True Leisure Based on the Principles of Pieper - Essay Example

Culture depends for its very existence on leisure, and leisure, in its turn, is not possible unless it has a durable and consequently living link with the cultus, with divine worship” (Piper, 15). This statement encompasses Pieper’s stand on how leisure and philosophy, and theology, influences each other. Leisure is an integral part in creating and cultivating a culture. Done after all the humanly work, leisure is the time for reflection and self-discovery, by which, culture propagates and develops. True leisure, based on the principles of Pieper, is a condition of the soul which allows a person to think and to meditate. This becomes the only path to reach man’s full potential. The human mind has the capacity to think and reason out, thus, allowing it to reflect on what happened and what is happening in his world, in his life. Leisure’s purpose is to act on directing the human to the path of wholeness. It is not to be just relived from the limited functions that humanity can do or take but it is to “retain the faculty of grasping the world as a whole and realizing his full potentialities…to reach wholeness” (Pieper, 50). Leisure has been described as a ritual for humans to rejuvenate or replenish their strength to move forward and continue the things they do, or the task of their existence (Pieper 17). In comparison with the modern days, as development progress in human along with their cultures, leisure is now commonly known as a way to release stress and fatigue mentally and emotionally. The concept of how leisure eases the mind by contemplating on one’s existence and direction for wholeness has slowly diminished. One of the essentials for survival is performing the limited functions of being human, that is to work and to perform the tasks at hand in order to continue living. As simple minds become more sophisticated, the traditions and one’s outlook on work has changed. This is in relation to utilitarianism, in which, humans focus on the means to live rather than on the purpose of one’s existence. Pieper quoted Weber saying one does not work to live, but rather one lives to work (Pieper p.20). And today that phrase is not very hard to understand, or rather the human race has come to accept it as part of our existence and use leisure to take away every worry that we have and temporarily forget our problems. Leisure, in connection with this, is thought to be something that humans can do after finishing all the limited functions that one has in order to live. One then finishes work to be able to find time for leisure, which is in contrast with the true nature of leisure for Pieper. With this, the true meaning of leisure as the celebration of the soul in reflecting one’s achievement, existence and wholeness slowly diminishes. The bond that connects leisure to spirituality weakens, thus, reducing its association with directing humans to reach his full potential and wholeness of being. This indicates how leisure comes in connection with philosophical acts. Because humans can think and react, one can also reflect and reason out. These are philosophical acts by which humans take on. This eventually leads to a development of one’s potentials. Being able to think, humans allow themselves to develop and progress by reflecting on how they are able to live and how they will be able to continue living. The true form of leisure, as a contemplative act, is needed in this essence to be able to move forward and progress in living. This form of leisure acclaims the foundations of culture. Because of its contemplative nature, leisure strengthens and defines culture and creates bonds between the human mind and his existence, which is based upon the traditions and culture he is living in. The true form of leisure is never idleness. It is actually the opposite of leisure and it is not synonymous with it. Leisure is a mental and spiritual attitude not a result or a form of spare time or holiday when one does not do anything. Leisure is supposed to work on the condition of the soul. It is part of the essence of a worker and is identical to work in the sense that it is an activity, a toil and a social function (Pieper, 46). However, it is not a part of the chain of one’s utilitarian functions. It is not to restore one’s physical and mental state. As man celebrates the end of his work, leisure allows him to look inside himself and contemplate on the reality of his existence by looking inward and affirming what is good (Pieper, 49). This shows how leisure affirms one’s existence and spiritual essence. The soul of leisure lies in the form of celebration, in which the three elements of leisure comes to a focus: relaxation, effortlessness and superiority of active leisure to all functions. And this can only be made possible and justifiable on the same basis as the celebration of a festival which is divine worship. The acknowledgement of one’s achievement in tradition is celebrated with a festival. This confirms that one’s belief of the gods that has helped us achieve success in our work or existence (Pieper p. 71). For instance, a man who has lost his son in a shopping mall has found him after several days, he celebrates and thanks the creator for this blessing of returning his son, the true leisure in this situation can only be achieve if the father has realized the reason why he lost his son and reflect on what he can do to avoid this to happen again in the future. The true purpose of leisure is to reflect and celebrate all the progress we have accomplished for progress’s sake. It is appreciating the beauty of one’s accomplishment. Leisure is the ritual of having and reinforcing the reason why and the reason to move forward and for the betterment of one’s existence and work. It is also food for the soul, the outlet in order for an individual to achieve inner peace and self confidence. It is also one way of realization, to improve spiritually and mentally which will reflect the quality of one’s ideas and work. Pieper’s defense of leisure involves transcendence into a contemplative act of intellect. This is the association of leisure with the philosophical act. Contemplation and meditation is part of realizing the full potential of one’s being and wholeness. And the only one can achieve this potential is to be able to use philosophical acts of thinking and reflecting. Thus, the totality of one’s being is opened up because of the human’s intellect, desire, reason and will (Klassen, Rights Talk and). This encompasses the philosophical act of contemplation which can be achieved through the true form of leisure. Depending on one’s culture, leisure may differ in forms of activities. Leisure is one of the foundations of culture, influenced by beliefs and traditions and today is further enhanced by development. However, we see it or what take we have on it, depending on the activities we see from different cultures and individuals. Leisure is not a right or a benefit it is a gift from the one that created everything. Depression and frustration under certain circumstances can also affect our everyday lives. It can create a noticeable and visible change in the quality and reason on how people do things. Contemplative leisure and its essence can undoubtedly bring one inner peace and strength. It also helps an individual realize solutions and create action plans to resolve problems. The leisure that the newer generation knows about and practices is far from the true essence of contemplative leisure. Leisure nowadays is a way to have fun and forget, which is consider to be a temporary thing to forget problems that needs solution, it is not a way of reflecting and realization. Personal mistakes are ways and can be tools for self development, but the only way for an individual to realize how these mistakes can turn out to be outlets for progress is through the festival of realization. Leisure in the sense of self-realization is like going beyond the place of our existence. It is a way of looking in to the things we have done, our mistakes, achievements and what we are in the present and what we want to be tomorrow and in the coming days. Pieper’s defense of leisure in relation to philosophical act is seen as the path to realizing and establishing wholeness and the full potential of a human being. The philosophical act involved in true leisure is contemplation and meditation in order to reflect and celebrate the existence of one’s being. It is not a break from work but a way to pause and ponder on what is needed to improve one’s spiritual connection with oneself. This proves to be an important part of connecting the human mind to his soul. It creates a bond between the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of one’s being. This then, results to directing oneself to realizing the wholeness of one’s being. One can only be whole if he is able to connect all the aspects of his persona. And as a human being with the capability to reason out, think and ponder, one uses the philosophical act of contemplation and meditation, which is the true form of leisure, in order to establish the wholeness of oneself. References Klassen, D. “Rights talk and God talk: religious faith and natural rights.” Symposium at Newman Centre, McGill University, 15 Sept 2007. Pieper, J. Leisure: the basis of culture and philosophical act. CA:Ignatius Press, 2009. Read More