Epictetus says "No man is free who is not a master of himself."
Epictetus was a prominent Stoic philosopher whose life and teachings exemplified resilience,
self-mastery, and the pursuit of inner freedom.
Born into slavery Epictetus overcame his challenging circumstances to become a revered philosopher
and teacher, leaving a lasting legacy through his philosophical works and ideas.
Epictetus' journey from slavery to mastery is a testament to the transformative power
of philosophy.
He was owned by a wealthy Roman named Epaphroditus, who recognized Epictetus' intellectual potential
and allowed him to study philosophy under the tutelage of Musonius Rufus, another Stoic
philosopher.
Epictetus' education and exposure to Stoic teachings ignited a passion for philosophy
and personal development.
Upon gaining his freedom, Epictetus established a school of philosophy in Rome, where he taught
his own version of Stoicism.
Stoicism is a school of philosophy that emphasizes virtue, self-discipline, rationality, and
the pursuit of flourishing and fulfillment through the development of one's character.
According to Epictetus, real freedom is not just about being able to do what we want.
Real freedom is about taking control of our own thoughts and feelings.
He believed that true freedom comes when we're not relying on things like how successful
we are, how much money we have, or what other people think of us.
Instead, it's like freeing ourselves from being too attached to these outside things.
Epictetus said this kind of inner freedom is the most important kind of freedom, even
more important than just being free in a legal or external way.
In this video, we delve into four essential principles drawn from Epictetus' teachings
that guide us in nurturing inner freedom and developing independence from external circumstances
and judgments.
1.
Free your mind Epictetus once said: "Make the best use of
what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens."
Epictetus, who endured slavery, emphasizes that true freedom stems from the power of
our minds.
He presents this concept in his work "The Enchiridion" by skillfully differentiating
between things we can control and those that are beyond our reach.
According to Epictetus, unhappiness comes when we feel trapped by circumstances and
are unable to break free.
To avoid this, he suggests looking at life from a different perspective.
He says that all situations can be split into two groups: the things we can influence and
the things we can't.
The things we can't influence include events, situations, what others think, even our bodies.
But Epictetus believes the only area we can truly control is our inner world – our thoughts,
beliefs, attitudes, desires, and choices.
There are countless things we can't control that nonetheless affect us, so Epictetus emphasizes
that our real power lies in how we react to outside events, instead of trying to control
those events themselves.
For example, you can't control your boss's attitude at work, but it shouldn't affect
how hard you work.
By valuing your honest effort, external situations won't affect your determination.
Epictetus warns us not to rely too much on things outside of our control to decide how
we act.
Doing this can take away our real freedom and stop us from making choices on our own.
In summary, Epictetus is saying that true independence comes from looking inside ourselves
and using our minds to guide us, no matter what's happening outside.
This kind of freedom helps us stay calm and make our own choices, even when the world
around us keeps changing.
2.
Train your habits In the words of Epictetus: “Nothing is in
reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature but all things become so through habit.”
At first glance, the idea of habits being connected to real freedom might seem odd.
Habits often come across as repetitive routines that drain life of meaning.
Even the great French novelist Marcel Proust remarked that habits can hide the richness
of the world from us.
He hinted at how habits can trap us in a dull existence.
But when it comes to the Stoics, things take a different turn.
Epictetus viewed habits in a completely opposite light.
He saw habits as something powerful that shapes how we engage with the world and ourselves.
He compared it to learning to walk or run.
By doing these actions repeatedly, we get better at them.
Similarly, if you want to be good at something, make a habit of it.
And if you want to avoid something, replace it with a different habit.
This principle extends to our thoughts and emotions too.
If you let anger take over, you're not only experiencing that negative emotion, but you're
also making it a habit.
Conversely, if we practice responding calmly and rationally to challenging situations,
we create a habit of emotional self-control.
This habit becomes instrumental in attaining inner freedom by enabling us to detach from
immediate emotional impulses and make more deliberate choices.
Developing good habits isn't just about doing things; it means matching our actions with
what we truly believe and value.
This makes us feel really good inside and helps us find the real path to freedom.The
wise ideas of the Stoics come from an old Greek idea called "arete," which is about
being really good at what's important.
Epictetus believed that true freedom comes when we practice important qualities like
wisdom, courage, fairness, and self-control.
When you always do things that show these qualities, you feel balanced and calm inside.
It's like living exactly how you believe in your heart.
Put simply, understanding the right way to live isn't enough through contemplation alone
– you must put it into practice.
Integrating the cultivation of inner freedom into your everyday life is essential.
Freedom and rationality aren't bestowed upon you automatically; they are skills that you
hone through dedicated practice.
In essence, you must actively refine your innate abilities, as they won't manifest magically
without your personal endeavor.
Let's use a simple example: Imagine you often struggle to react calmly to things that happen
each day.
The Stoic advice is to spend some quiet time at the end of the day.
During this time, think about the important events that took place that day and how you
reacted to them.
Try to see if your behavior matches your values.
Consider what lessons you can learn from these events and write your thoughts down.
If you often find it hard to control your emotions and get upset easily, you could create
a habit of taking a pause after something bothers you.
Think about the situation before reacting.
Keep doing this, and you'll become better at making good choices, managing your desires,
and dealing with people.
For instance, imagine a colleague makes a rude comment at work.
Instead of getting angry right away, take a moment to step back.
Ask yourself why the comment bothered you.
Is getting upset worth it?
Maybe your colleague's comment wasn't about you.
They might be having a tough day.
Getting angry won't make things better.
After some thought, you could approach your colleague calmly.
You might say, "I noticed your comment earlier, and it made me uncomfortable.
Can we talk about it?"
By doing this regularly, you'll start to change how you react.
You'll get better at handling your feelings and making good decisions.
Epictetus believes that real freedom comes from changing yourself.
You can control your thoughts and your way of life.
Even though you can't control outside events, you can change your inner self and attain
true freedom through this transformation.
3.
Control your desires According to Epictetus "Freedom is not procured
by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.”
Epictetus believed that true freedom goes beyond mere external possessions or status,
it resides in the power of our minds to rule over our physical desires and material belongings.
Someone who possesses free will, regardless of their external circumstances, cannot be
considered a slave.
On the other hand, even someone who is legally free can be enslaved by their inner cravings
and passions.
Epictetus saw this duality in both our body and minds – they can either be free or imprisoned.He
cautioned against excessive wants and desires, which he saw as chains that bind our inner
selves.
Constantly chasing after material possessions or seeking approval from others could lead
to losing sight of what truly matters, thus becoming captives of our own desires.
Epictetus advocated for a different approach – one of embracing a frugal lifestyle, focusing
on what’s essential, and letting go of unnecessary wants.
By simplifying our desires and living within our means, we could liberate ourselves from
the relentless pursuit of material wealth and find contentment in the present.
Consider this scenario: Picture having tons of money, a huge house… all the latest gadgets:
Would you feel truly free?
Epictetus would argue that even with all these external things, true freedom might elude
you if you're always anxious about losing them or constantly craving more.
Instead, he suggested a different path – a path of simplicity and moderation.
By simplifying our desires and not constantly chasing after more, we can experience a unique
kind of freedom.
It's a feeling of contentment that comes from recognizing you have everything you need and
not being enslaved by unnecessary wants.
To illustrate this idea, let's meet two friends, Alex and Sam.
Alex is always in pursuit of the newest toys, gadgets, and clothes.
They dedicate a lot of time and energy to acquiring these things.
On the contrary, Sam finds happiness in the simple joys of life.
They cherish the time spent with friends, reading, and taking leisurely walks.
Sam doesn't feel compelled to constantly acquire new possessions.
As time goes by, Alex starts feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
The pressure to maintain their lavish lifestyle and accumulate more becomes a burden.
In contrast, Sam feels a sense of freedom.
They're not tied down by the need for the latest and greatest.
Their simple and meaningful life brings them contentment.
Epictetus would point out that Sam is experiencing genuine freedom.
By simplifying their desires and not falling into the trap of excessive wants, Sam has
found inner peace and independence from material concerns.
In essence, Epictetus teaches us that true freedom isn't about amassing possessions or
striving for societal recognition.
It's about finding happiness and contentment within ourselves, living a balanced life.
4.
Love your Fate In our final quote from Epictetus for this
video, he says “Do not seek for things to happen the way you want them to; rather, wish
that what happens, happens the way it happens: then you will be happy.”
In this quotation Epictetus states the inseparability of our state of happiness with accepting our
fate, letting things come and go.
Moreover, this acceptance is the cornerstone of our path to freedom.
In support of this paradoxical thesis, Epictetus once said: “A man’s master is
he who is able to confer or remove whatever that man seeks or shuns.
Whoever then would be free, let him wish for nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends
on others; else he must necessarily be a slave”.
As we talked about before, life has many aspects that we can't change or control.
When we put time and effort into changing them, it usually doesn't work, and we just
end up feeling frustrated.
But it's not a good idea to give up on life and stop caring just because of these things.
Some people think this way, like a poet named Heinrich Heine.
He said, "Sleep is nice, but death is even better.
Actually, the best thing would be if we were never born at all."
On the other hand, the Stoics have a very different point of view.
Of course, you can’t escape this chain of Fate, but struggle can cause only suffering.
However, you can reorient your perspective on this flow of events and reorganize your
inner response to it.
If you can’t change your Fate, you can try to embrace it!
This state of changing perspective on Fate is expressed in the Latin phrase “Amor Fati”
- literally “Love of Fate”.
The Stoics see Fate as an intelligent and purposeful universal law, embracing it through
understanding rather than effort.
They believe everyone, divine or human, is subject to this law, which is wise and ordered,
not random.
Contrary to sacrificing happiness and freedom to Fate, stoics find both within it, by connecting
to knowledge and understanding the universe's rationale.
This connection leads to authentic liberation, revealing that a mindful state of mind brings
profound freedom, even within a predetermined cosmic order.
In today’s world, it might sound weird to think that accepting Fate can make you free.
Many people don't want to accept things; they hope for better stuff.
We often feel anxious and think the world is unfair.
This makes us focus so much on our own worries that they become the only thing we see.
It's like we become slaves to our own anxiety.
According to stoicism, if you can see your hardships as good lessons it can help you
become calm and wise.
Imagine you lost your job and its left you feeling distressed and depressed, you could
wallow in your unhappiness or you could see it as a chance to rethink your career and
life.
Maybe there's something you've always wanted to do but couldn't because of that job.Stoics
also suggest keeping a diary where you ask yourself, "What can I learn from these events?"
This can help you see Fate as your teacher, not your enemy.
Now let’s imagine you didn't lost that job, but instead were stuck in it, despite hating
it.
You can keep feeling frustrated and let hate control you, or you can learn from it.
Maybe you'll find new skills or friends through that job.In short, Stoics teach us to love
Fate, learn from every experience, and stay calm even when things go wrong.
This can set us free from anxiety and make us wiser and happier.
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Thanks so much for watching.