Danger is the way of the gods
“If there’s no danger, pleasure is less pleasant” – Ovid
The transcendental thrill of danger is conducive to mankind’s spiritual evolution, because life and death scenarios increase our awareness of the immortal. Awareness that we ourselves are forms, pushed into this plane of existence mysteriously, only to retract to that unknown plane once more. You will never feel more alive than when you are in danger, and engaging in deeper forms of noetic contemplation become possible only when living outside the boundaries of safety.
Security hinders these noetic capacities because luxury weakens our intellect and spirit and goes against the life-law of constant struggle. Even though tremendous conquest and victory can lead to luxury, as every exertion results in reward, its over-abundance or overindulgence becomes more spiritually dangerous than the exertion itself. Over time spent in luxury the concept of struggle can become lost in a haze of secluded non-reality, and we can lose the drive for excellence and mastery. The ancients knew this well. Our current fearful life of mediocrity survives in the long shadows cast by previous creative giants. Men of risk and challenge. Alien to our false and leisurely life of techno-comforts. Mankind does not become transformed when content, and contentment is always an illusion. Life-awareness equates to nature-values.
The life of security is the preferred life for the slave, of the man not deeply aware of his immortal soul. Life beyond the material realm is filled with dread and unknown perils to the slave, he prefers the masters whip and a known source of food, all questions answered, a future devoid of anxieties.
In such a man, one which lacks a noetic mind, the will is completely dominated by baser desires.
Throughout classical legends, it has been the men of danger and adventure (those who chose mastery over slavery) who are the most revered by the gods. The gods are pleased by acts of courage and cleverness, hallmarks of keen noetic minds. Those who hold the bird-of-prey nobility – willing to fight or die for principle, or a slight infringement of honour, and being unabashed and responsible masters when needed.
These are the ones who live dangerously. They are the masters. They understand the way of the gods.
