Socrates:
O beloved Pan and all ye gods and goddesses
of this place, grant to me that I be made
beautiful in my soul within, and that all
external possessions be in harmony with my
inner man.  May I consider the wise man rich,
and may I have such wealth as only the
self-restrained man can bear or endure.

Do we need anything more Phaedrus?
For me that prayer is enough.

Phaedrus:  Let me also share in this prayer;
for friends have all things in common

Socrates:  Let us go.

From Dialogues With Plato

This was on the wall of the National Museum in Athens Greece, translated from the original.

In short: What is outside needs to coincide with what is inside. And I like that it is written as a prayer. Today I would say it is a goal that a person can set in motion and take actions to live their life toward that goal. There is an inner intelligence worth as much as outer possessions and we can do well to respect this inner world and soul, as we move forward in an attempt to achieve our desires.

I see many people who come in and are in distress, feel as though they are not living up to their potential, that time is wasting and there is a fear that they will never succeed.

I often ask “What is the meaning of success for you?” I believe this is a question every artist needs to ask themselves. It is vital that one looks within their own soul, for meaning, not merely to their bank account, or i phone.

If one is in tune with their own inner world and connects to the power of their own source or soul or god, they can be spurred on by this power. This is the source of creative inspiration that calls one to the duty they have on this planet. Anton Troy, a beautiful talented young man said that he “wants to be of service” and I believe this is a noble pursuit. It is a gift the he has, that we all have but it is not ours to selfishly hoard or to run away from, it is ours to share.

If we are living in the spirit of service to our fellow man, then perhaps we can learn as Socrates did to be “made beautiful in my soul within” and that beauty will be reflected in the gifts that come our way.