This essay is a continuation of one I wrote a while back about the Springs of Life. Both essays are inspired by a passage from Eriugena’s Periphyseon where he brings together the Gospel of John and the Garden of Eden. I have included that passage here again, along with a brief explanation of its context. The previous essay explores the idea of flow in more detail, you can read it by clicking HERE.
In John 7, Jesus says, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Eriugena interprets the rivers of living water that flow out of the heart of the believer as the four rivers in Eden. Genesis 3 says, “A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches.” Eriugena makes this connection because he believes the Garden of Eden is a symbol of human nature. The passage from Periphyseon says,
“None of the wise denies that the source in paradise which is divided into the four cardinal rivers, interpreted typologically, signifies the Holy Spirit, from Whom, as from their first principle and unique and inexhaustible source flow the four cardinal virtues in the paradise of the rational soul, I mean prudence, temperance, courage, and justice, and from these in their turn flow forth all the streams of all the virtues, which, when they have irrigated and fertilized the surface of human nature, flow back into them again. Rightly then is the Holy Spirit said to flow, whether from the Son alone or from the Father and the Son, because He is the Source and Origin of all the virtues, and by an ineffable course through the hidden channels of our nature they return to Him.” (Trans by Sheldon-Williams and O’Meara)
The spring of life and rivers of living water are the Holy Spirit, who is an unending fountain of vitality, continually animating our bodies and renewing our minds. The Spirit enters into our hearts from a single source and then divides into a multitude of rivers and streams. The singular source is the unity of Christ from whom, for whom, and through whom the Spirit comes into all things.
The Spirit of Life carries the virtues with it because it proceeds from the essence of the Mother through the wisdom of the Son. The unity of Wisdom becomes the multiplicity of the virtues in the Holy Spirit in the same way that a ray of sunlight becomes a rainbow when it shines through a prism. You can read more about Eriugena’s Trinitarian metaphysics HERE.
In the passage from Eriugena above, the springs of life divide to form four rivers: prudence, temperance, courage, and justice. These are known as the “cardinal virtues” or sometimes as the “moral virtues.” The English word cardinal comes from the Latin word cardinalis, and refers to something of paramount importance – quite literally that upon which everything else hinges, like the hinge of a door. Every other virtue the human soul is capable of hinges upon these four cardinal virtues. Solomon describes the cardinal virtues as the work of Wisdom when he says,
“She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well…her labors are virtues, for she teaches self-control and prudence, justice and courage; nothing in life is more profitable for mortals than these.” (Wisdom of Solomon 8:1&7)
The cardinal virtues are associated with the practical life, the cultivation of virtuous action. They are essential for all people who wish to be successful in their endeavours. This includes conducting business, organising a society, and building lego sets just as much as it does being a Christian. Without the firm foundation of the practical virtues, the life of prayer is destined to crumble. This is why they are the first rivers to emerge from the springs of life.
Prudence is the practical application of common sense. It is the ability to discern the best course of action in each moment, taking into account the various factors at play. Prudence conforms our perceptions to reality through the use of reason and observation. It distinguishes between wishful thinking and sound advice. It balances the needs of the present with the needs of the future. It learns from the past without being defined by it. Prudence is neither hasty nor indecisive. It acts at the right moment, not led astray by apathy or excitement. The prudent person is wise as a serpent, even while remaining as innocent as a dove. They are generous and charitable, but do not fall for phishing scams.
Temperance is a healthy relationship with our sensual desires. Junk food, deserts, alcohol, drugs, sex, porn, video games, and movies all fall into this category. In modern English, temperance is often falsely equated with abstinence from alcohol. The temperance movement sought to make the sale of alcohol illegal so that no one would ever drink a single drop. True temperance, however, is not the same as abstinence nor is it about alcohol specifically. Temperance allows our natural desires to move within us according to reason, it does not seek to eradicate them altogether. There are times when we should not drink, for instance if we need to drive or care for children, but there are also times when a glass of wine shared with friends is a sacrament in itself. We can use our phones in ways that benefit our lives, while also avoiding doom scrolling. Temperance is the art of self-mastery, allowing us to moderate our desires for pleasure and live in harmony with them.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but an ability to rise above it. It is the mettle and resolve of the mind. It liberates the inner person from the shackles of vice. It sets the outer person free from the chains of injustice. Courage removes obstacles that oppose what is beautiful, good, and true. It is the defender of the innocent, the intrepid explorer who forges new paths. It endures hardship and difficulty, even over long periods of time. It sees its mission through to the end, encouraging the soul to persevere in the face of adversity. Courage is not, however, the same as reckless abandon. While it rises above fear, it is tempered by prudence. The courageous soul does not seek out martyrdom, she has nothing to prove. She simply does what love demands of her without fear of the consequences.
Justice keeps the needs of the individual in balance with the common good. It is an acknowledgement of our interdependence. We are not isolated and alone, but rather an integrated member of a larger body. Justice is a right relationship between every individual member and the body as a whole. In the inner life, justice cultivates and sustains the harmony of human nature, protecting the integrity of the soul and mediating between its various parts. In the outer life, justice protects the rights and needs of every person. It does not put its own needs ahead of others, nor does it put the needs of others before its own. It is guardian of the whole, balancing the good of the body with each of its members.
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