What the French philosopher Pierre Hadot meant by “active” spiritual exercises, and the origin of these active exercises: Stoicism’s “three disciplines,” which Epictetus laid out in his Enchiridion and Discourses.
Supplementing Stoic Precepts with Concrete Practices
The ancient Stoics believed that philosophy is not merely to be learned, but lived.
- Philosophy was meant to be more than just a set of theories, but rather “a method for training people to live and to look at the world in a new way.”
Indifference to Indifferent Things
This exercise is the one that relies most on our capacity for rationality, and which is most aligned with the Stoic topos of logic.
- By keeping a close watch on that inner discourse, we can see whether our logic is erroneous and thus conducive to emotional disturbances.
- Along with an expanded view of the environment in which one lives, indifference to indifferent things encourages a refined focus on the one thing that is not indifferent: our moral intention.
Conclusion
In attempting to understand the elaborate taxonomy of topoi, disciplines, cardinal virtues, and so on, we might forget to put philosophy into practice.
- By putting Stoicism into practice via philosophical exercises, we resist the temptation to become sophists ourselves, who have lost sight of the transformative, ethical purpose of Stoicism: to lead virtuous lives.
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Accomplishment of Duties (kathekonta)
Duties ultimately depend on other people
- As we carry out our duties to others, what is up to us is our moral intention as we do it
- The result of our efforts – how they are received, whether our relationship with the other person improves, or whether their expectations are even higher in the future – this is out of our control
“Active” Stoic Exercises
Self-mastery, Accomplishment of Duties, and Indifference to Indifferent Things
- Hadot’s three types of active exercises correspond perfectly to Epictetus’ three areas of Stoic practice, known in Stoic commentary as the “three disciplines”
- In an essay on Marcus Aurelius, Hadot writes that “what depends on us are value-judgments, inclinations to act, desires, aversions, and, in a word, everything that is our doing.”
Accomplishment of Duties Passages
Appropriate actions are measured on the whole by our social relationships.
- If anyone wants to be free, then, let him neither want anything nor seek to avoid anything that is under the control of others; or else he is bound to be a slave.”
Indifference to Indifferent Things Passages
Wish that everything that comes about should come about just as it does, and then you’ll have a calm and happy life. (8) Practice, then, from the very beginning to say to every disagreeable impression, ‘You’re an impression and not at all what you appear to be.’ (1.5)
Self-mastery
To achieve this, one has to pare down one’s desires and aspirations drastically and limit them to moral virtue and moral evil.
- Enkrateia is not exactly the same thing as ataraxia (an untroubled state of mind), but nevertheless “all three Hellenistic movements posit an ideal of tranquility, for the attainment of which the essential condition is rational control of one’s desires.”
- People are entwined with their desires and identify with them strongly, hence their grave disappointment when things do not turn out as they wish. To acquire a new self would necessitate leaving the old behind, abandoning the hopes, dreams and desires accumulated over years.
Self-Mastery Exercise Passages
Lay down from this moment a certain character and pattern of behavior for yourself, which you are to preserve both when you’re alone and when you’re with others
- In things relating to the body, take only as much as your bare need requires… exclude everything that is for show or luxury.” (33.7)
- When you receive an impression of some pleasure, take care not to get carried away by it, as with impressions in general; rather, make it wait for you, and allow yourself some slight delay.” (34)
