Dear Friends,
Welcome to Part XIII of our course, Wisdom is the Way. Thus far, we’ve discussed the wisdom of impermanence, connection, and not knowing. We also explored principles to live by through the cardinal and theological virtues and learned about the art of noticing, examining, and mastery.
In last week’s meditation, we transitioned to practices (e.g., meditation, contemplation, journaling, etc.) and what it means to live a contemplative life. Today, we turn our attention to the philosophy of meditation.
As a reminder, you’ll find links to related podcasts and resources at the end of each meditation. Be wise and be well!
The Philosophy of Meditation
Attention, concentration, and awareness are consistent themes across philosophical and spiritual traditions. Meditation practices could be thought of as ways to cultivate these types of skills (or ways of being).
This meditation aims to introduce various practices and ways of thinking about meditation.
In his classic book Philosophy as a Way of Life (our book this month for Reading & the Good Life), the classical philosopher and historian Pierre Hadot explains meditation from a Western philosophical approach.
Hadot writes,
Of first importance is ‘meditation,’ which is the ‘exercise’ of reason; moreover, the two words are synonymous from an etymological point of view. Unlike the Buddhist meditation practices of the Far East, Greco-Roman philosophical meditation is not linked to a corporeal attitude but is a purely rational, imaginative, or intuitive exercise that can take extremely varied forms. It is the memorization and assimilation of the fundamental dogmas and rules of life of the school. Thanks to this exercise, the vision of the world of the person who strives for spiritual progress will be completely transformed.
“Why is there a need for meditation?” or “How does meditation connect with a philosophy of life?” you might ask.
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