MaryM’s Reviews > Self-Knowledge and Self-Discipline > Status Update

Maryam, isn't the text religious?

There is wisdom throughout and that's what counts for me :)

Good; please do leave occasional synopses for us as you proceed through Maryam.

Amir. That's a bit tricky as my understanding of the text will be different to anyone else's - each individual will take from it what he wants to take.

However, Maturin points to ways in which we must change in order to know ourselves (self-knowledge) in a friendly and deeply considered way.

A beautiful example:

"One tyrannous single thought, one fit
Of passion, can subdue the soul to it.

It is indeed a strange subversion of the order of nature that a man cannot use his powers as he wills, but that they use him; that he cannot think of what he wishes, but that his mind seems to have broken away from his control and to have its own thoughts; that he cannot love what he knows is worthy of his affections, but that his heart enslaves him to that which reason and conscience abhor."

Almost halfway through this book. It gets better and better. Anyone interested in giving this text a go, you can download a 1909 version of it here.

https://archive.org/details/selfknowl...

Thanks for sharing the link Maryam

Thanks for the link.

You're both welcome. It's a deep book and yes, it's religious, but the best texts always are if you look beyond that. I am going to read this one again as soon as I've finished it.