SPIRITUALITY, FAIR TRADE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
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20	November 2013

The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom

Text 1: "The knowledge of the real by the eye of clear insight is to be gained by one's own sight and not by the teacher's"

Response 1: Immediately when I read this quote, I thought of our class. Our grades are not determined by tests or essays or typical ways that a teacher grades a student, but by our ability to speak on the topic and think critically and thoughtfully. I have learned so much in our class not only from of our weekly readings, but more importantly from the insights of others in class. A grade cannot be truly put on what someone learns, it is unquantifiable. This quote parallels the theory behind our midterm and final exam because it promotes that we learn for our own good and personal growth, not just for the grade our teacher gives us. When we stop worrying about our grade, essentially being judged by others, that is when we learn the most.

Text 2: "Knowledge is gained by discernment, by examining, by instruction, but not by bathing, nor gifts, nor a hundred holdings of the breath. Success demands first ripeness; questions of time and place are subsidiary."

Response 2: I particularly resonate with this ideology because I whole-heartedly believe in the power of spiritual development and analysis. One of my favorite quotes by Socrates is "the unexamined life is not worth living", and I believe that as a young adult, I am in a great period of discernment. I feel I will always be in some sort of state of discernment because of our lives' uncertainty. Personally I find examining my life on a regular basis helps me find a greater meaning behind why I do what I do, the people in my life, etc. Self-examination is one of the most important parts of becoming dura personalis, or the whole person.