The Barrow

I'm starting to wonder if I really am – strictly speaking – a stoic, or if I simply see the stoic methods as most effective in achieving other goals. This in fact begs another question: if I know that seeking something is the most sure way to never achieve it, and therefore do not seek it, in an effort to achieve it, am I then seeking it? This question has been stewing in my mind quite a lot lately as I read Seneca's letters.

To address the first question: Seneca, in his letters, makes it very clear he believes humanity should be living a very austere existence: letter XC in particular outlines a mythic age Seneca envisions in which humans simply... wandered around gathering food from the earth and sleeping outside, never giving a thought to improving their condition or on frivolities such as.... art. What then, is the point of these effective stoic methods of honing outselves into our best shapes to achieve our goals, when we then resign ourselves to the fact that we should achieve nothing? If we want for nothing, if we never endeavor to build or conquer, what then can be the point of human life?

To address the second question: these mythic philosophers Seneca envisions, who act with perfect discipline and submission to the natural order in all things, what are they expected to achieve with these powers? I am reminded somewhat of siddhi in dharmic tradition: supernatural powers cultivated by dedicated mystics through decades of asceticism and meditation. The caveat is that those who can achieve these literal magic powers are precisely those who would never use them. I do believe in siddhi, and I believe this is the case (the Dalai Lama, for example, maintains that he has met some ascetics who are capable of siddhi and frankly I believe him). This is not only true of great powers like siddhi but in fact echoes through all aspects of life: those who obsessively seek friendship, or power, or romantic relationships, are exactly those who do not receive them.

This seems to be one of the great mysteries and paradoxes of life.

Let us meditate on this.