But although virtues, when admitted, cannot depart and are easy to guard, yet the first steps in the approach to them are toilsome, because it is characteristic of a weak and diseased mind to fear that which is unfamiliar.
The mind must, therefore, be forced to make a beginning; from then on, the medicine is not bitter; for just as soon as it is curing us it begins to give pleasure. One enjoys other cures only after health is restored, but a draught of philosophy is at the same moment wholesome and pleasant. Farewell.
The mind must, therefore, be forced to make a beginning; from then on, the medicine is not bitter; for just as soon as it is curing us it begins to give pleasure. One enjoys other cures only after health is restored, but a draught of philosophy is at the same moment wholesome and pleasant. Farewell.
—from Seneca, Moral Letters 50
I can no longer count the number of times I felt the powerful urge to change my ways, or I finally swallowed my pride to listen to some friendly advice, and I then made a commitment to starting all over again. The next day was going to be different, I told myself, because I would break ground on building a whole new me.
And then, quite frankly, I found out that it hurt. I also wasn’t getting those instant results I was somehow expecting. Suddenly my head was filled with excuses, a variety of reservations, conditions, and extensions. If it didn’t come painlessly and immediately, I would call it a regrouping, when it was actually a rout.
Beyond an initial excitement, how much I want something is in a direct proportion to how deeply I understand its meaning and value, and if it is important enough to me, I will find the endurance and the patience to see it through. When happiness is on the line, the worldly hardships will now seem trivial.
Just as eyes accustomed to darkness are distressed by any light, or limbs atrophied by years of neglect burn at the slightest exertion, so the mind meets resistance when challenged by the prospect of the virtues. There will be a shock to the system as something broken is bent back into shape.
A child does not like the taste of the medicine, while he is later relieved when the fever breaks. It is all the more important for me to grasp why the pain now is a mark of healing that will soon set me free.
In any endeavor, there comes a wonderful point where the balance has tipped, the burden is lifted, and a sense of purpose flows through the soul. For our human nature, it is the love of wisdom that provides such a fulfillment.
Your broker promises you riches, and your publicist promises you fame, but only philosophy, in daily practice, can truly grant you peace of mind.
Is there a food that is both tasty and healthy? I do at least know I am beginning to experience a way of life that brings me joy by doing good.
I can no longer count the number of times I felt the powerful urge to change my ways, or I finally swallowed my pride to listen to some friendly advice, and I then made a commitment to starting all over again. The next day was going to be different, I told myself, because I would break ground on building a whole new me.
And then, quite frankly, I found out that it hurt. I also wasn’t getting those instant results I was somehow expecting. Suddenly my head was filled with excuses, a variety of reservations, conditions, and extensions. If it didn’t come painlessly and immediately, I would call it a regrouping, when it was actually a rout.
Beyond an initial excitement, how much I want something is in a direct proportion to how deeply I understand its meaning and value, and if it is important enough to me, I will find the endurance and the patience to see it through. When happiness is on the line, the worldly hardships will now seem trivial.
Just as eyes accustomed to darkness are distressed by any light, or limbs atrophied by years of neglect burn at the slightest exertion, so the mind meets resistance when challenged by the prospect of the virtues. There will be a shock to the system as something broken is bent back into shape.
A child does not like the taste of the medicine, while he is later relieved when the fever breaks. It is all the more important for me to grasp why the pain now is a mark of healing that will soon set me free.
In any endeavor, there comes a wonderful point where the balance has tipped, the burden is lifted, and a sense of purpose flows through the soul. For our human nature, it is the love of wisdom that provides such a fulfillment.
Your broker promises you riches, and your publicist promises you fame, but only philosophy, in daily practice, can truly grant you peace of mind.
Is there a food that is both tasty and healthy? I do at least know I am beginning to experience a way of life that brings me joy by doing good.
—Reflection written in 3/2013
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