And now I have reached the point to which your patient waiting summons me. You must not think that our human virtue transcends Nature; the wise man will tremble, will feel pain, will turn pale, for all these are sensations of the body.
Where, then, is the abode of utter distress, of that which is truly an evil? In the other part of us, no doubt, if it is the mind that these trials drag down, force to a confession of its servitude, and cause to regret its existence.
The wise man, indeed, overcomes Fortune by his virtue, but many who profess wisdom are sometimes frightened by the most unsubstantial threats. And at this stage it is a mistake on our part to make the same demands upon the wise man and upon the learner.
I still exhort myself to do that which I recommend; but my exhortations are not yet followed. And even if this were the case, I should not have these principles so ready for practice, or so well trained, that they would rush to my assistance in every crisis.
Just as wool takes up certain colors at once, while there are others which it will not absorb unless it is soaked and steeped in them many times; so other systems of doctrine can be immediately applied by men's minds after once being accepted, but this system of which I speak, unless it has gone deep and has sunk in for a long time, and has not merely colored but thoroughly permeated the soul, does not fulfill any of its promises.
Where, then, is the abode of utter distress, of that which is truly an evil? In the other part of us, no doubt, if it is the mind that these trials drag down, force to a confession of its servitude, and cause to regret its existence.
The wise man, indeed, overcomes Fortune by his virtue, but many who profess wisdom are sometimes frightened by the most unsubstantial threats. And at this stage it is a mistake on our part to make the same demands upon the wise man and upon the learner.
I still exhort myself to do that which I recommend; but my exhortations are not yet followed. And even if this were the case, I should not have these principles so ready for practice, or so well trained, that they would rush to my assistance in every crisis.
Just as wool takes up certain colors at once, while there are others which it will not absorb unless it is soaked and steeped in them many times; so other systems of doctrine can be immediately applied by men's minds after once being accepted, but this system of which I speak, unless it has gone deep and has sunk in for a long time, and has not merely colored but thoroughly permeated the soul, does not fulfill any of its promises.
—from Seneca, Moral Letters 71
I notice how certain people have an almost violent reaction when I mention anything Stoic, and at first, I attributed this to their misapprehension that Stoicism is somehow cold and heartless. With time, however, I also sensed something else at work, a fear that they are being called out for their own moral failings.
I find it odd that those who freely reject virtue as the highest human good would be offended by a reminder of their actual priorities, but I suppose they still wish to retain the appearance of a conscience, even if they choose not to exercise it when the going gets tough. They grow angry because they sense a contradiction within themselves.
For myself, I find that I can no longer afford to hide my faults away, and while it may briefly cause me discomfort, I am increasingly grateful for the chance to learn about how I might become more genuine and sincere. I am not immune to the turmoil of the flesh, for there are still those parts of me that insist on remaining at war.
The body speaks its own language, and it expresses itself on its own terms; it does not, however, know what it does, or reflect upon why it acts, which remains the domain of the mind. I am mistaken if I blame my desires for my troubles, appealing to a creaky dualism as an excuse for my hypocrisy, since the problem is in the sleepy submission of my judgments to the impressions alone.
If I feel impatient with anyone who is struggling, I think of a time when I was helping an older Jesuit from Italy learn to read English. He stumbled over the simplest of words, and yet I understood that completely, since he was just a beginner at the task. I am much like that as well, when it comes to putting my character in charge of my appetites, which is a far more critical habit for any man to develop.
Now why do I maintain the right to cast aspersions on any fellow apprentice? Most of us are fumbling about, still trying to learn the ropes, and only a very few have attained the rank of master.
Good habits are acquired slowly, and bad habits have a stubborn way of sticking around after they are no longer welcome. It will be the shallow philosophies, which don’t even deserve the name, that will promise you instant results, while the sound principles, which completely rebuild the soul from the inside out, take their sweet time to seep in.
I must remain patient when attempting to thoroughly dye the cloth.
I notice how certain people have an almost violent reaction when I mention anything Stoic, and at first, I attributed this to their misapprehension that Stoicism is somehow cold and heartless. With time, however, I also sensed something else at work, a fear that they are being called out for their own moral failings.
I find it odd that those who freely reject virtue as the highest human good would be offended by a reminder of their actual priorities, but I suppose they still wish to retain the appearance of a conscience, even if they choose not to exercise it when the going gets tough. They grow angry because they sense a contradiction within themselves.
For myself, I find that I can no longer afford to hide my faults away, and while it may briefly cause me discomfort, I am increasingly grateful for the chance to learn about how I might become more genuine and sincere. I am not immune to the turmoil of the flesh, for there are still those parts of me that insist on remaining at war.
The body speaks its own language, and it expresses itself on its own terms; it does not, however, know what it does, or reflect upon why it acts, which remains the domain of the mind. I am mistaken if I blame my desires for my troubles, appealing to a creaky dualism as an excuse for my hypocrisy, since the problem is in the sleepy submission of my judgments to the impressions alone.
If I feel impatient with anyone who is struggling, I think of a time when I was helping an older Jesuit from Italy learn to read English. He stumbled over the simplest of words, and yet I understood that completely, since he was just a beginner at the task. I am much like that as well, when it comes to putting my character in charge of my appetites, which is a far more critical habit for any man to develop.
Now why do I maintain the right to cast aspersions on any fellow apprentice? Most of us are fumbling about, still trying to learn the ropes, and only a very few have attained the rank of master.
Good habits are acquired slowly, and bad habits have a stubborn way of sticking around after they are no longer welcome. It will be the shallow philosophies, which don’t even deserve the name, that will promise you instant results, while the sound principles, which completely rebuild the soul from the inside out, take their sweet time to seep in.
I must remain patient when attempting to thoroughly dye the cloth.
—Reflection written in 9/2013
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