I have just finished an Idler Academy course (The Idler Guide to Paradise Lost by Anna Beer). It was , for me, a real ‘awakening’ in many ways–intellectual , moral and spiritual)

Anna Beer was , for me , such a helpful guide especially as she combined her encyclopaedic knowledge of John Milton -she wrote a great biography over 10 years ago -with an enthusiastic and engaging style of teaching.

One of the new, yet somehow already known, insights for me was around this part of the Biblical dialogue between Adam and God in Genesis chapter 3 about ‘Nakedness’

Adam:’I was afraid because I was naked’

God: ‘Who told you that you were naked’

The new , yet old, thought that was around this ‘fear’ and why we are afraid for God (and others) to see our nakedness

The Delphic oracle is reputed to have the words ‘Know Thyself’ at it’s entrance and it seems to me that knowing our sinfulness (falling short of the mark of the perfection with which we were originally endowed by God) -our self-knowledge- is just the beginning of the transformation back into that original Godly nature.

Jesus came to show us this way of transformation -and model it Himself (John 14:6 and 6 other I am sayings in John’s Gospel)

Alcoholics Anonymous has it so right, does’nt it, by emphasising that it’s 12 steps must begin with self-knowledge and then seeking help from our ‘higher power’

I am a recovering ???? seems to me to be a great starting and continuing

point for regaining Paradise.