Remembering

Sometimes when you read or see or hear something it is like remembering. It is like your conscience, or your soul if you prefer to say it that way, is tapping you on the shoulder and saying "you remember this." And you do remember it, you are being reminded of something you already knew. Perhaps it is as the Pythagoreans taught that the soul remembers God and strives to return to him. One of the first times I experienced this was reading "Ali's Instruction to Malik al-Asht" "Control the ardour of your pride, the violence of your strength, the force of your hand and the edge of your tongue. Be on thy guard against all these by restraining impulses and delaying force until your anger has subsided and you have mastered (your own) power of choice. But you will not gain control over that from your soul until you multiply your concern for remembering the return unto your Lord." From : The Ruler and Society 'Ali's Instruction to Malik al-Asht' du