A great solomonical articulation of the similarities & differences between the ancient & modern conceptualisations of Buddhist mindfulness & the ancient & modern Stoic practices of prosoche/attention. Thank you Massimo!
That’s it Massimo, exactly what my wise teacher has taught me. Time is moving on my friend, there are events needing resolution now if are to have any chance of saving this magnificent Earth.
My pet theory is that all these practices [a] are ways to induce an 'endorphin' high!
[a] E.g., sitting in an uncomfortable position trying to solve an impossible riddle while someone occasionally hits you with a stick. (Zen) or perhaps better singing at a black church.
This is just my opinion, don't mean to put anyone off who is a fan, but I practiced mindfulness and other meditations for some time and am a bit wary about their current popularity, which I believe is driven at least partly by corporations employing them as a way of combating the anxiety and mental health issues of their employees that the corporations' have caused in the first place. In other words a new opiate for the masses. I frankly think it is overrated. I stopped after the last reorg my company had. I was just as upset by it as if I never meditated at all, and I survived the reorg! That experience led my to try something different. Been a practicing Stoic since. There's another reorg on the way and thanks to my Stoic practice I am in a much better place to face it in every way. And I credit your work for much of that. Thanks Massimo!
Well I knew nothing of this heretofore and now I am starting to understand. Helps to be mindful and pay attention, I reckon. Interesting, as always, Massimo.
Thanks for the essay, Massimo. Great way to wake up (still lying here in a cozy bed). It answered a couple of theoretical questions I had in my own mind after attending Tanner and Kai's excellent session on Stoic "meditation". I think I get the whole concept. So, time to get out of bed (late shifts, so not an early riser like yourself and Morton!) and try to put it all into practice.
Apr 17, 2023·edited Apr 18, 2023Liked by Massimo Pigliucci
As a philosophical layman, I have the luxury of not having to have an opinion about what someone meant, but I do have a lot of curiosity, and a lot of respect for you professional philosophers. I appreciate your essays! My concern is what works for my practice and otherwise I suspend judgement. (I appreciate your writings especially because of your perspective is influenced by an academic skeptic approach.)
Meditation has been a great help to me in the last twenty years. I learned to meditate originally from a secular Buddhist group. I have never been able able to clear my mind of thoughts, but I have been able to detach myself from them, especially from any emotional charges that they may otherwise bring.
Where Stoic teachings have been helpful is that they allow me to engage in everyday life without my present experiences being filtered by my emotions from past experiences. Things like the dichotomy of control and other teachings help me remember that virtue is the priority, anything else I desire or fear is only a preferred or a dis-preferred indifferent.
The 3 disciplines of Epictetus has clarified a lot in 3 simple words. I would like to change the order. Desire is the root cause of suffering as the Buddha would put it. If there is no desire it prevents us from Judging & as a result our Action becomes easier to deal or accept other people.
Thanks for the essay. I always look forward on Monday mornings to read what you have thought about & now sharing it.
A great solomonical articulation of the similarities & differences between the ancient & modern conceptualisations of Buddhist mindfulness & the ancient & modern Stoic practices of prosoche/attention. Thank you Massimo!
That’s it Massimo, exactly what my wise teacher has taught me. Time is moving on my friend, there are events needing resolution now if are to have any chance of saving this magnificent Earth.
How do we pick your brain on the definition of cosmopolitanism
My pet theory is that all these practices [a] are ways to induce an 'endorphin' high!
[a] E.g., sitting in an uncomfortable position trying to solve an impossible riddle while someone occasionally hits you with a stick. (Zen) or perhaps better singing at a black church.
This is just my opinion, don't mean to put anyone off who is a fan, but I practiced mindfulness and other meditations for some time and am a bit wary about their current popularity, which I believe is driven at least partly by corporations employing them as a way of combating the anxiety and mental health issues of their employees that the corporations' have caused in the first place. In other words a new opiate for the masses. I frankly think it is overrated. I stopped after the last reorg my company had. I was just as upset by it as if I never meditated at all, and I survived the reorg! That experience led my to try something different. Been a practicing Stoic since. There's another reorg on the way and thanks to my Stoic practice I am in a much better place to face it in every way. And I credit your work for much of that. Thanks Massimo!
Well I knew nothing of this heretofore and now I am starting to understand. Helps to be mindful and pay attention, I reckon. Interesting, as always, Massimo.
May I ask another question which my boss (wife) asked
Desire has to be important as it creates motivation? How do I get my head around that?
Appreciate your response.
Well argued and balanced. But Caleb's post today makes the key point in practical terms - https://www.stoaletter.com/p/mindfulness-meditation-stoics . Mary Braun provides perspective from actual practice that is helpful to consider: https://modernstoicism.com/stoic-vs-buddhist-mindfulness-by-mary-braun/
Thanks for the essay, Massimo. Great way to wake up (still lying here in a cozy bed). It answered a couple of theoretical questions I had in my own mind after attending Tanner and Kai's excellent session on Stoic "meditation". I think I get the whole concept. So, time to get out of bed (late shifts, so not an early riser like yourself and Morton!) and try to put it all into practice.
As a philosophical layman, I have the luxury of not having to have an opinion about what someone meant, but I do have a lot of curiosity, and a lot of respect for you professional philosophers. I appreciate your essays! My concern is what works for my practice and otherwise I suspend judgement. (I appreciate your writings especially because of your perspective is influenced by an academic skeptic approach.)
Meditation has been a great help to me in the last twenty years. I learned to meditate originally from a secular Buddhist group. I have never been able able to clear my mind of thoughts, but I have been able to detach myself from them, especially from any emotional charges that they may otherwise bring.
Where Stoic teachings have been helpful is that they allow me to engage in everyday life without my present experiences being filtered by my emotions from past experiences. Things like the dichotomy of control and other teachings help me remember that virtue is the priority, anything else I desire or fear is only a preferred or a dis-preferred indifferent.
The 3 disciplines of Epictetus has clarified a lot in 3 simple words. I would like to change the order. Desire is the root cause of suffering as the Buddha would put it. If there is no desire it prevents us from Judging & as a result our Action becomes easier to deal or accept other people.
Thanks for the essay. I always look forward on Monday mornings to read what you have thought about & now sharing it.