Exercise your spirit, and your body will follow suit Trigger Warning: This chapter touches on the topic of suicide
Every philosopher has their theory of how our world formed. Contemplating the nature of things is the core of any teaching, and Stoics also have a suggestion.
Stoic philosophers believe that everything in the universe consists of two things — cause and matter. The latter is inactive until someone sets it in motion, while the cause transforms matter into various products. Since art imitates nature, let’s consider the following example: a sculptor is a cause that turns matter (bronze) into a statue.
There’s been much debate on this topic, and while Stoics believe in one cause, other thinkers have added to the discussion.
Aristotle thinks there are three causes — the matter, the artisan, and the form; Plato adds the idea as another cause, and some question the purpose of discussing such issues.
However, Seneca explains that a wise person desires to investigate the world, partly to discover how to co-exist. Another reason for such curiosity is the sheer mortality of humans. While our bodies may feel the weight of time, our spirits remain ever-vibrant and free. Seneca strives to dismiss his body’s influence to connect with his “actual self” — the mind.
Seneca struggled with health issues in his childhood; he often had suicidal thoughts, with only his love for his father stopping him from acting on them. He recalls each day of living as an act of bravery. One thing saved him from his torment — Stoic studies. His hopeful thoughts and support from friends allowed him to return to good health, proving that a lively spirit benefits the physical body.
Drawing from Seneca’s resilience and strength, it becomes evident how crucial it is to rise above your pain without letting fears or past sorrows magnify it. Learn to find joy in your relief from hardship instead of fixating on old wounds. The feeling of freedom from pain will increase your strength and confidence.
⚡️The power of your mind can shape and redefine your circumstances.
Seneca has always championed the pursuit of knowledge. And with the whole wide world at your fingertips, learning has never been more accessible. Could the philosopher have imagined the opportunities we have to learn and teach now, 2000 years into the future?
Use what you can to improve the world with your insights; the world is your oyster!