The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life (24 page)

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Like an organism’s body, humankind as a whole can be considered an organized, mu-

tually interdependent system of organs or members. Each part contributes to the proper functioning of the whole, and thereby benefits itself. This is an important Stoic metaphor.

I am a member of the organism of rational beings.154

It is part of the function of a foot, for example, to be walked upon, and as part of that activity to get muddy and to step on thorns. Epictetus quotes Chrysippus, who said that if a foot had the power of thought, it would want to get muddy, for it is thus fulfilling its proper function, and so also should we welcome the circumstances of our lives, even illness and hardship, if it is our individual destiny (the Discipline of Desire).155 In some cases the foot might even have to be amputated for the good of the body.

Both Epictetus and Marcus remark how grotesque it is to see a detached body part,

such as an amputated foot.156 Separated from the body, it is unable to perform its natural function for the body, or to survive isolated from the body’s lifeblood. However, unlike body parts, we have freedom, and so we may choose to separate ourselves from the body of humanity, neither benefiting from its support nor fulfilling our natural function; that is, we have the freedom to act unsociably. However, the miraculous thing is that we, unlike detached body parts, can choose to reunite ourselves with the greater whole and resume our proper role.

For the Stoic sage altruism is its own reward, for the sage is acting in accord with authentic human nature.

Are you not content

when you have done something in harmony with nature?

Does the eye demand a reward for seeing,

or the feet for walking?157

Therefore the Emperor reminds himself (and us) to think:

Have I done something for the general interest?

Well then I have my reward.

Let this be always present to your mind,

and never grow weary.158

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Indeed, ideal sages will help others spontaneously and unselfconsciously, since that is their natural function, which they fulfill as naturally as the foot does its function, as naturally as bees produce honey, and vines produce grapes.

A person who has done a good act

does not call out for others to come and see,

but goes on to another act,

as a vine goes on to produce again the grapes in season.159

Philosophers who are not perfect sages, however, will have to devote some conscious

attention to acting philosophically until it becomes a habit. This is in fact the Discipline of Impulse.

What does this mean for you? You probably know that in a healthy ecosystem many

species—animals, plants, and microorganisms—exist together in a thriving community,

cooperating and competing with each other. While no individual is essential, they all contribute to the health and vitality of the ecosystem, and in turn benefit from it. You can apply the philosophy of the Porch by thinking of humankind and yourself in the same way.

Imagine the whole of Nature and see the contribution you are making, but also the myriad ways that you benefit from others, nonhuman as well as human. This does not imply that you should passively accept your current place in life. Your destiny may lie elsewhere. Keep your eyes open for the signs and seize the opportunities. (More systematic techniques for discerning your destiny are taught in the Grove; we’ll be there soon!)

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The Body Politic
: Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Imagine society as a huge person or other animal. Watch it going about its business, look-

ing for food and shelter, defending itself, getting sick or wounded and then

healing, and so forth. When you have a clear image of this living
body politic
, then become aware of its myriad parts, its members and organs. Next imagine yourself as one small part of the body politic (e.g., a finger, a muscle, the

tongue, a tooth, the stomach, a gland, an eye, a bit of cortex); if you like, pick

a part that has a similar function to your occupation. Some parts are more

important than others, but all have their functions, and few are indispensable.

Now imagine that your part is cut from the body politic and placed beside it.

Picture your part on the left and the injured body on the right. First notice how

the body is disabled by your part’s absence: it might be partially blind, sick,

weak, or disabled in some other way. Now turn your attention to your part,

lying separate from the body. Notice its uselessness on its own; it is just a piece

of flesh or bone. And soon, separated from the lifeblood of the body, it will die

and begin to rot. It is no better than garbage, medical waste. Feel the urgency

of the situation, and like a surgeon reattaching a severed limb, imagine your

part being put back into its place in the body. Feel the rejuvenating lifeblood

flowing back through your part as it is reattached to the neighboring tissues.

As life returns, feel the growing urge to resume your function in the body, to

make it complete and fully abled. Finally, allow yourself to rest content as a

fully reintegrated part, both benefiting and benefiting from the body politic.

Record in your journal any insights that you receive.

Criterion I, Second Standard: Difficult People

You must deal especially with the imperfection of others, for that too is part of human nature, a consequence of our freedom and limited knowledge and capacities. For example, Marcus advises that when you are offended by someone’s obnoxious behavior, you should say to yourself,

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Is it possible that there should be no shameless people in the world?

It is not possible.

Do not, therefore, require what is impossible.160

This affirmation (which does not excuse their behavior) helps you to deal with igno-

rant, dishonest, and uncooperative people. As emperor, Marcus had to deal every day with many of them, probably more than most of us do. Therefore he practices the following exercise, which is worth quoting in full:

Begin the morning by saying to yourself: I shall meet with the busybody, the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial. All these things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good and bad. But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is virtuous, and the nature of the bad that it is vicious, and the nature of him who does wrong, that it is akin to mine, not only of the same blood or seed, but that it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of divinity, I can neither be harmed by any of them, for no one can make me vicious, nor can I be angry with my brother, nor hate him.

For we are made for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of upper and lower teeth. To act against one another then is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.161

Stoics, Epicureans, and Platonists all traced their philosophical descent from Socrates, the preeminent Greek sage, who taught that people are bad only through ignorance; if they truly understood themselves and the world, they could not avoid being good. Referring to Plato, the philosophers of the Porch asserted:

“No soul is willingly deprived of truth.”

And it is the same with justice, moderation, loving-kindness, and all the like.

It is essential to keep this ever in mind,

for it will make you gentler towards all.162

When we think of willfully ignorant people, of liars, cheats, and criminals, of abusers, exploiters, and exes, of rapists, murderers, and terrorists, we may smile at Socrates’ apparently naïve optimism, but there is much of value in this view. Fundamentally, everyone (I will admit a very few exceptions) wants similar things: peace, freedom, material comfort, security, love, a better future for their children, and the like. If you ask political opponents, religious fanatics, or even terrorists, they will agree with everyone else on basic wishes the discipline of impulse 121

such as these. Where we disagree is on the exact form these desires take and on the means to satisfy them. There are very few irremediably evil persons, but there are very many confused, thoughtless, irrational, ignorant, emotionally disturbed, and opinionated people, who may be swayed easily by others. Moreover, intelligent, educated, and thoughtful people can dig themselves into their own cognitive holes, which may be very deep and difficult to escape. What can we do?

Think about the people you most love to hate (for example, a political party, occupation, or religious group). Of course they think they know the truth. Just ask them! Usually they also have specific ideas about justice and injustice. Some of them might not seem interested in moderation, but the Greek word I have translated “moderation” means “knowledge of the good to be chosen and the evil to be avoided.”163 That’s exactly the knowledge that the folks in the “other” political party or “other” religion say they have. Often they also claim lovingkindness and the like, but we might not think they show much of it.

By acknowledging that all people are fundamentally alike in their basic needs and desires, we open the way to resolving our difficulties without the use of explosives. If we can grant this common human nature, then we can begin to address the different ways we

interpret such words as freedom and justice, and to resolve our disagreements about how to achieve them. Our common goal should be the best understanding of truth, goodness, freedom, and justice, which was precisely the goal of ancient philosophy. Therefore, the sage’s first obligation to bad people is to try to teach them. You may say to yourself or to them:

Not so, my friend.

We are constituted by Nature for something else.

I shall certainly not be injured,

but you are injuring yourself, my friend.164

You will not be injured because you have learned to suspend the judgment of injury,

to which you should be indifferent. As one of my favorite maxims from the emperor says:
Set aside the judgment, and you set aside “I’ve been harmed.”

Set aside “I’ve been harmed,” and you set aside the harm.165

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On the other hand, the bad person has injured them self in the only way possible,

by incorrect moral choice. Therefore, Markus reminds himself to explain specifically but compassionately how their action goes against human nature and their own good.

If someone is mistaken,

instruct him kindly and show him his error.

If you are not able to do this, blame yourself,

or blame not even yourself.166

That is, assume the person is wrong through ignorance and try to correct them. If you are unsuccessful, then give them the benefit of the doubt and assume the fault lies with your instruction. Or, if you have done your best, consent to a failure that was destined.