By Leo Babauta
I imagine to find highly effective practices for transformation wherever we will discover them. And the Stoic philosophers Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca are enormous inspirations for me.
I’ve discovered there to be an enormous overlap between Stoicism and Zen Buddhism, even when there are additionally some key variations. The overlap between Zen & Stoicism are issues I share under, and they’re highly effective practices.
1. What We Management
One of many principal Stoic rules is to concentrate on what you may management, and let go of what you may’t. And most of life is what we will’t management: different individuals’s opinions and actions, the climate, world occasions for essentially the most half, accidents, loss. Too usually we let these issues have an effect on our happiness, even when we will’t do something about them.
Take into consideration how usually you get annoyed or burdened by one thing you may’t management. What for those who declared that that was none of what you are promoting — what you are promoting as an alternative is specializing in doing all of your finest within the current second.
Zen additionally focuses on doing all of your finest within the current second, from a spot of compassion. I discover this focus to be easy, highly effective, and liberating.
2. Reminder of Loss of life
The Stoics would remind themselves that they have been going to die, frequently. Buddhists do that too — one department of Buddhists will meditate in a graveyard for this function, one thing that I do as properly.
Life is brief and treasured, and we take it with no consideration. We have to remind ourselves of this usually, in order that we will profit from every day, and every second.
3. Loving What Is
The Stoics didn’t use the time period “amor fati” (that was Nietzsche) however Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus undoubtedly espoused the concept we should always embrace what is definitely taking place somewhat than what we want issues can be.
Epictetus: “Don’t search to have occasions occur as you want, however want them to occur as they do occur, and all might be properly with you.”
It is a Zen thought as properly, to embrace actuality as it’s, and the methods we endure are primarily based on wanting issues to be totally different.
What for those who may study to like every second, precisely as it’s? To do that, you must discover the wonder in life because it occurs. Begin with the simple moments (a quiet morning, a pleasant cup of tea, seeing the face of somebody you’re keen on) after which slowly work in the direction of tougher ones (somebody is being unfavourable, you might have a tough job earlier than you). Depart the toughest issues as a sophisticated problem for later (demise, sickness, battle).
4. Ponder Misfortune
Seneca had a observe known as “premeditatio malorum,” or considering adversity upfront, the place you’d visualize all of the dangerous issues that will occur to you, as a rehearsal.
For instance, for those who’re about to make a journey, you may think all of the issues that would go improper — you forgot your passport, you misplaced your baggage, you bought robbed, you bought misplaced, you bought sick. Truly visualize all of these items taking place. And picture that they aren’t traumatic, however impartial — there’s no downside. Possibly you really beloved the expertise!
Then, if any of them really did occur … then you definately’re ready. Nothing can occur to you that’s worse than what you’ve already skilled within the contemplation! You’ve already gone by way of all of it.
On this means, now we have ready ourselves, like placing ourselves into ice chilly water to arrange for swimming within the Atlantic.
The Zen custom is extra about present-moment meditation … however in a means, after we meditate, we face every little thing that comes up for us within the current second (boredom, distraction, discomfort, frustration, and many others.) and so when the identical issues (inevitably) come up for us later, we’ve already confronted them.
5. A Increased Perspective
There’s a means I like to visualise taking a “God’s-eye view” of humanity — trying down on all of humankind, like we’re the scale of ants.
This sort of greater perspective jogs my memory that:
- My issues are literally small, even when they appear large; and
- We’re all interconnected, even when it feels we’re alone.
This makes my life simpler.
The Stoics known as this the “greater view.” In Zen, we observe reminding ourselves of our interconnectedness. It’s the “reality” of actuality (versus having a separate self) that helps us to really feel linked and compassionate.
These practices assist me tremendously in my life. They’re liberating and motivating on the similar time. They usually take observe — a lifetime’s price.