The Symposium is one of Plato’s most influential dialogues: its seven speeches made in praise of Love (Eros) during the festival of Dionysus take the reader through a series of deepening insights into the power which draws us to the great ocean of divine beauty and, ultimately, its source which works a magical transformation on the soul. But well before the speeches begin we have a curious episode that may be worth considering, since it is easy to pass it by without too much attention. The teller of the tale of the symposium says that when walking to the party with Socrates, his companion fell into a quiet state of meditation in a nearby porch and, refusing to come into the hosts house until he had finished, he therefore arrive late to the gathering. What does Plato mean the reader to take from this seemingly unimportant aside?
The session is an opportunity to explore it and perhaps see it as a very important moment in the path of Eros, that all philosophically-minded seekers must take.
We will use this paper as our starting point: Socrates in the Porch
These open sessions usually run twice on the same day to accommodate different time zones- – see the link below. These sessions take particular topics or passages from Plato and other writers in the tradition – these are open to anyone interested, and they attract a wide range of participants. We usually begin with a short 5 or 10 minute introduction to the subject in hand and (when appropriate) a reading of a short text: this leaves a good hour or so to discuss the ideas which arise.
There are no fees payable. The Trust sees the Platonic tradition as a spiritual one: not only a guide for the outer life, but especially to be treasured for its assistance in the cultivation of the inner self – the soul – for, says Plato in the Timeaus, “we are not terrestrial plants, but blossoms of heaven.” We understand the tradition to be profound and cohesive, and one that repays the long-term effort required to truly embed oneself in it. Our approach is not exclusive – we value other traditions for their insights – nor is it dogmatic or an attempt to proselytise: however we are serious in our attempts to fathom the depths of the tradition, to identify its foundations, and where its teachings seem to run counter to accepted thinking to investigate them thoroughly rather than rejecting them prematurely. Thus our point of focus is on the teachings of the tradition and most especially our own inner response to them.
By joining our studies you are making no commitment beyond that of co-operating with us in our exploration of those truths which have inspired a company of men and women most luminous in their understanding, and unsparingly generous in their teaching.
You can register for the UK timed session via zoom by clicking on the link above or here. It will display the time in your time zone. This session is at 19:45 BST.
To register for the Americas-timed session, which starts at 19:30 EDT, please click here.