Thoughts and Reflections — Week 2

Musings from Epictetus’ Discourses

Jan 9th, 2024

“‘Take the treatise On Impulse and see how well I’ve read it.’ Idiot. It’s not that I’m after, I want to know how you put impulse and repulsion into practice, and desire and avoidance as well. I want to know how you apply and prepare yourself, and how you practise attention, so that I can decide whether with you these functions operate in harmony with nature.”

Learning without application is useless.

It doesn’t matter how well read or informed you are if that information hasn’t resulted in you becoming a better version of yourself.

A better version that is more empathetic, less judgemental, controls his or her impulses, isn’t steered by desires and wants, and perceives himself and other people with proper order.

What you learn should directly impact you. And through you, impact others and your environment. If it doesn’t, then it wasn’t worth your time and attention.

That information was like lifting weights with improper form.

Jan 11th, 2024

“One person does not notice a contradiction in his reasoning; he is unfortunate. Another person notices it, all right, but does not budge and does not back down, he is even more unfortunate.”

The latter is worse because it’s a conscious decision. You are stopping yourself from growing and maturing because you have attached yourself to some external idea or ideal. Instead of following growth, you care too much about your ego.

Whatever will help you grow is what you need.

Whatever will keep you rooted in place and stagnant in life is what you need to avoid.

It’s really that simple but we like to complicate everything.

You should have a belief in certain things but you should be testing those beliefs to make sure they earn your support. Otherwise, shed your previous way of thinking and see if another earns your allegiance.

Jan 12th, 2024

“Furthermore, you have the inner strengths that enable you to bear up with difficulties of every kind. You have been given fortitude, courage and patience. Why should I worry about what happens if I am armed with the virtue of fortitude? Nothing can trouble or upset me, or even seem annoying. Instead of meeting misfortune with groans and tears, I will call upon the faculty especially provided to deal with it.”

The virtues and characteristics you require to endure and excel are inside of you. But they lay dormant. Some of these things can only be sharpened through hardship and constantly seeking discomfort. While others are there for you to call upon when life circumstances demand them.

However, you have to call them and use them. The power and control is in your hands. If you don’t use it, you have no one to blame but yourself.

It’s how you choose to view the life around you. How you perceive and understand life. With the right attitude, everything will be an opportunity to sharpen a virtue or character trait. With the wrong approach, your highest self will remain dull.

Jan 14th, 2024

“What would have become of Hercules, do you think, if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar — and no savage criminals to rid the world of? […] hat would have been the use outhouse arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir him into action. In that case, perhaps he should have created them himself, by searching for a lion to bring into his land, and a boar and a hydra.”

Hardship either builds you or reveals who you are.

There are two forms of hardship. First is the general hardship of life. This is random and chaotic. You have to build a solid foundation in order to handle this type of hardship or you can use this hardship as a learning lesson to see what your weak points are so you work on them.

The second kind of hardship is self-inflicted. You are choosing to seek out difficulty and hardship as simulation to measure your progress, test your weak points, and add to your foundation. So, when the random and chaotic hardship hits, you are ready for it.

Carve out time for activities that you find difficult and embrace them. Sparring with them will prepare you for the actual fight and then, you will be thankful for all those sparring sessions.

Originally published at http://learnedlivingorg.wordpress.com on January 15, 2024.