Introducing Stoicism - Medicinal Meditations for Movements of the Mind

Introducing Stoicism

Having only scratched the surface so far in terms of contemplative practices, we now find ourselves entering new territory. As we continue to sketch out the vast array of contemplative practices at our hands in this era of increasing uncertainty, a time that demands learning from our past in order to shape a truly sustainable future, we turn now to one of the ancient "Western" traditions: Stoicism.

Most will have heard of the Stoics (or may have even known a Stoic of some sort) at some point or another, even if only through a remark about someone acting "stoic" in the face of adversity or remaining "stoic" despite bad news. So what does Stoicism conjure in the mind?

When we hear of so-called "Stoics" we might imagine a stone-faced, cold-hearted rock of a person, or perhaps someone completely indifferent or apathetic to the world's whims. While these qualities do indeed characterize the Stoics to an extent, they don't quite fully do them justice.



Tracing itself back millennia to the ancient Greeks, then adopted by the Roman empire and carried onward, there is significant territory to cover within Stoicism. Broadly speaking, Stoicism is a tradition that aims to foster a life of virtue. Indeed, the Stoics believed virtue is a skill or form of mastery that leads one to live a fulfilled life. As such, Stoicism typically revolves around four cardinal virtues: justice, truth, moderation, and courage. These qualities are considered wise, thus linking virtue with wisdom, the moral with the intellectual.

The Stoics maintain that our undeveloped moral and intellectual tendencies lead humanity astray, diverting us from true happiness. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, or envy are unruly and result from unwise judgments. Therefore, the goal of the Stoics is self-mastery and transformation so that one does not remain a slave to one's passions and emotions.

By way of introducing Stoicism, we may look to Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Meditations is by far the most well-known of works attributed to Aurelius, written for the emperor's personal contemplations and taking the form of a journal. This private notebook of philosophical reflections reveal a deeply contemplative outlook characterized by concern for humankind. By peering into it, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of its author's mind amidst the day to day stresses of the empire.

Medicinal Meditations

Contemplative traditions, as many will remind us, have a medicinal purpose. Their methods may be utilized as antidotes to treat and purge the poisons of affliction from our systems. The same applies to Stoicism. In fact, much of Greek and Roman philosophy was originally therapeutic in its aims. A great deal of their insights take shape as medicinal meditations. Indeed, the therapeutic and medicinal applications of such contemplative philosophies are clearly traceable to the texts themselves.

Consider Marcus Aurelius when he reflects:

"Through not observing what is in the mind of another, a man has seldom been seen to be unhappy; but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy."

—Meditations 2.8 (translated by George Long)

...their own minds…

Here we encounter what appears to be an invitation to turn within. So much of our time and energy is channeled outwardly, toward the other, whether through nit-picking their habits and behaviors without living up to the same standards ourselves, finding issue with their way of life, and so on. Quickly we lose sight of our own minds, which instead run riot in judgement and egotism.

In a therapeutic or medicinal context, what better way to treat an illness than to go to its source?

While it may often seem that happiness and unhappiness come from external circumstances (these no doubt play a role in the process, but they do not account for the full picture) the actual source is within the mind.



Rather than obsess over what others think and trying to change them as if we are their sculpters while they are our marble to be moulded, we may set down the chisel and attend to our own minds. Our very well-being is at stake. Thus we turn to one strategy for undertaking medicinal meditations.

Observe the Movements of the Mind

One who attends to one's own mind is able to observe misguided movements or missteps, which we all inevitably undertake in our trial-and-error process of moral development. We may even notice the subtle movements that ripple beneath the surface when we are disturbed by external events. In addition to otherwise unnoticed or unconscious habits of mind, we may discover underlying moods and behaviors that inform our actions, unbeknownst to us.

Without such examination, we are left with no clue as to how to identify the source of affliction and how to ameliorate its effects on us and those around us. After all, "those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy."

When you observe the movements of the mind, what do you see? Is the mind still and at peace, or does it flail wildly from thought to thought, like a monkey grasping from branch to branch while swinging through the forest?

One who is able to observe the movements of the mind, whether the mind is in full throttle or at rest, has gleaned an essential piece of the puzzle. Having a clear understanding of what the mind is up to from moment to moment is the first step toward calming its waves. Indeed, this appears to be what Marcus Aurelius suggests in his Meditations and what the Stoics were aiming at all along.



While it certainly does not occur over night (except for perhaps the luckiest of individuals with remarkable conditions) the commitment to observe the movements of the mind eventually culminates in a mind that may remain unmoved amidst the churning conditions of life.

This is the epitome of Stoicism.

Of course, this serves as a most basic introduction to Stoicism with neither the specifics of technical detail nor any particularly thorough analysis, but it is intended to be rather spartan in the very spirit of Stoicism.

Hopefully this brief overview helps in the way of grounding the reader in practical soil so that whatever seeds of wisdom offered by the Stoics can take root and grow into sustainable solutions to suffering, coming to full fruition as we continue on this path. We will offer more on Stoicism and other contemplative systems in the posts to come.

As always, thanks for venturing alongside us. We welcome your comments. May all beings be at ease amidst the movements of mind.