Required Reading: Letter 8: On The Philosopher’s Seclusion
“I am working for later generations, writing down some ideas that may be of assistance to them.”
Seneca starts off this letter by referencing Letter 7 wherein he supposes Lucilius would ask “Do you bid me shun the throng (crowd) and withdraw from men and be content with my own conscience?” Can anyone trust his own conscience? Be alone in his own company? Isn’t it better to always be busy with other folks? Always active; being a part of the crowd and not be a loner?
Well, listen to Seneca “Believe me, those who seem to be busied with nothing are busied with the greatest tasks; they are dealing at the same time with things mortal and things immortal! And I can not agree more! For as a writer; especially a philosophical writer, in these contemporary times of social media and the likes, I find it a matter of harassment and constant interruption to focus on things “mortal and immortal”; one must on this journey “Be Still and Know…”.
It is with such potent words that Seneca warns Lucilius or scriptually “Theophilus” (one who loves God) to be alert and fend against the gifts of CHANCE or FORTUNE! For Chance does not ever give a gift freely; there’s always a price; yet, not with Nature; not with the Universe though. For when one is in tune with philosophy, when one uses it as a tool of daily guidance, he or she can discern what are blessings and what are trappings!
Seneca goes far as stating how one should treat the body so that it be obedient to the mind; he describes the limits of eating, drinking; what home to live in etc. He offers up candid advice “eat merely to relieve hunger; drink merely to quench your thirst; dress merely to keep out the cold; house merely as a protection against discomfort.” A philosopher avoids all extremes; he lives for simplicity.
This in no way means you should not eat or dink healthily, dress nicely; or prefer to live in squalor; rather it is the spirit of such things that matter. Why go overboard than what the body truly requires? Your time, effort and resources should turn towards helping future generations; those who would be called to follow or should we say make the decision to follow philosophy; should be those we busy ourselves for.
And this work could be in writing, painting, creating, living; anything that will remove seeking the approval of men. For the goal of philosophy is FREEDOM; freedom from strife, worry, fear and as Epicurus states “If you would enjoy real freedom, you must be the slave of philosophy.” And what a beautiful Master to be in slavery of! Farewell!
Word of the day:
Fortune (noun): chance or luck as a force in human affairs; good or bad luck that befalls a person or an enterprise (The Oxford American Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus 2nd Edition).
Quotations:
“I do not allow time for sleep but yield to it when I must, and when my eyes are wearied with waking and ready to fall shut, I keep them at their task.”
“I point other men to the right path, which I have found late in life, when wearied with wandering. I cry out to them: Avoid whatever pleases the throng: avoid the gifts of Chance!”
“Hold fast, then, to this sound and wholesome rule of life that you indulge the body only so far as is needful for good health.”
“The body should be treated more rigorously, that it may not be disobedient to the mind.”
“What Chance has made yours is not really yours.” – Lucilius.
“The good that could be given, can be removed.” – Lucillius.
Questions:
1) What noble work do you wish to do?
2) Do you sacrifice or set time, come what may to do it?
3) Have you received a Chance gift or had a Chance encounter before? Was it truly FREE?
4) Are you living by Chance or by FAITH?
Activity:
1) List ALL the Gifts you have received; were they received by you being deliberate i.e thinking about them? Or did they come by Chance?
2) Go through your closet; garage, storage; give away all “extra” i.e clothing, shoes, etc. things you haven’t used in a year; not a part of your everyday usage.
3) Do the same for your home – trim your grocery list; sell or giveaway “extra” things.
4) Entertain the thought of being satisfied with your current home – don’t upgrade to a new one; downsize if you must or remain stable.
