Dear Friends,
Welcome to Part IX of our course, Wisdom is the Way. Thus far, we discussed the wisdom of impermanence, connection, and not knowing. We explored principles to live by through the cardinal and theological virtues. We also learned about the importance of attention through the exercise The Art of Noticing.
Since we are at the midpoint of our course, it’s important to remember that the meditations and exercises discussed are part of a system or way of life. As a reminder, a philosophy of life generally consists of three parts: perspectives, principles (or virtues), and practices. You could think of these as legs on a stool; without all three, we don’t have a coherent way of life.
***As a reminder, you can find links to related meditations and podcasts at the end of each meditation!
The Art of Examined Living
What is the best way to live? Once we have an answer to this type of question (or adopt a way of life), we can begin living an examined life. Which is the only type of life “worth living,” at least according to Socrates.
“The examined life” is one of introspection or self-examination.
The American writer James Miller explains in Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche that the works of Quintus Sextius influenced Seneca to adopt his daily routine of introspective self-examination.
In Seneca’s words,
Sextius had this habit, and when the day was over and he had retired to his nightly rest, he would put these questions to his soul: What bad habit have you cured today? What fault have you resisted? In what respect are you better?
