There is a very known saying - that goes back to the Ancient times - that states that the people only need, in order to be happy, to have “bread and circus”.
Do you think this still applies today?
Author Archive for Paulo Coelho
The eternal hourglass keeps on turning and from it’s sands emerge The Tower.
Symbolically the tower represents the axis of the world since it unites heaven and earth.
In the Bible, the first tower is the Tower of Babel - built out of human pride and fiercely destroyed by God. From this destruction came the plurality of languages which dispersed humanity. Indeed, since the fall of Adam and Eve never had humanity tried to build again the axis of the world and this first endeavor - being against God’s will - is fiercely fought against.
In Christianity specifically, the tower would always represent humans vanity and misfortune. Yet the lighthouse - which is a tower, emerging from the waves with a light on its top - would have a positive connotation since it’s light would guide the souls in the good direction.
It was only in the middle ages that towers would flourish in Europe since they would harbor the bells that would call in the population.
In China, the tower also has a positive connotation since wise men could better study the heavens. They would then serve as channels of good energy to the earth.
Now you take the floor, what do you associate with the tower?
By Paulo Coelho
Anyone who interferes in the destiny of others will never discover his own.
(The Alchemist)
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The second cardinal virtue: Hope
Segunda virtude cardinal: esperança
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How was your childhood? We know that you have entered Jesuits school at the age of 7 but had a question toward religion at one time in your life. Would you please tell us about the question and the pain you had?
My family was very strict and my father sent me to the Jesuit school so that I could have real discipline.
The chains of rigor were so heavy throughout my youth that very quickly I started to doubt this religion that showed no mercy, only constraint and suffering.
I remember being obliged to attend mess and the constant threats of hell in the mouth of the priests. Everything was sin, everything was forbidden, joy was ruled out.
I think that my rebellion was what saved me: I doubted about Catholicism, and felt that I must try something new. Later on, in my teenager years, I became a hippie. During this time, I traveled a lot, met people of different backgrounds, and had learnt different paths to come closer to spirituality. I started to see other paths and started to see that my own religion wasn’t restricted to the Jesuit perception.
After I did a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, I returned to the Catholic faith – just because it is in my blood, not because it is the best religion.
I don’t think you can put God in a church. God is everywhere. All religions have advantages and disadvantages.
Furthermore I don’t think love is at odds with Christianity. Jesus message was above all a message of love to humanity.
God is–as William Blake said–in a grain of sand and in a flower. This energy is everywhere.
