness, be extended to such a wide range of human definitions of what we deem to be good? And does it extend to nature?

The answer lies among a debate poked and prodded at for centuries. Scientists, philosophers and theologians alike have teased and circumferenced the only rational and testable explanation of God we have. And it was once an argument of such power and persuasion our ancestors were, perhaps, afraid to accept it in a period of personal and social upheaval. Ultimately, it was heavily misinterpreted, and religious belief grew. Throughout the modern world it has significant influence politically, socially, economically and spiritually. As well as dominating ancient culture, its modern interpretations have as much effect on us as ever. We know when it is mis-used - we can feel it. We've evolved to sense it - just like all the natural world revolves around it we find ourselves cast adrift from it and if we only listen and observe nature from whence we came we will find eudaimonia once again.

Yes, but what is it? This question has stumped millions for millennia. And millions have the answer, if only they knew it. The title of the blog may give the game away...

Balance is an ancient concept. We're all familiar with it, and we're all familiar with just how important it is. Balance is spread generically through our systems. From imbalances have grown survival instincts, from evolution have evolved forms of balance immense and indescribable. Beauty is in balance, health of all things is balance, love of the world is balance. And from all perceptions and representations comes the combination of all balance - the perfect balance - the balance I call oalance.

Our Mother

Pray every day to your Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother,
that your soul become as perfect as your Heavenly Father’s Holy Spirit is perfect,
and that your body become as perfect as the body of your Earthly Mother is perfect...

After this manner, therefore, pray to your Heavenly Father:
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

And after this manner pray to your Earthly Mother:
Our Mother which art upon earth, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, and thy will be done in us as it is in thee.
As thou sendest every day thy angels, send them to us also.
Forgive us our sins, as we atone all our sins against thee.
And lead us not into sickness, but deliver us from all evil,
for thine is the earth, the body, and the health. Amen.”

And they all prayed together with Jesus
to the Heavenly Father and to the Earthly Mother.

(An excerpt from Jesus’ teachings in The Essene Gospel of Peace, a first-century
manuscript translated by St. Jerome in the Secret Archives of the Vatican.)

Goddess Equilibrium

So many new understandings have emerged to do with what I now call 'holistic equilibrium dynamics'. Having run workshops on this at Schumacher College, I have come to a whole new understanding of what Eudaimonics essentially does - it would seem it 'solves' to some extent the Problem of Opposites. C.G. Jung notes 'Life is born only of the spark of opposites'. The integral equilibrium is, it would appear, the 'union' in the union of opposites, but must I believe be ultimately feminine in its nature, hence the God Balance would appear more likely a Goddess Equilibrium, where Libra herself is Venus and all associated harmony Goddesses.

Ever more new understandings are emerging from this, so many of which I haven't written down here, but needless to say I feel Libra is the Law of All, and the eudaemon connecting it all is Eros where our inner core is the 'psyche' of perfect balance. The Daemon of the Whole is, if anything, a Daemoness!

"Our Mother which art upon earth, hallowed be thy name..."