Yearning (πόθος)

-From the Meletic Scrolls.

It is often said that man cannot be satisfied until he has discovered his genuine truth and sated his hunger; which is the hunger for knowledge, the thirst for wisdom, and the desire to fulfill his aspirations or curiosity. This yearning, this longing is what the Greeks called πόθος (pothos). It is an intrinsic part of the human condition, a force that drives individuals to seek, to question and to desire something beyond their immediate understanding.

To many people, this yearning is reduced to the mere cravings of the body or the pursuit of worldly pleasures. It is often mistaken for ambition, for lust, for greed or for the endless chase of material wealth. However, for a Meletic, pothos represents something far greater that is something deeper than physical longing or temporary satisfaction. It is not simply the desire for pleasure, but the profound calling of the soul towards its true essence. It is the whisper of something beyond, the intuitive knowledge that we are meant for something more than what is visible, something beyond the transient joys of the world.

When people search for meaning in life, they often look to external forces. Some turn to religion, placing their hopes in the divine. Others immerse themselves in distractions, seeking solace in wealth, power or fleeting joys. The yearning I describe transcends the physical world and the necessity of a god. It is neither about indulgence nor divinity, for it is something more intuitive, something that the consciousness itself recognises and the soul alone can explore.

This yearning is not an external force imposed upon us, nor is it dictated by the expectations of society. It does not come from a holy scripture or a set of dogmatic laws. Instead, it is an innate aspect of our being, an internal flame that burns quietly within every person. To yearn is to feel the pull of something greater than oneself, not in the form of an omnipotent deity, but as an inner realisation of one's place in the universe. Its nature is neither divine nor external. It is simple, yet profound.

As humans, we are often preoccupied with the body, and its desires, its needs and its pleasures. We prioritise physical comfort over intellectual growth. We satisfy hunger, quench thirst, and seek pleasure, but rarely do we pause to consider the deeper longing that exists within us, which is the longing to understand ourselves, to discover our purpose, to attain true enlightenment.

Philosophy exists to awaken the mind and nourish the soul. It is not merely an intellectual pursuit; it is a path to wisdom, a method of unveiling reality, a tool to bring clarity where confusion reigns. The emptiness we feel when yearning for something more, or when searching for a purpose that seems just out of reach there is an emptiness that leads to suffering. It is a suffering that many people try to escape through superficial means, yet it is also a suffering that contains the seeds of transformation.

The world teaches us to seek salvation outside of ourselves. People turn to divine gods, common ideologies or material possessions in hopes that these things will fill the void they feel within. Why do we look outwards when we already possess the means to save ourselves? Why do we seek answers in external sources when the greatest truths lie within us?

To find peace, man must learn to value himself, and to see his own worth, realising that he alone holds the power to his enlightenment. The journey to understanding is not one of submission to an external force, but one of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

To a Meletic, this path ultimately leads to (To Ena) the One, not a god in the traditional sense, but the unity of existence, which is the foundation of all that is universal. This path is not imposed upon anyone; it is simply there, waiting to be acknowledged. It is the flow of consciousness, the awareness of the oneness that can only be understood when a person turns inwards and seeks the truth.

If we spend our lives yearning only for material things, we shall forever be enslaved by the body’s cravings. These desires will never be fully satisfied, and the more we indulge them, the more they will grow, creating an endless cycle of want and dissatisfaction. When we give in to these cravings without awareness, they create inner conflict or a struggle between the body, the mind and the soul. Understanding this struggle is the importance to overcoming it.

It is natural to succumb to sudden or gradual temptation. No human being is exempt from the enticement of desires, whether they be for pleasure, power, recognition or comfort. The true concern is not that we are tempted; it is how we respond afterwards.

To yearn for something often means to be fixated on what we do not have, rather than appreciating what we do possess. No matter how much we achieve, our desires are never fully satisfied. Each new accomplishment, each new possession, each fleeting pleasure only leads to more longing.

Yearning is the deep, intrinsic longing for truth, self-discovery. It is not a mere desire for material gain, but an intense drive that propels individuals towards satisfaction or happiness. This yearning manifests as a thirst for knowledge, a pursuit of wisdom and an internal pull towards understanding the cosmic flow. Rather than being a source of suffering, as in some philosophical traditions, Meleticism sees yearning as a guiding force, which is an essential spark that fuels growth, meditation and self-reflection. By embracing and channelling this longing through conscious awareness, one moves closer to the golden horizon, where fulfilment and clarity replace uncertainty and restlessness with the semblance of nature.

When we truly realise our own ability to achieve that yearning from within, we free ourselves from the illusion that happiness or enlightenment can be found in external things. Once we realise that we do not need to seek satisfaction in temporary pleasures, we begin to experience the profound power of self-belief.

The belief in oneself can be as powerful and transformative as the belief in a god. To discover oneself, to understand one’s own essence is to rid oneself of the constant yearning that binds the soul.

Life is more than the pursuit of fortune, pleasure or ephemeral happiness. It must hold meaning, and it must be lived with purpose. Meleticism does not claim to eradicate desires or temptations; it acknowledges their existence. It provides the means to understand them, to distinguish between necessity and excess, and to guide the soul towards a state of balance.

This process is one that requires the will to engage with oneself honestly. It is not an easy path, but it is one that leads to clarity, strength and fulfilment.

By embracing our humanity, we admit that we are flawed beings. Within that admission lies our greatest strength, which is the ability to rise above our flaws, to transform weakness into wisdom, and to persist in our search for the truth.

When we finally reach that moment of understanding or when we stand at the precipice of enlightenment, we shall no longer be troubled by pothos. The yearning that once tormented us will instead transform into bliss, guided by our awareness of To Ena.

To yearn for that day is to take the first step towards its plausible realisation. When that day arrives, it will unveil the undeniable truth that was within us all along.

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