Reason and Passion

And the priestess spoke again and said: Speak to us of Reason and Passion.

And the priestess spoke again: Tell us about Reason and Passion.

And he answered, saying:

And he answered:

Your soul is oftentimes a battlefield, upon which your reason and your judgment wage war against your passion and your appetite.

Your soul is often a battlefield where your reason and judgment fight your passion and appetite.

Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody.

I wish I could bring peace to your soul, turning the conflict and rivalry within you into unity and harmony.

But how shall I, unless you yourselves be also the peacemakers, nay, the lovers of all your elements?

But how can I, unless you yourselves make peace, and even love all your elements?

Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.

Your reason and your passion are the rudder and sails of your soul as it journeys across the sea.

If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.

If your sails or your rudder are broken, you can only toss and drift, or stand still in the middle of the sea. For reason alone is a force that confines you. And passion left unchecked is a flame that burns until it destroys itself.

Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing;

So let your soul lift your reason to the height of passion, so that reason may sing.

And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.

And let it guide your passion with reason, so your passion may be reborn each day and rise like a phoenix from its own ashes.

I would have you consider your judgment and your appetite even as you would two loved guests in your house.

I want you to think of your judgment and your appetite as two beloved guests in your home.

Surely you would not honour one guest above the other; for he who is more mindful of one loses the love and the faith of both

Surely you would not favor one guest over the other. For anyone who gives more attention to one loses the love and trust of both.

Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows—then let your heart say in silence, “God rests in reason.”

When you sit among the hills in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and calm of the distant fields and meadows, then let your heart say in silence, “God rests in reason.”

And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky,—then let your heart say in awe, “God moves in passion.”

When a storm comes, a powerful wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning reveal the majesty of the sky. Then let your heart say in awe, “God moves in passion.”

And since you are a breath in God’s sphere, and a leaf in God’s forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.

And because you are a breath in God’s sphere and a leaf in God’s forest, you too should rest in reason and move with passion.