1
0
If getting a happy, peaceful mind were simply distilled into a pill (without side effects), everyone would be on it— and the guy that patented it would be stinking rich! But real life is not so simple, even in modern times blessed with pharmaceuticals. Instead, were have to put the effort to work towards attaining peace of mind. This idea of working towards attaining the ideal state of mind has been well established for millennia! Among the significant philosophical currents of the ancient world, namely Buddhism and Stoicism, peace of mind was a much sought after state. Buddhism, originating in ancient India, teaches the path to enlightenment and the alleviation of suffering through practices like mindfulness and meditation. Central to the Buddhist philosophy is the cultivation of inner peace, encouraging individuals to detach from desires and embrace the present moment. On the other side of the ancient world, Stoicism, with its roots in ancient Greece, championed the idea that true happiness is found in virtue and rational living and it’s these guys we will be focusing on.
Seneca once said when replying to a letter by Serenus, his friend, that peace of mind is “the greatest thing of all”, it’s this mental state that arises internally within the individual irrespective of external conditions. Peace of mind brought about by the causes and conditions of reason, virtue and living in accordance to nature are the stoic means or path to attaining this greatest good—peace of mind or ataraxia.
The Greek term outlined by the stoics—ataraxia—I think has a fuller and richer definition. Ataraxia refers to a state of tranquillity, inner peace, and freedom from disturbance. A robust mind shielded from afflictive emotions and mental states.
For the stoic, what we should be aiming for is the ability of the mind to consistently follow a calm and undisturbed path, find satisfaction within itself, take delight in its surroundings, and maintain a continuous state of joy. This entails residing in a tranquil mental state without oscillating between the highs and lows despite what life throws at us. How is that achieved? Well, to be blunt, achieving this requires desensitisation to life’s stimuli—a Stoic practice aimed at avoiding erratic emotional fluctuations. By becoming indifferent to external highs and lows, we can aim for a significant and enduring peace of mind.
Modern life abounds with its own particular stressors, but let’s be clear what a stressor is. A quick internet search yields a brief definition: “A stressor is a situation or event that causes us to feel stressed.” And as I have mentioned modern times, we should also indicate what these stressors are exactly: Tight deadlines, job insecurity, cost of living, marital conflicts, social isolation, information overload, peer and social pressures, parenthood—you get the idea!
And we wholeheartedly acknowledge this notion of subjectivity of stress. For us modern stoics, we should recognise that stressors are inherently subjective and vary from person to person, it becomes evident that what induces stress in one individual may not have the same effect on another. One person wishes more opportunities to socialise, while the other has too much of it and wants me time—all circumstances that lead to stress. By this we know that stress is not something fixed, but rather a result of our perceptions and reactions to external events. One of the primary challenges to achieving a consistent and undisturbed state of mind is the impact of external events on our well-being—let’s get into it!
External Events: Stoicism acknowledges that life is filled with external events that are beyond our control. Adverse situations, unexpected changes, or challenging circumstances can act as stimuli, potentially disrupting our tranquillity. However, the Stoic approach is not to eliminate these external events but to change our perspective and response to them.
In the face of external events, a Stoic seeks to cultivate a mindset of indifference—not in the sense of apathy, but in the sense of maintaining inner serenity regardless of external highs and lows. By recognizing that the power to control our reactions lies within us, Stoicism teaches that we can live through life’s uncertainties without succumbing to emotional turbulence.
Unfulfilled Expectations: Another significant challenge to peace of mind arises from unfulfilled expectations. Stoics understand that expectations often lead to disappointment, especially when they are rooted in external outcomes. In a world where things are not always within our control, expecting specific results can set the stage for emotional turmoil. Also beware of hope, because hope raises you so high only to be dashed by the rocks of disappointment and unless you don’t want to collide with disappointment do not hope or set your expectations too high!
The Stoic response to external events and unfulfilled expectations is not to eradicate them, but to sculpt a mindset of indifference, allowing inner serenity to prevail, to get ataraxia. Just like the Buddha identified that life contains suffering from the simple fact one is born in this world, so the same goes with Stoicism. Stoicism does not promise anybody that problems will go away, that we will never face another problem again intruding our life, or that external circumstances will align perfectly with our desires. Instead, Stoicism offers a profound shift in perspective—a transformative lens through which to view life’s challenges. The Stoic response involves acknowledging the inherent unpredictability of external events and the inevitable gap between reality and our expectations. Rather than being a call to eliminate these challenges, Stoicism invites us to mould a mindset of indifference. This is not an apathetic detachment but a deliberate choice to maintain inner serenity amidst the unpredictable ebb and flow of life. In embracing this philosophy, Stoics aim for ataraxia—a state of tranquillity and freedom from disturbance. Just as the Buddha recognised the pervasive nature of suffering in life, Stoicism, too, acknowledges the fundamental presence of challenges. It doesn’t guarantee a life devoid of difficulty, but it equips individuals with the philosophical tools of the rational mind to face adversities with resilience, wisdom, and an unwavering inner calm–peace of mind is best mind!
