{"id":2730,"date":"2022-01-01T21:06:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T00:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folhaespirita.com.br.br\/jornal\/?p=2730"},"modified":"2026-01-23T20:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T23:17:17","slug":"as-virtudes-para-alcancar-a-felicidade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/folhaespirita.com.br\/en\/2022\/01\/01\/as-virtudes-para-alcancar-a-felicidade\/","title":{"rendered":"The virtues to achieve happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Community life invites us to acquire virtues, and everything we face, all our difficulties and trials are opportunities to reinforce them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Plato<\/strong> is considered to be the philosopher who best described the four cardinal virtues, considered for many centuries to be the essence of all moral education. In addition to justice, Plato also considered temperance, courage and prudence. Justice is part of social morality, courage and temperance are part of personal morality, and prudence is limited to ensuring the authenticity of the other virtues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plato's quartet of cardinal virtues forms the basis on which all the other virtues rest and, as such, represents the foundation of natural morality. The philosopher talked a lot about ethics and believed that happiness, or well-being, was the highest goal of moral thought and conduct. Therefore, these virtues act as a practical map for achieving happiness. Each of these virtues goes hand in hand with others, which are equally important in any moral education program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom\/prudence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom is the ability to discern our highest good and the right action in each moment. It is often attributed to elders and ancient teachings and masters, but wisdom is eternal, timeless and faceless: a magic that we all feel and know when we experience it. Wisdom is truth. It flows from the mouths of little children and can be seen in nature, in animals and in the innate qualities of the heart. A wise person has nothing to prove and nothing to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Justice is the ability to be fair, to respect the rights of others and to give them their due. It can be seen in everyday life as harmonious and respectful relationships based on integrity. Justice informs ethics and is linked to basic human rights, equality and respect for differences. As such, this virtue helps to unite people and avoid conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Courage\/fortitude<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Courage is the ability to overcome fear and have strength in the face of difficulties. It is the ability to have the inner resolve to resist temptations and overcome obstacles. We have courage when we choose the high road and, for example, are able to sacrifice our own desires for a just cause. Having courage underpins much of human excellence and living an excellent life. It can bring tremendous freedom and growth; when we take that courageous leap, the Universe opens up to us. Without courage, we are adrift at sea. As long as we seize the day, anything is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperance\/moderation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Temperance is the mastery of the will over instincts, in order to remain balanced and honest. It can be seen in everyday life as the ability to control our appetites\/desires to the excess of anything. We can definitely awaken the senses and be abundant by showing moderation, discipline and restraint. Food, drink and sex are all necessary for our survival, but an excess of desire for any of these can have terrible consequences. Extremism in anything is problematic. Temperance is a bit like the Buddhist \u201cmiddle way\u201d. It can protect against excess and imbalance, but it requires simplicity, presence and awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more: Does what we watch influence the way we think and live?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fables that inspire us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The boy and the vase
Aesop's fable.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The boy saw a jar full of nuts on the table. He thought to himself: \u201cOh, how nice! I bet if Mom were here, she'd give them to me. I'll take a portion\u201d. So he thought, so he did. But when he tried to take out his handful of nuts, he saw that they were stuck in the jar's nozzle. No way was he letting go of the nuts. She tried and tried and nothing. She began to cry. Her mother arrived:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- What's going on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- I can't keep my hand off the vase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- If you weren't so greedy, you could take one or two and it wouldn't be a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- How easy it was! I could have thought of that before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The angel and the charioteer
Adaptation of Aesop's fable.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This old fable helps us to identify our tasks from an early age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cart driver was driving his heavily laden cart along a muddy road. The wheels sank into the mud and the horses couldn't get the cart unstuck. He lamented in despair and begged an angel for help, until he appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- If you push the wheels out of the mud, if you drive the horses well, I can help. But if you don't lift a finger to try to get out of the hole, no one - not even an angel - can help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Help yourself and heaven will help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy who lied
Aesop's fable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A shepherd used to take his flock out of the village. One day he decided to play a trick on his neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- A wolf! A wolf! Help me! Help me! He's going to eat my sheep!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The neighbors gave up work and ran out into the fields to help the boy, but found him laughing. There was no wolf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, he played the same joke and everyone came to help. And he made fun of everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one day the wolf actually appeared and started attacking the sheep. Scared to death, the boy ran away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- A wolf! A wolf! Help me! Help me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The neighbors heard it, but thought it was a joke. No one came to the rescue, and the shepherd lost his entire flock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody believes a liar who tells the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The honest disciple
Jewish legend<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once, a rabbi decided to test the honesty of his disciples and summoned them to a meeting where they were asked a question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- What would you do if you found a wallet full of money along the way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the disciples replied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- I'd give it back to the owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rabbi thought: \u201cThe answer came so quickly that I have to consider whether<\/p>\n\n\n\n

was really sincere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- I would have kept the money if no one had seen me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rabbi said to himself: \u201cThe tongue is sincere, but the heart is perverse\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a third said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

- Well, Rabbi, to be honest, I'd be tempted to keep the money for myself. So I would ask God to give me the strength to resist temptation and do the right thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the rabbi concluded: \u201cThere you are. Here's the man I'd trust\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dictionary of Education<\/em> - Agn\u00e8s Van Zanten.
The book of virtues.<\/em>
History of Greek philosophy: from Socrates to the Neoplatonists<\/a><\/em> - Luciano de Crescenzo and Mario Fondelli.
Contemporary Thinking: www.pensarcontemporaneo.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow @FolhaEsp\u00edritaOficial on Instagram <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n