Welcome to members of the Daily Kos Sangha* and all interested visitors who happen by.
Each of us has our own path; we come here by way of many different traditions, and of no particular tradition. While the language we use may differ depending on the traditions, teachers, practices, and teachings that have shaped our journeys, we find in common, generally, a search for who we truly are, our true nature, and to bring the peace and compassion born of that search into the greater world of which we area part. If you wish to share, or if you seek support, or if you simply want to say hello, please do, as this space is for you.
Over the course of my life and career, I have been influenced by the teaching of Epictetus, the Stoic philosopher who was born a slave. I backed into his teachings because of my interactions with Dr. Albert Ellis, the creator of Rational Emotive Therapy. RET is now called Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. If it can be summed up in one sentence, it is thus:
It is not the bad things that happen to you, but what you tell yourself about those bad things that make you crazy.
In his book, Courage under Fire: Testing Epictetus's Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior, Admiral James Stockdale credits Epictetus with helping him endure and survive seven and a half years as a POW in North Vietnam. He endured prolonged torture and four years kept in solitary confinement. When he finally returned home after the war, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage and refusal to break under torture. He attributed his survival to his reliance on the Stoic philosophy of Epictetus.
When he was shot down, as he ejected from his fighter plane, Stockdale says he reminded himself, "I'm leaving the world of technology and entering the world of Epictetus!"
Quoting Epictetus, James Stockdale concludes his book with:
“The emotions of grief, pity, and even affection are well-known disturbers of the soul. Grief is the most offensive; Epictetus considered the suffering of grief an act of evil. It is a willful act, going against the will of God to have all men share happiness.”
Epictetus influenced many philosophers and leaders who came after him, including Marcus Aurelius.
We will discuss those in a future edition of Sangha.
Nemaste
Peace this day, and every day.
Take this time to sit, and quietly take in your surroundings in a comfortable place.
Do not dwell on thoughts that enter your mind for long, as the need to empty the mind while sitting is what is to be realized, all the while concentrating on your breath: Breath in, and exhale out, and truly realize the moment of this time that is just for you, it is your place, your time, you are at home.
This is an open thread. Please add your thoughts, meditations, and reflections as you wish.
*Attribution: Creator of Dkos Sangha Weekly Thread, Brother “davehouck”.
