The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life (23 page)

Follow the gods.143

is interpreted by Stoics to mean “Consent to Destiny.”

Marcus sometimes thanks the gods for their aid, but he withholds judgment about

whether they are capable of pity, for pity is a human emotion, which even humans should try to avoid. This requires some explanation, for as we will see, Stoic morality emphasizes altruism, but the Stoics argued that the
feeling
of pity clouds judgment. Those of the Porch are altruistic because it is right, not because they feel pity. Therefore, if the Stoic sage renounces pity, we should certainly expect the same of the gods. In any case, Marcus recommends that we not expect divine pity, but strive to deserve it:

Is Providence susceptible to pity?

Then make yourself worthy of divine assistance.144

Prayer also raises problems from a Stoic perspective, for if we think that by prayer we can cause Providence to change its direction, then that implies that the Universal Reason is not perfect. Either it was incorrect and was righted by the prayer, or it was correct and the prayer has diverted it from the right course. Thus Seneca remarks, “If divine majesty had done something that it later had to modify, it would be an affront and the admission of an error.”145 Nevertheless, communication is part of human nature and the most natural way we have of relating to other humans and to animals; therefore it is natural to personalize divinity and relate to it in this human way. When we look more closely at Hypatia’s philosophy, we will see that it has a better account of prayer and other spiritual aspects of philosophy.

The Discipline of Desire helps us to see that whatever I am experiencing was destined for me and that the entire cosmos is implicit in it. It also shows us that while we desire moral good and reject moral evil, and are indifferent to the rest, we should nevertheless love what occurs, for it is our destiny and the result of divine will. Epictetus gives a short prescription for tranquility:

Ask not that events happen as you will,

but will that they happen as they do,

and you shall have peace.146

the discipline of desire 111

Of course you cannot will specific event in advance, because you don’t know what will happen. But you can desire that Nature be in control and that she guide the universe in the best way. The specifics might not always be what you want from your more limited perspective, but you will have greater peace—and therefore be able to act more effectively—if you assume that whatever happened is the work of Providence. Follow the gods.

In each event in your life, whether big or small, you have the choice to interpret it as chance or destiny. If you decide it’s just chance, then try to be indifferent to it; it “just happened.” If you choose to interpret it as destiny, then you will want to understand what Providence or the gods have in store for you. As you will learn, the Third Degree of Wisdom is especially useful for engaging actively with Providence, but in the meantime you can notice
synchronicities
(meaningful coincidences) in your life, which are evidence of an overarching order in the cosmos and of the hand of Destiny in your life. You shouldn’t become superstitious, searching for meaning in every trivial, chance event, but if you are sensitive to the synchronicities, you will begin to discern your destiny.

A kind of cosmic consciousness results from circumscribing the self, concentrating on the present moment, consenting to the will of Nature in each moment, and recognizing that each event implicates the entire cosmos. As a result you may experience yourself as an integral part of the cosmos, a self-transcending experience, and more godlike. As the Discipline of Assent taught you the independence of your higher self from Fate, which is the first level of Stoic consciousness, the Discipline of Desire, with its consent to Destiny and reintegration into the cosmos, is the second level. These disciplines teach you how to apprehend reality and make your choices, but in the next chapter you will learn to use the Discipline of Impulse to act in harmony with Nature and Universal Reason.

Remember that these disciplines must be
practiced
in order to be effective. Reading about how to swim will not keep you from drowning unless you have practiced in the

water.

Assessing Your Progress
: Make a regular practice of assessing your progress toward the perfection of the sage. In which indifferent things are you confident of your

indifference? Which are you still inclined to judge good or bad? Remember, the

goal is progress, and some backsliding is inevitable. The Evening Examination

of Conscience discussed in Ch. 3 is a good mechanism for assessing progress.

Introduction

We come now to the third of the three disciplines of the Porch. The Discipline of Assent teaches you to see things in their naked reality without attaching habitual value judgments.

The Discipline of Desire shows you that your only desire should be to act virtuously, for this desire can always be satisfied, and that you will be more serene if you accept circumstances as the will of the gods. Practice of these disciplines reprograms your attitudes toward life, but they don’t teach you much specific about how to act virtuously. This is the purpose of the Discipline of Impulse. We begin with the Stoic conception of human nature, for like the Epicureans the Stoics have a theory of human nature, but it is more refined than that taught in the Garden. This will lead us to three criteria for being a good human being. The first criterion is social and addresses our duties to other people, including friends and foes. The second teaches us how to accommodate the imperfections of the real world to treat people with justice. The third shows us how to act wisely by accommodating ourselves to Fate and recruiting all circumstances to our moral purpose. We wrap up the Second Degree of Wisdom with a summary of its disciplines and how they embody respect for Nature. So let’s get going!

Action and Nature

The Porch can be considered a sort of golden mean or middle way between the asceticism of the Cynics and the disengaged serenity of the Garden. Whereas the basic Epicurean attitude is relaxation, the basic Stoic attitude is tension or vigilance: constant monitoring 113

114 the discipline of impulse

of your inner discourse, your desires, and your intentions to act so that they accord with Nature. With practice this vigilance becomes habitual and creates the foundation on which Hypatia’s spiritual practices are built.

Marcus and Rusticus are leaning on a palace balcony, watching the busy crowds in

the Roman forum.

“This constant vigilance sounds like a great burden,” Marcus sighs.

“It’s not so onerous as it sounds,” Rusticus replies. “While living the authentically human life requires assessing each moment in its totality and acting with your whole soul, this is a source of joy. Remember:

Salvation in life depends on examining everything

in its entirety and its reality,

what is its Matter and its Cause;

and with all your soul to do justice and to speak the truth.

What remains except to enjoy life

by joining one good thing to another

so as not to leave even the smallest gap between?147

“We should minimize frivolous or pointless activities and treat each moment as

though it is our last, as indeed it might be, since we can suffer a heart attack, a stroke, or something similar at any time.

This is the mark of perfect character:

to pass through each day as though it were the last,

without agitation, without torpor, without pretense.148

“This is accomplished by constant attention to your actions:

In every action ask yourself:

How does this affect me? Shall I regret it?

A little time, and I am dead, and all is gone.

What more do I seek,

if my present work is that of an intelligent and social being,

one under the same law as God?”149

Marcus asks, “What is this law, which such intelligent and social beings should use

to guide their behavior?

the discipline of impulse 115

“Our goal is to act in accord with Nature, but we have four natures: universal, veg-

etative, animal, and human.

“Our
universal
or
common nature
is what we share with all other things in the universe, for we are bound by common laws. Acting in accord with universal Nature,

means accepting Destiny or Fate, about which I’ll have more to say later. We must act in accord with this common nature, but not if it worsens our higher nature, our more characteristic or specific natures.

“Our
vegetative nature
is what we share with all other living things, which includes metabolism and the capacity to reproduce. Therefore we have to nourish ourselves,

avoid getting too hot or cold, and do other things to preserve life, but not if it worsens our nature as a rational animal.

“We share our
animal nature
with all other animals, and it includes our faculties for perception, mobility in the world, and our ability to remember, learn about, and adapt to our environment. It includes our abilities to seek food and to protect ourselves, and to cooperate and compete with others of our kind. We must live in accord with our

animal nature, but not in such a way that it prevents our ability to act as humans.

“Finally should live in accord with our
human nature
, that is, with the capacities most characteristic of human beings. This includes our consciousness, ability to reason, self-reflective capacity, and human culture. Remember:

For a rational being,

the same act is according to nature

and according to reason.”150

In modern terms, all living things must take appropriate actions in order to survive as individuals and as species. However, what other living things do naturally, that is, largely auto-matically and involuntarily, we do by decision and choice, but this is in fact our nature. This ability makes our behavior flexible and adaptable, but it also gives us the unique ability to choose inappropriate actions, to act against our nature. Thus ethics is an issue for humans much more so than for other animals (some of which also have to learn appropriate behavior, but to a lesser degree than humans).

“How can we act in accord with human nature?” Marcus asks.

“We Stoics say that you should choose actions that are socially motivated, take ac-

count of worth and justice, and make exceptions for Fate. These are the Three Criteria of the Discipline of Impulse, and I will explain each in turn.

116 the discipline of impulse

Criterion I, First Standard: Altruism

Rusticus continues. “We can begin with the social criterion and those natural ten-

dencies common to all humans beyond the behaviors necessary for survival as living

beings. These include our inclinations to form enduring pair bonds; to mate and have children; to love our children, parents, siblings, and other kin; to associate with other people in a community; to cooperate in group activities; to compete for authority; and so forth. I am not trying to give you a complete list, but only an indication of the sorts of inclinations common to all people. To the extent these things are out of our control, they are indifferent, neither good nor evil. Nevertheless, they are part of human nature, and so our moral purpose—which is in our control—should take them into account.”

The notion of human nature is slippery and somewhat treacherous, since it can be used as an excuse for undesirable and unphilosophical behavior: “It’s just human nature to be greedy, cruel, egotistical, deceitful, whatever.” The discipline of evolutionary psychology is beginning to offer a scientific understanding of human nature, but here it is sufficient to take a common sense view, and subject our intentions and actions to the Discipline of Impulse.

Fundamental to the philosophy of the Porch is the observation that human beings

are social creatures, and therefore that the domain of appropriate action is social. Marcus regularly reminds himself that rational beings (humans) are made for each other’s sake, as expressed in these maxims:

The rational being is also a social being.151

The prime principle in human constitution is social obligation.152

There is a deep basis for this community of humankind, for just as there is a “soul”

(the Logos) common to everything, there is a more particular soul common to all humans.

Here we see an application of the Stoic doctrine of the interconnectedness of everything, of which the interconnectedness of all people is an aspect. Marcus says that just as the light of the sun, although interrupted by walls, mountains, and many other things, and apparently broken up into parts, is nevertheless one, so also in the cosmos there is one substance, one soul, and one rational principle binding everything together.153 We all share a common human nature.