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Know Thyself - Γνῶθι Σ'αυτόν, gnōthi sauton

Know thyself, written in ancient Greek (Γνῶθι Σ'αυτόν, gnōthi seauton - Delphi maxim) happens to be my Facebook bio tagline and not by accident. The ancient Greek version of this beautiful philosophical maxim is on the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece and is traditionally attributed to the Seven Sages of Greece (legendary group of philosophers, mostly Chilon) or Apollo himself. (Retrieved July 14, 2025 from Knowthyself - Wikipedia).

Gnōthi seauton serves as a reminder to seek self-knowledge before deciding (Plato). Interpretations changed over the years, but really the interpretation you have is what matters.  My interpretation is parallel to the later writings that imply "knowing theyself" is the study of the universe to better understand one's soul. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the Temple of Apollo while in Greece, but we did get to visit Delos.

How ironic that one of my favorite excursions was our journey to Delos Island in Greece, thought to be the birthplace of Apollo. Where further knowledge and understanding of Knowing Thyself evolves.

Delos is over 5,000 years old and was the most prosperous trading port for almost 1,000 years. The ruins tell the story vividly; it was a powerhouse of wealth. Upon arrival at Delos, a marble inscribed stone captured my attention, so I snapped a picture and decided to investigate when I returned home. Super happy to have the picture after finding out the meaning: In the Universe, Wisdom or In the All, Wisdom -Thank you Google Translate.

In the Wisdom literature Eudemian Ethics by Aristotle, he mentions this ancient stone on the sacred island of Delos. -This is it? Underneath is the contemporary Oneness, Wisdom, Life written in Chinese and in English. This is part of the Alpha Mission Delos (Retrieved from Alpha Mission Delos project June 26, 2025, https://delos.worldhumanforum.earth/oneness-wisdom-life/).

Entrace - Inscribed Marble "In the All, Wisdom or In the Universe, Wisdom"

Base to the previous picture.  Chinese and English "Oneness, Wisdom
, Life" The path to the moon was not made by science technology alone, but also by the humanities, the arts and spirituality (Alpha Mission Delop project). 

Knowing thyself is and forever will be a continuous journey. It is a gift to the universe with multiple rewards, love and happiness to name two. Since we are forever changing, who you are today will not be the self you are tomorrow. That is a gift all by itself.  To me, it is what makes this life a fun and exciting journey. 

Feel free to visit my Flickr account for more pictures of Delos: Stacey T Flickr Delos Photos

I wish all of you Love, Happiness, Peace, and Good Health!

 -Stacey Cook (soon to not be Thacker, LOL)





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