An Introduction to The Sequitoria
Initially, a conceptual understanding of The Sequitoria can be had by referring to other schools of thought which encompass or promote compatible ideas. One such organization is “The Center for Ecoliteracy”, which promotes gardening as a way of fostering a “profound understanding of the natural world, grounded in direct experience, which leads to sustainable patterns of living“.
The Sequitoria encompasses the whole of natural life experience, in the way that “The Center for Ecoliteracy” encompasses gardening. Yes, by all means, plant a garden, ... but there is more to food than vegetables and there is much more to life than eating.
Natural life1, for mankind and all species, is comprised almost entirely of a few simple processes. All living things nourish themselves and reproduce. Many of the higher orders, including mankind, have a nesting instinct or seek to modify, in some way, their relationship with the environment. All must learn to protect themselves from other species and members of their own that would dominate them. All communicate; one way or another.
Clearly, mankind is unique. Some believe that each of us has the spark of divine fire; that we were made in the image of God; that all other life forms, regardless of the similarities, are lesser beings, lacking a soul. Others believe that the only difference between us and the great apes is a few genes; a few random, yet advantageous, mutations. Maybe; no one knows for sure2. In any case, we are here, born of flesh and blood, and ultimately connected physically to every other living thing on the planet (levels of separation notwithstanding). Additionally regardless of one's spiritual path, The Sequitoria will lead to an understanding of ethics and morality drawn from life experience which will either support or challenge any previously held beliefs.
A complete life is more than just the purely physical. The intellectual, emotional and spiritual lives of the individual are probably of greater consequence, but without a solid relationship with the natural/physical/material world, the intellect has no reliable, personal basis for the perception of truth, emotions are left ungrounded, and the spiritual life tends toward fantasy and illusion. Also, the necessity for physical life experience - as demanded by The Sequitoria, will test anyone's intellectual capabilities and will at times demand great faith, if only in oneself. Moreover, it will imbue the individual with an emotional groundedness, balance and centeredness unequalled by any other form of personal growth and character development. Indeed, intellectual, spiritual and psychological growth will be challenged, nurtured, enhanced and refined by The Sequitoria to levels that can only be imagined.
As a philosophy, “The Sequitoria” is the diametric opposite of “The Dialectic” of Socrates as explained in Plato’s “The Republic”. The Dialectic avers that truth can be perceived through pure reason; using argument in the form of proposition and counter-proposition; real-world experience being of no value whatsoever. Indeed, Socrates argues that only by conscious separation from the physical, material world and sole reliance upon the intellect can one understand the ideals of absolute truth, absolute beauty and absolute good.
According to The Sequitoria, only through life experience can one appreciate beauty, learn what is true, and determine the difference between good and evil. The intellect, in this regard, is simply a tool for sorting and refining the truths revealed by experience, with the assistance of academic training. The physical processes which govern life-experience; the pursuit of nourishment, comfort, security and reproduction, require the use and development of all of the senses. These experiences then become the basis for all communication, including, for mankind, artistic expression.
These five processes, then, comprise The Sequitoria. The depth and breadth of experience determine the depth and breadth of the perception of truth, beauty and good, which in turn determine the quality of expression. The Separation of The Sequitoria into five paths, or schools, while seemingly arbitrary, is no more arbitrary than the separation of the sciences into fields of study. They are intertwined, overlapping and occasionally redundant even as the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics are.
What are The Five Schools of the Sequitoria? The School of The Warrior. The School of The Hunter. The School of The Builder. The School of The Lover. The School of The Artist. We are, each and every one of us, in part: A Warrior, A Hunter, A Builder, A Lover, An Artist. AtTS (According to The Sequitoria), each of the five schools is in itself a path to understanding truth, to an appreciation of beauty and to a basis for determining the difference between good and evil. All are driven by instinct, demand the use of all the senses and require the acquisition and constant improvement of a variety of learned skills. Each has rites of passage, great tradition and hidden within, the potential for great artistic expression.
Additionally, the Principles of The Sequitoria are applicable to all aspects of life, regardless of how complex or how removed they are from the natural world. Each, individually, can be greatly rewarding, all-consuming, and pursued to the exclusion of all others. It is, however, only through the pursuit of all five paths of The Sequitoria that one can completely experience life in all its wonder, develop a truly holistic understanding of life, and reach one’s full potential.
Moreover, The Sequitoria are not only the paths to truth for the individual, but are the only logical basis for community. They cross all cultures and have been pursued throughout history. Indeed, they apply to all species.
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©2008 - The Sequitorian Society
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Notes: 1) Science has yet to develop a universally accepted definition of life; nor is it in the interest of The Sequitorian Society to make such an attempt. The most widely accepted definition of life by the scientific community includes the processes of homeostasis, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli and reproduction. The Sequitoria includes all of those processes, if somewhat reordered and recombined.
2) The Sequitorian Society neither affirms nor denies the existence of a Supreme Being.
