Alignment
France’s oldest Chamber of Commerce sits in Marseille’s Old Port. Inaugurated by Napoleon III in 1860, it showcases on its façade the statue of one of the city’s most prominent sons – Pytheas, the 4th Century BC navigator and astronomer who is credited with the first recorded voyage to the British Isles.
Although unfortunately his On The Ocean manuscript is no longer accessible to us in its entirety, some fragments of it remain, quoted by contemporary ancient historians (not always in a flattering light).
Pytheas utilized parallel sailing – a technique that enabled sailors to make landfall by following their destination’s latitude (north or south) and then shifting their vessel’s course at a 90 degree angle (east or west). Key to ascertaining latitude was the reliance on (and alignment to) celestial signposts such as Polaris, or the Sun.
To lead a fulfilling life, alignment “with one’s internal states, preference, resources, and intuitions” is paramount. Can optimism serve as our guide towards authenticity?