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” covers 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 all species, is comprised almost entirely of a few simple processes.
All living things nourish themselves and reproduce. Many of the higher orders, including mankind2, 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, Homo Sapiens 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 humankind
and the great ape is a few genes, a few random, yet advantageous, mutations. Maybe, no one knows for sure3. 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 (or lack thereof), 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 or 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”. In the Dialectic,
Socrates 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 through 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.
~ ~ ~ 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) Humankind, mankind and even (occasionally) man are used interchangeably in these pages. This is done
purposefully to dispell any notion that significant improvement in the human condition can be enabled simply by re-structuring
language.
3) The Sequitorian Society neither
affirms nor denies the existence of a Supreme Being.
~ ~ ~
©2008
- The Sequitorian Society
