The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom
In other words, it is through the excesses that we come to truly know ourselves. We come closer to what is within us through the way we suffer for our kinks, and when we go over the top with them, plunging deeper into our spaces and exposing ourselves to unprecedented heights of sensation, that we can come to understand who we are. Remember that in the case of Blake's work, wisdom only comes 'through an enhancement of sensual enjoyment', in other words that the only way to come to be enlightened is through experiencing the extreme moments of life.
He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence
Find a healthy outlet for your desires. Don't brood on them simply because they seem unattainable, unless they become something worse. How many people who are unable to channel their violent urges in healthy, consensual ways go on to worse acts of violence when their urges finally become uncontrollable? Kink is a way for me to vent my anger and frustration, among other things. Find a healthy release through a loving, consenting partner. Also, don't become an argyle sock wearing, middle aged bank manager whose fantasies have gone unacted upon for so long that now the only way he can get off is paying a pro-domme to shit on him while beating his testicles with a meat tenderiser.
Dip him in the river who loves water
If your sub loves the flogger, give her the flogger. Let each creature find it's natural environment, be that trussed up in the basement or curled up in your arms. Find the intersection of your desires and revel in them , in that moment. Time, like the river, is constantly flowing past us- immerse yourself in it and enjoy that moment for as long as you can before coming up for air. Don't be afraid to be completely immersed in desire and let the current of it carry you for a while. You can end up in the most fantastic places.
The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom no clock can measure.
We have only a limited time. It is best employed in a wise manner; or in the world of this text, spent best in the pleasure that leads to true wisdom. Don't be afraid to give time to your kinks and to sharing them with your partner, even though there are pressing concerns. Time spent well with your inner monsters and a loved one is never wasted, and repays it's investment many times over.
The most sublime act is to set another before you
Submissives, do you really need other words to live by? Give yourself wholeheartedly to your Masters- serve their needs, open yourself to them, worship and obey them. Masters should remember this too- repay loyalty with loyalty, honesty with trust, pleasure with pleasure, and cherish your pet; she is your most valuable possession.
Excess of sorrow laughs, excess of joy weeps.
Similarly, excess of pain may cause ecstasy, excess of pleasure may become painful. Push these extremes, yes, but remember to come back to balance and allow your body time to rest.
Joys impregnate, sorrows bring forth
The reality is that Blake meant that sex is fun, but childbirth is not. From this, learn that nothing worth having is easy, and no joy comes without its cost. Every action has it's consequence, every gift we receive takes a little from us. The strike of the cane may be blissful, but every stroke leaves welts and bruises in its wake. Do not forget that pleasure is costly, be sure also that your sins will find you out.
The cistern contains, the fountain overflows
I see this as a sexual metaphor. Where the woman is treated and seen only as a vessel for the male, there is no joy, no growth, no progress, no release. The fountain overflowing brings joy and beauty as well as water; prudence and excess can coexist as one. Therefore treat your woman (or man, or any other object) as the fountain, fill them with love, joy, pleasure, pain, and all the other gifts the body offers until they are overflowing, and a beautiful fountain of pure water will reward you a thousand times over.
Expect poison from the standing water
Stagnation is an enemy to any relationship. Keep things moving, try new things, find old ways to do new things. The more you try, the more you will find to enjoy. The burden of finding new ideas falls on both parties. Submissives should not be shy of bringing things they wish to try to their Master's attention, Masters should be aware that they cannot straight away force a new activity on their sub. Without a flow of fresh thoughts and ideas through a relationship, it will stagnate and breed diseases and impurities.
