Not “how can I be happy?” but “how can I reduce my pain?” This is the central question of the Stoic system of thought. One of the key concepts in Stoicism is that through philosophical training, we can become less unhappy, even control our own mood.
We can become the master of ourselves, in control of our emotions.
It is not that we can conquer the world, but that by overcoming ourselves, we can control the way the world appears to us. We can fundamentally alter our reactions.
The first concept in Stoicism: An observation
The world is only fact
In our everyday lives, we think of value – good/bad, beautiful/ugly – existing in the world. Having an argument with a friend is bad. Getting some exercise is good. But this is a misunderstanding of the way things truly are.
There are no values in the world. The world just is. A collection of facts. Its positivity or negativity is simply in how you interpret it.
The world is neither good nor bad. Our interpretation is what gives it its value. So, if we can change our interpretation, then we can change the value of the thing affecting us.
The second concept in Stoicism: A diagnosis
Pain is the result of our desires
If the world is a mere set of facts, then pain exists only in our minds. But in what way does it exist there? If we can work that out, then we can set about trying to reduce it.
The stoics argued that pain appears to exist throughout the entire human socio-economic structure. So, more wealth – in itself – doesn’t give you more happiness. Rather, it is our desires surrounding that wealth, and our place in society, that causes us pain.
Pain comes from desiring something and not having it. Pain is the gap between what we desire and us. So, closing that gap is then how we can cure ourselves of our malady.
The third concept in Stoicism: A cure
We can close the gap by going after what we desire. That can work. Apart from that when we achieve that thing, we immediately desire the next thing. The gap is not changed, just the aim. And the gap is where the pain is.
Instead, the cure to our pain, think the Stoics, is to desire what we already have. And there are two main aspects to that plan:
Reframe “negative” events
We call events negative when we feel that they affect us in a bad way. But it is a feeling that we have about those events. Not the events themselves.
If we can change our interpretation of events, then how they affect us also changes. So – how do we go about doing this?
The concept of the “Stoic Gods” or “Divine Providence,” is a fundamental aspect of Stoic philosophy. The Stoics believed in a pantheistic worldview where the universe itself was imbued with divine reason or logos. The Stoic Gods were not personal deities but rather an impersonal, rational force that orchestrated the events in the cosmos.
When it comes to dealing with negative events, Stoicism encourages individuals to reframe their perspective by embracing the concept of “Amor Fati,” or love of fate. This means accepting all events, whether perceived as positive or negative, as part of the divine order. By reframing one’s understanding of adversity as an opportunity for growth and learning, Stoicism teaches us to cultivate resilience and equanimity in the face of life’s challenges. We don’t need to believe in the Stoic Gods to accept the advice – simply imagine them offering us a test.
So, when confronted with an obstacle, the Stoics believed, we could respond positively, saying “Ah! Wonderful! A test of my stoicism!”
Imagine the "worst"
We can often bring ourselves to the belief that what we have now is not enough. That it isn’t good enough. That we would prefer other things.
As we’ve said, the stoics realised that it doesn’t matter how much we have but how we value it, and what we want. These are the things that affect our sense of happiness.
We can foster this sense of appreciation by imagining our not having the things we already have. This is the practice of “negative visualization”. Here’s how it works:
- Imagining Loss: Stoics suggest that we should regularly contemplate the impermanence of the things we possess and the people we love. By vividly imagining the loss of these things, we confront the reality that everything in life is transient.
- Reducing Attachment: By consistently visualizing the loss of our possessions or relationships, we can reduce our excessive attachment and emotional dependence on them. This practice helps us detach from the fear of losing what we value.
- Embracing the Here and Now: The ultimate goal is to live in the present moment and to find contentment with what we have, rather than constantly craving more or being consumed by the fear of loss.
These excercises aren’t meant to make us sad. Or stress us out. They are there to build resilience and gratitude – to change our perspective on what we have, so that we might value it before it is gone.
