Dear Friends,
Welcome to Part XI 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’ve also learned about the art of noticing and living an examined life.
Today’s meditation turns to the topic of mastery. Next week, we’ll transition to practices (e.g., meditation, contemplation, journaling, etc.).
The Art of Mastery
In a letter to his friend Lucilius, Seneca once remarked, “If one does not know which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” You could think about a philosophy of life as providing a direction or port. Our perspectives, principles, and practices guide us toward the type of life we actually want to lead.
But what happens when we veer off course?
In our first exercise, we discussed the art of noticing, which included being attentive or mindful of ourselves and the world around us. You could think of “noticing” as simply becoming aware that we’ve veered off course.
