The Logos: The Meletic Testament (Chapter 8 Destruction Of The Temple)
📜 Chapter 8: The Destruction Of The Temple
1. In the age when the cicadas sang of wisdom, the Meletic Temple rose like thought made into marble stone. It had become the symbol of Meletic presence in Athens.
2. It stood not for the ancient gods, nor for man's pursuit of wealth, but for the quiet pursuit of the truth, which was at the core of the teachings of Meleticism.
3. Asterion, my teacher, would say—Let the mind be your altar, and reason your offering.
4. The columns reached skywards, as if they were in natural dialogue with the stars that shone above. I was fond of the stars as was the other people who came to the temple.
5. Beneath its dome, the air was always thick with contemplation and presence of people, who were eager to hear Asterion speak and the others who spoke after him.
6. We did not kneel like the Christians would do—we questioned as we stood in the pursuit of the truth. Knowledge was something that was not that difficult to obtain, but true wisdom was.
7. The Meletic flame burnt in every scroll, every syllable uttered in the pursuit of clarity too. It was the embodiment of the Meletic will and courage.
8. Seekers came from Delos, from Rhodes, from distant shores—not to worship, but to wonder. And wondered they did, as they saw the resilience in the temple.
9. At last, a temple of thought, where silence speaks louder than prayer ever would—they called it. Indeed, the temple was the place where minds met and thoughts converged with presence.
10. I Heromenes a student of Asterion, walked its marble paths with bare feet at times, and an open mind that explored the realm of the Logos. Its marble steps were indicative each of the steps one took in their experiences in life.
11. Asterion continued to teach beneath the olive tree in the grove, his familiar voice calm as the Aegean at dawn. His influence was present and memorable.
12. To not seek answers, but to seek better questions instead to inspire our minds daily in thought and reflection that captured the essence of Meleticism.
13. The Temple was the refuge of our souls and the exchange of wisdom that was expressed by people. It demonstrated the welcome that it extended to all people who visited it.
14. No incense clouded the air—only the breath of discourse amongst people who believed in Asterion's philosophy. They were strong believers in the message that he professed.
15. We debated the nature of time, the illusion of permanence, the ethics of virtues, the meaning of existence, and the Logos, the Nous and To Ena, amongst other things.
16. The walls bore no supernatural idols that were carved into hardened stone, only the mere inscriptions of paradoxes that made one think about their meaning.
17. 'All is flux, yet the flux itself is constant in its presence and flow', read one of them.
18. Asterion smiled at that contradiction—it was to him, the birthplace of human insight and philosophy. If it was not for the ancient philosophers who came before him, his own philosophy would be rendered futile.
19. The temple’s foundation was laid not only by the masons of the city, but by wise minds who devise it. Asterion was grateful for all who contributed in building the temple.
20. Each stone was chosen for its resonance with thought and meaning that was attached to Meleticism. There was a special attachment to the function of each stone.
21. The central chamber echoed with the knowledge of philosophers who many were not born philosophers, but had embraced philosophy as way of life.
22. We did not fear ignorance—we invited it in, offered it wine, and asked it to speak on its behalf. Ignorance was a thing that Asterion warned us, because he knew about its effects.
23. The temple was a great refuge for those people who sought its important influence. It had twelves steps that were a reminder of life itself. They all were symbolic in their essence.
24. Asterion’s robe was simple in its garment, his wisdom vast and incomparable in its relevance. He was a modest man, who some people would interpret as poor, but he did not allow that to dissuade his message.
25. The cosmos is not a riddle to be solved like a labyrinth, but a poem to be read aloud—he said.
26. I remember the familiar scent of parchment and olive oil that pervaded over the entrance to the temple. It was a telling sign of the presence of nature.
27. The scribes moved like rhythm, transcribing the thoughts of the day of his inspirational philosophy. There was so much of Asterion's words that needed to be retained.
28. The temple’s library was a place of insight and knowledge that many persons sought to study and learn. It was one of the favourite places of the students who came.
29. No book of Meleticism was sacred in the temple—the act of reading was what had prevailed over ignorance. Asterion was a man who believed that man was not born with ignorance, but either was taught it or learnt it.
30. We honoured the dead not with built tombs, but with remembrance and dialogue. This is how we honoured their memory, according to Asterion's recollection of the ancient philosophers who preceded him.
31. People gathered not for religious sermons at the temple, but for the beginning of discourse, and then meditation. It was these things that created a healthy environment amongst the people.
32. Asterion believed that our awareness was indeed, the highest form of acuteness known to humans. This was indicative of what the mind was capable of achieving.
33. Speak only when your words improve the stillness that your awareness reveals, he taught us. It was so much about only being still in the body, but being aware in our thoughts.
34. The temple was not immune to time, but it defied haste and the scorn of the zealots, for as long as it could. Little would I know that the time would arrive sooner than later.
35. The children played in its courtyard, asking questions that baffled the students from the academy, but not Asterion. He was accustomed to the clever nature of the children.
36. Why does the sky not fall?—One asked. Asterion replied—Because it listens instead.
37. The temple taught us to listen closely—to the wind blow, to each other, to ourselves as well. It was strange to admit that the children were often more aware of this occurrence.
38. Its stones held the lasting memory of every footstep taken in its path to enlightenment. After all, it was enlightenment that all Meletics sought to walk its path, along with the way of the truth, and the path towards To Ena.
39. The Meletic way was not merely a path chosen or taken—it was also a direction towards achieving connection with To Ena, who was at the centre of Meletic belief.
40. Most of us did not wander to the temple—we arrived willingly. Some of us with curiosity, whilst others with intention to learn more about what Meleticism taught.
41. The temple’s beauty lay not in symmetry, but in the wisdom it reflected with its members. Without these actual members, that beauty would be hollow.
42. Asterion’s final lecture before the destruction of the temple was on the theme of impermanence. It was a theme which he emphasised more during his last year of life.
43. Even this temple he told us, would one day be dust, but the thought it housed will echo forever. He also told us that the temple would never fade, unless it faded from our memories.
44. I did not understand then his poetic words expressed so eloquently, but I do now, as I remember the temple. So much sacrifice was made in the form of its construction.
45. The temple was more than a place to gather for thinkers and simple people—it was a possibility of human growth for all who came to partake in its wonder of philosophy.
46. And in its halls, we glimpsed what it meant to be truly human in life and brothers and sisters to each other. The bond that was formed between people was not only evident but lasting.
47. Not in the worship of a god, but in the expression of humanity that had brought people together in the temple to reflect the possibilities of human salvation from vile influences.
48. Not in the certainty of a divinity that people chase, but in the seeking of wisdom men obtain with first knowledge than virtues.
49. Not in the silence of prayers that people grasp for, but in the shared silence of contemplation that led to awareness.
50. Thus, stood the temple as an undeniable testimony of Meleticism—until the day it abruptly fell. It was the unspeakable calamity that was cloaked in zealotry.
51. It began not with the roar of great thunder displayed that was typical of a storm, but with the shouting of the zealots that came unannouncedly and unexpectedly.
52. The hill trembled—not from the effects of an earthquake, but from the sheer anger they had brought with them the unveiling presence of hatred and envy.
53. The zealots came, cloaked in senseless wrath or armed with the fire of their scriptures to guide them. They were led by Philiskos the Pagan, and Stephanos the Christian.
54. Pagans and Christians alike—united not by one belief, but by the fear of the teachings of Meleticism. They were convinced that the temple had to be destroyed.
55. They called us all heretics who had gathered inside the temple, even though we worshipped nothing that was a god in spirit or in flesh. This did not matter to them.
56. You dare to mock the gods with this temple. You deny Christ or Zeus—they clamoured afterwards with unjust vehemence.
57. Asterion would confront them with wisdom not with any display of anger—We do not go to your sacred places to question your gods or Christ. Why do you come to us, when we have not come to you?
58. And for that, they brought enraged ruin upon the pillars of the temple that represented is original foundation. There was no turning back; for they were determined to do what they came to do, cause the destruction of the temple.
59. Thus, the first torch struck the eastern colonnade that stood as the first one built and remembered. For what apparent reason was there, then the thrill of seeing it crumble.
60. The marble cracked then suddenly, like the bones on human flesh when pressed upon them deeply. It was impossible to reason with the mob of zealots.
61. The Meletic scrolls were torn apart with such anger and fear, not read or understood by the zealots. They only cared about seeing them vanished and forgotten.
62. Next, the library burnt with the fury of ignorance and the sense of threat they had imposed. They were not only unruly in their actions, but intemperate as well.
63. I saw the scrolls that others had written—consumed in a huge ball of flames that burnt quickly. There was nothing that we could to save them, since we were outnumbered.
64. They even shattered the sundial, as if to halt time itself as a witness to the destruction they had caused with blind tempestuosity. Their ire was impossible to confront with reason.
65. Asterion’s teachings were then trampled beneath the sandals of rage and ignorance that was demonstrated by the zealots as they entered more into the temple.
66. There is no truth but ours—they shouted with errant arrogance expressed towards us, as if we were the faces that stirred that ire of theirs that had manifested with a disturbing pattern.
67. The truth, Asterion taught us is not owned by anyone—it is approached with wisdom. They needed no added incentive to display their wrath before the few of us who were present at the time.
68. The fig tree that grew outside of the garden where he once lectured was hacked to tiny splinters, as well was the rest of the garden. It was left behind as a disturbing vestige of their zealotry.
69. Its roots bled into the mourning soil, like the precious memory of an ancient forefather. They had no respect for what we have built and cultivated.
70. I stood present amidst the chaos angry, unarmed but unyielding in my conviction. I was unable to stop the whole mob by myself. Some of the members of the temple had gone to summon the other member to come to the defence of the temple, but it was too late.
71. Why do you destroy what does not threaten you?—I asked the mob of zealots that stood before me in defiance.
72. Because it questions our faith or beliefs—they replied with faith or traditions that had blinded them all.
73. The temple’s bell rang once more—not for the discourse between us, but for the despair shown. It was sad to see that the last thing that remain was indeed the temple's bell.
74. They shouted with a loud voice—Who is your god that you think is better than ours?
75. Asterion would confront them by saying directly—We worship no gods here. Know that. Wherefore have you released your fire of fury unto us so blindly?
76. They mistook his confession to be a blatant threat and denial. Thus, they acted against what he represented. They spit on his face and threw him to the ground. I would come to his aid.
77. They mistook his wisdom for the defiance against their gods. Thus, they mocked our philosophy, as if it was dying before our eyes, and before their laughter.
78. They mistook thought for rebellion against their beliefs. Thus, they screamed profanities against us, thinking by reproaching us, they would be rid of us.
79. The Meletic flame was extinguished—not by the wind, but by the mob of zealotry that had entered the temple. That was the last scene to witness, the flame extinguished.
80. I saw a scribe before clutching a half-burnt scroll, weeping not for the parchment, but for the question it held. The mob had no compassion for his pleading.
81. He asked the mob—Verily, what is justice to you, burning down a lone temple? This is what you define as true justice?
82. The answer was lost in the smoke, and only the cheer of watching the temple burnt was expressed by them. I could see their immense satisfaction in their immoral deed.
83. The courtyard, once filled with laughter and sounds of nature, echoed only with screams and weeping of the Meletics, who had witnessed this act of senseless violence.
84. The zealots sang their hymns of glory or pronounced the names of their gods, as they destroyed the temple. They rejoiced with the misery they had inflicted and watching their dastardly deed.
85. Their voices rose like a victorious, but their minds would fall to the defeat of ignorance. The Pagans and Christians thought they had succeeded in silencing the voice of Meleticism, yet they were wrong.
86. They called their justification an act of purging the area from Meleticism, and they blamed Asterion for the encroachment upon their beliefs. Their celebration would only be temporary. What they ignored to see was that the destruction of the temple had not eradicated the Meletic philosophy, it had strengthened it.
87. We called it injustice that could not be denied by any reasonable mind, but they called it justice to be done. And it was done. A justification that was more envy than necessity.
88. The temple’s stones were pulled down, one by one out of ignorance and religious fervour that would blind them, and cause them to forsake the one thing that they preached or spoke of which was respect. A respect of which they had none for us or the temple.
89. Each collapse was a piece of time, and a testimony of To Ena that they had sought to destroy purposedly. It was like watching a battlefield, where the stones that fell were like the men that had fallen in battle.
90. The central chamber, where Asterion once spoke of impermanence, then crumbled. It was valiant as it resisted, but it too like the rest of the temple succumbed to the wrath of the zealots.
91. I say to you all that even this temple that stands will one day be dust—he told us that before.
92. How ironic were those words of Asterion professed. As he had predicted, the temple was left to the indelible ruins of the memory it once created and retained.
93. But not by the passing of time, as one would imagine its ruin to be—by the reign of terror that occurred to the Meletics, whose only offence it would seem was to exist.
94. The zealots left no scroll unburnt as they left with the notion of glory in their faces, no question unpunished, no pillar to stand on its own. Verily, they were ruthless.
95. They feared what they could not answer with the truth that they were ignorant to see themselves. It was evident that they did not know, what they feared the most about our philosophy.
96. They feared the mirror of Meleticism that questioned their soul and their faith or belief. The idea that one could question their beliefs was considered sacrilege or heresy.
97. I left not in cowardice, but in preservation. I did not give them the satisfaction of seeing me weep or concede to defeat. I tried to forget their inflamed passion that overrode their reasoning.
98. For thought must survive the test of time, even if any stone does not eventually in its foundation. I was determined as well as the others to not allow this horrendous incident to unsettle the teachings of Asterion.
99. I carried with me a single fragment of those teachings, as a clear reminder of the refuge of the temple, and of the conviction that we demonstrated thereafter.
100. The fragment read the following, 'Let no man destroy what he does not understand’.
101. Thus, the temple was gone, but its echo remained in the hearts and minds of its people. To allow our philosophy to be forgotten, would be to allow the zealots victory.
102. The temple was in the minds of those people who had listened and gathered inside to voice their questions and share their answers. The ruins did not destroy the memories.
103. The temple continued in the wise questions that could not be burnt so easily, by the wrath of the zealots, nor in the belief that its members displayed to each other.
104. What was left of the temple was the silence that followed the shouting that was abrupt, and a sign of the zealot's ignorance exposed to the world to be known.
105. I wandered the streets of Athens then, a philosopher without a temple of my own to enter. At first, it was odd, but then I quickly remembered that we had existed as Meletics, even before the temple was built.
106. The city had turned inwards, afraid of its own reflection. The zealots had begun to stir the division, amongst the Meletics and the Pagans and Christians. In time, the strife between the Pagans and Christians would be greater than the one with us.
107. The agora was filled with fiery sermons, not dialogues that united people, instead of dividing them. These sermons were more exclusive than inclusive.
108. The air was thick with false proclamations that were thin and empty of enquiry and wisdom. The plight of philosophy was becoming one that was being overshadowed by promises of faith or renewal of ancient traditions.
109. One day, I spoke to a young man about the topic of ethics—he asked if I believed in gods. At first, I was silent, but then I looked into his eyes before I spoke.
110. I believe only in To Ena, the One, which is not a god. It is the source of all existence that we know to be true—I replied.
111. He walked away after we had conversed, confused because he had never heard much of To Ena, the One discussed. I had invited him to listen to Asterion words, and to let them reveal the meaning of To Ena.
112. Confusion, Asterion taught me is the beginning of enquiry. It is when the mind meets the soul in earnest.
113. I spoke to other Meletics—survivors of the temple’s fall who were uncertain of what would happen next to them. They were more concerned about the conduct of the zealots. It was understandable, since the event of the destruction of the temple was still recent in their minds.
114. We met in quiet corners in privacy, whispering thoughts to each other. We were cautious with our meetings. We did not meet at the academy or in open places for the time being, realising that we did not want to bring more harm unto our cause.
115. We began by rebuilding our bond and unity—not with stone, but with speech and knowledge that would keep alive our philosophy. It was important that we retained the essence of Meleticism in whatever form that was feasible.
116. It would be a new Meleticism, which was born of the consequences of ruin that would rise from the depth of the ashes of the destroyed temple like the phoenix.
117. It was not the temple, no altar, not its flame, but the spread of a message that Asterion had begun decades ago, long before I had first met him in person.
118. Through minds, meetings and the understanding of Meleticism, we continued to gather amongst ourselves, with the same message that continued to be spread.
119. The zealots had won the ground, or so they thought. To us, their victory was hollow and incomplete. They had believed that they had gain the upper hand in the situation, but they were incorrect.
120. We held the truth in the end, and the wisdom of Meleticism was still alive in us. What they had failed to see was that Meleticism survives in the minds of people whithersoever they gather.
121. They attempted to rule with their posture of imposition, but they could not rule our will and thoughts that could not be suppressed with the their threat.
122. We pondered the meaning of the destruction of the temple, and what it truly meant in the future. The idea was once to build more temples across Greece, but that would more difficult to achieve.
123. Asterion’s words became our guidance and purpose to continue the philosophy. He told us that we were each a temple to nourish and cultivate with knowledge.
124. To not resent the destruction of the temple—but to understand it. To let it serve as an inspiration for our path. We were convinced that Meleticism did not end with the destruction of the temple.
125. We studied the ruins then, not to mourn, but to learn from them. It was something that had to be done, if we were to truly overcome the tragedy that befell the temple.
126. Each visible crack that remained of a stone told a story that was unique but revealing. It had survived storms and the passing of time. In spite of those occurrences, it had continued to stand.
127. Each scorch mark that was left was an important lesson to learn and to not regret. It was not conceding to a defeat, but more of realising that there was something that we could perhaps change in the future.
128. The temple had taught us to see true meaning in impermanence and what our priorities should be in life as mortals. That was the truth that was reflected in the end with the destruction of the temple.
129. Impermanence was then our teacher for the days to come to teach us the lesson of not the fragility of the temple, but that we too as bodies were fragile.
130. I wrote upon the walls of my dwelling the following message: ‘Thought cannot be erased so easily'.
131. A woman saw it and then asked me—What is your thought that I may know?
132. I smiled and said to her—Let us find out together; for it can be explored and understood.
133. The Meletic way lived on—not in marble, but in the minds of those people who practised and followed its path. The lesson of impermanence was heeded by the Meletics.
134. The zealots could not burn our wisdom and our knowledge. This we knew at heart.
135. They could not silence wonder and voices of philosophy that stood in contrast with their own.
136. They could not erase the resounding echo of Asterion's words and his wisdom professed.
137. I returned to the exact hill alone, where the temple once stood proudly and noticeably, thinking of how beautiful it was before its untimely destruction.
138. Only the rubble remained in the midst of the clouds that hovered above watchfully. The clouds were the witnesses of what had happened to the temple.
139. The wind still whispered the ancient knowledge of Meleticism. It did not forsake the temple. Instead, it echoed this knowledge all across the land and unto Athens itself.
140. And I listened with the intention of remembering what the temple represented to many people who had gathered. I spoke to many of these individuals.
141. What do you hear?—Asked one of them that was near. At first, I was hesitant to answer, but then I did.
142. The sound of my thoughts revealed—I replied with a smile on my face, knowing what the temple meant for me.
143. There is nothing here to be seen—he told me with disbelief in his expressions.
144. I said—no. That is where you are wrong. There is indeed something there still. And that is Meleticism.
145. For Meleticism teaches us all that meaning is not found—it is forged by its believers. As long as we carried its philosophy in our minds, it would continue to develop.
146. Although the temple was gone, it would soon be rebuilt again, outside of Athens. This time, it would not be destroyed by an angry mob of unruly zealots.
147. Its lasting essence remained intact, not stained by the impurity of the zealot's actions, but by the realisation of its impermanence. The temple was always a reflection of our inner temple that was the body.
148. In every question asked that could be answered with wisdom.
149. In every silence shared that could be understood with awareness.
150. In every mind that durst to wonder about Meleticism with thought.
151. I sat upon the broken steps that once led to the entrance of the temple, where once Asterion had walked and spoken with such elegance in his words.
152. The dust clung to my garments, as memory clings to the soul, when it searches for the soul. For a brief moment in time, that memory captured the intrinsic nature of the impermanence.
153. I did not weep like some of the others members of the temple—for Meleticism teaches one to have no bitter regret that unsettles the mind, only understanding that teaches the mind to accept fate.
154. Loss is not the end, but the beginning of a deeper enquiry that we must discover—Asterion told me.
155. The temple had fallen as Asterion had predicted it would one day, but the questions remained to be answered at a later time. Questions that would enhance our sagacity.
156. I asked myself the questions that lingered in my mind:—Verily, what is permanence? What is ruin?
157. The answers did not come afterwards as I thought they would—but the silence did. The destruction of the temple gave us all better judgement in our actions and contemplations.
158. And in that silence that was present, I heard echoed the wisdom of Asterion reflected with such grace. From all the members of the temple that mourned the loss of the temple, he was the one to comfort us with the thought that we were the continuation of the Meletic temple.
159. He taught me to not seek to preserve only that which belonged to the temple, but to perceive what had been lost not forgotten. No man could put asunder that which was alive since the beginning, which was our philosophy.
160. The zealots had sought to erase the memory of the temple forever, and they had thought they had succeeded with their malicious deed, but the only thing they succeeded was in strengthening our resolution.
161. Erasure is never complete, when there is determination and belief in people who professed Meleticism. When the zealots saw that they had failed to divide us or dissuade us, they were dumbfounded.
162. Anger leaves residue behind always, but it does not erase a belief as it intended to. The only thing their anger was capable of producing was our conviction.
163. In the minds of those people who dared to think, the temple still stood towering in its presence.
164. Not in the stones that it was built, but in the structure that it was founded upon, which was Meleticism.
165. Not in the walls that fell afterwards, but in the wisdom that continued to flourish naturally.
166. I gathered the surviving Meletics together one day, and discussed the destruction of the temple, not with mourning, but with intention and purpose too.
167. We met beneath the stars one night, where no fire could reach us from the zealots or their wandering eyes. I wanted to make them realise that our journey did not end with the destruction of the temple.
168. Let the sky be our ceiling for now—I said to them who were present and listening.
169. Let the earth be our floor, until we seek elsewhere—I declared before them with dignity.
170. We spoke not of sheer revenge for the destruction of the temple, but of lasting resilience that could keep the flame of Meleticism alive beyond the remnants of the temple.
171. Asterion had warned us each—The greatest threat to man's thought is vengeance. How ironic is history that it constantly repeats itself over and over amongst mankind.
172. And vengeance had no place in our philosophy. Therefore, we should not seek it as others do. We took the solemn act of not taking revenge against the Pagans and Christians for their actions.
173. I knew and could sense that thought endured even after destruction, and it would sufficed for us, because Asterion had taught us the virtue of restraint. This did not mean conceding to the zealots, but more seeing their ignorance.
174. I taught the students to question the destruction, but never to harbour spite towards the zealots. What good could be achieved by hating those individuals who themselves brought hatred with them, if it could not bring back the temple?
175. It was pointless to defy them with acts of gallantry—but to define their ignorance with wisdom expressed. The type of wisdom that Asterion had demonstrated.
176. Why did they do this to the temple?—One student enquired, as he asked out of disbelief.
177. I replied—Because, they fear and despise what they do not understand about Meleticism. They acted out of ignorance than faith or tradition.
178. The ruins became our refuge for a brief period of time, and it was the place to gather all of us who were brothers and sisters. If the objective of the zealots was to divine us, they failed.
179. Each stone was an important lesson and a lasting piece of memory that was of the first temple.
180. Each crack was a question and a thought that eventually would prevail over human ignorance.
181. I wrote upon the wall the following: ‘The temple is gone, but the thought remains’.
182. A sceptic who passed scoffed then uttered—What good is thought without shelter to keep that thought alive?
183. I answered the man—Thought is its own shelter. We shall rebuild the temple anew. That was our pledge.
184. Asterion's teaching came to me in a dream one night, like a vision that would guide me thereafter. It was not an ordinary dream that I had previously.
185. He was standing there beneath the olive tree that we would gather, smiling but contemplating. The destruction of the temple was still fresh in my mind.
186. Heromenes, do not mourn the temple. Mourn the silence of those persons who never entered it—he said to me.
187. I awoke with sudden clarity in my thoughts, and with the understanding of his words that meant that my mission was still ongoing in its progress.
188. The temple was never sacred like the Pagans in the first place. It was a place of gathering, where individuals sought not only guidance but union with others.
189. It was never meant to be divine in its nature, nor meant to be divine in its structure or its refuge as well. No one that knew the temple well, gave to it any presence of divinity.
190. It was meant to be a place where the minds met and people gathered to respect each other. This was the genuine essence of our lasting bond and connection.
191. And that meeting could not be destroyed by the wrath of zealots or anyone else who sought the temple's destruction. We controlled our path in life.
192. I then began to teach beneath the open sky willingly, not in defiance, but in the conviction of my belief. I continued to answer questions and make people think.
193. No sturdy walls were surrounding me then. No flame to burn the wisdom of my words, which did not evoke the supernatural being, but more of the natural way of being. I spoke of To Ena, the Logos and the Nous.
194. Only thought to evoke the meaning of Meleticism; for this was enough for me to continue my path—not only in teaching but in spreading the message of Asterion.
195. There was more of dialogue to discuss of philosophy amongst the people who were not Meletics than arguing. This was a good sign. It showed that we could still inspire people.
196. Meleticism lived on for the time being, in the minds of those people who experienced and practised the philosophy. If there was something good that resulted from the destruction of the temple, then it was this realisation.
197. Once more, the Meletic temple was gone, or so the zealots believed it to be the case. As time passed, so did the wound of some of its members who were forced to witness its crumbing in person.
198. I remained as do others who walked the path towards To Ena on that day, with the knowledge that carried us forth, and the will to continue the path.
199. And as long as we continued to ask, the temple continue to live with actual purpose and intent in our words and wisdom wherever we went on our journey.
200. I recall the unforgettable words of Asterion, when he spoke to me about the meaning of the twelve steps of the temple, which I recorded thereafter.
201. The first step was observation over worship—I do not kneel before altars... I sit, and I observe.
202. The second step was awareness—it meant choosing presence over ritual.
203. The third step was recognition—begining by seeing the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.
204. The fourth step was unity with nature—the divine is not personified—it is the natural world, and we are part of it.
205. The fifth step was wisdom over divinity—Understanding oneself does not require gods.
206. The sixth step was breath as revelation—breathing is not sacred—it is necessary. And in necessity, there is profundity.
207. The seven step was stillness as a practice—the temple is a place where the mind settles, like dust after wind.
208. The eight step was the integration of the mind, body, and soul—the temple cleanses not sin, but fragmentation. It reunites the self.
209. The ninth step was reason as a forge—the academy tempers thought into action. The temple prepares the mind for this fire.
210. The tenth steps was dialogue over doctrine—the truth is not found in scrolls alone, but in the space between minds.
211. The eleventh step was equality in the circle—the circle is not a hierarchy—it is a wheel of shared presence.
212. The twelve and final step was clarity over salvation—Meleticism offers no eternal reward—only clarity. And clarity is enough.
213. These steps were not literal stairs—they were more philosophical thresholds. Each one inspiring a deeper reflection, a shedding of illusion, and a return to what was real in life.
214. The Meletic Temple was not merely a structure of stone and silence—it was a philosophical embodiment of clarity, discipline, and presence that epitomised its foundation.
215. It defined a space where the noise of ideology and the weight of inherited belief were gently set aside, allowing the practitioner to engage with reality as it was.
216. The temple represented the shedding of illusion, the refusal to kneel before unexplored abstraction, and the commitment to observe without distortion.
217. It was a refuge for the mind, where thought was not worshipped but refined, and where the body was not dismissed but honoured as a vessel of strength and awareness.
218. It was beyond architecture. The temple was a metaphor for the internal landscape—a place within each person where stillness could be cultivated and truth encountered without ornament.
219. It was the quiet forge where breath becomes rhythm, and rhythm becomes insight. It would never be replaced in our hearts, but we knew it was still present in our minds.
220. In Meleticism, the temple was not a destination but more of a practice; a continual return to simplicity of life, to nature, to the self unclouded and determined.
221. It defined the natural not as divine intervention, but as the profound clarity that arose when one stopped seeking with faith and began seeing with fate.
222. In this way, the temple was both a place and a principle—an invitation to dwell in the present with open eyes and an unburdened mind that would unite people, not divide them.
223. For the temple was never meant to be just marble in its composition—it was the mind of a great man named Asterion. It was never meant to be completely destroyed.
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