Message from @The Enlightened Shepherd
Discord ID: 329670822073729025
To me, Roman aristocratic ideal (the way it is described as such in all testimonies) is the form which elevates the marriage to the level of an institution in the most desirable way
hold up
so that it really represents a pillar so to speak
you got off into weird abstractions again
I no longer know what you are talking about
and not merely an outburst of biological forces
so last I heard, family life was bad for men because it is distracting, overwhelming, emotional etc. and prohibits spirituality or other pursuits
It doesn't prohibit
elaborate on those three factors of family life
But makes suboptimal, difficult
Depends on the level of one's devotion
I'm having ascetics in mind
Many philosophers, who were equally devoted to thought, complained about the same difficulties
okay
But we are to consider thought way more easier than life of an ascetic
so by "ascetic" do you mean something along the lines of "lives alone, owns minimal things, minimal distractions" etc?
*fixed*
yes
okay
and this is for what purpose?
Impossible to pursue inside any household with other people
why?
In fact, the existence of monkish institutions, serves so monks could encourage each other as well
why can you not meditate in a household exactly?
Get some guidance in meditative techniques, try it and you will see
no, be specific. is it noise? being too close to your worldly cares?
the latter is a good point, among others
presence of other beings in one way or another makes optimal conditions more difficult to achieve
in terms of space
silence
schedules
preparation of meals
okay, then a few items for your consideration
so it's basically noise + proximity + chores so far
the very organization of daily life in accordance with certain standards
noise: you are the man of the house, make people behave. If they do not behave, hit them.
that is why God gave you great physical power
that very act of hitting somebody would be exactly the type of distraction you want to avoid
proximity: you could leave your household and go somewhere else to meditate, even set aside an entire unscheduled day for it
chores: see above