Our Tutelary Spirit (Plotinus, Ennead III. 4)

In this session, we’ll listen to Plotinus’ tractate Our Tutelary Spirit (Ennead III.4), where he explores the idea that each of us lives under the guidance of a higher principle — a “guiding spirit” that reflects the level at which we truly live.

Plotinus suggests that this tutelary spirit is not something external imposed upon us, but is connected to our own inner life. The kind of life we choose — whether oriented toward sense, reason, or intellect — determines the level of being we participate in, and thus the “spirit” that governs us.

Key themes include:

• What Plotinus means by a “tutelary spirit”
• How our inner orientation determines our guiding principle
• The relationship between ethical life and metaphysical rank
• Living in accordance with higher vs. lower aspects of the soul

Here's the text if you’d like to check it out beforehand - https://w.wiki/Ldzg

After listening, we’ll open a discussion around questions such as:

• What is the “tutelary spirit” in Plotinus’ view?
• In what sense do we “choose” the level at which we live?
• How does this idea connect ethics with metaphysics?
• What would it mean to live under a higher guiding principle?

Beginners are very welcome, but this is advanced material.
You’ll get much more out of the discussion if you check out this Introduction to Neoplatonism beforehand.