Wisdom 101: Ancient Lessons for Daily Life
Perennial Handbooks | Meditations, Sayings, and Habits
Welcome to Wisdom 101: An Introduction to Ancient Lessons for Daily Life. We hope these free resources (three ebooks) will provide a basic introduction to timeless principles and inspire you to continue your search for wisdom.
Part I — A Collection of Short Reflections
Whether we realize it or not, we all have a philosophy of life. We have perspectives on how the world works, principles (or ethics) we attempt to follow, and daily practices (or routines). These perceptions and beliefs consciously or unconsciously shape how we see and live in the world.
The philosopher Pierre Hadot wrote in Philosophy as a Way of Life,
“Philosophy deepens and transforms habitual perception, forcing us to become aware that we are perceiving the world, and that the world is that which we perceive.”
In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius highlighted this point, “If a person has the experience and a deeper insight into the processes of the universe, there will hardly be a phenomenon that does not appear to him, at least in some aspects, as pleasant.”
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Part II — 44 Short Sayings to Live By
It's been said, a timeless quote committed to memory can serve as a useful reminder on how to live the good life. In a letter to Lucilius, Seneca explained the path to wisdom was best traveled by acquiring one thing each day. Similarly, Zeno of Citium put it this way, “Well-being is attained little by little, and nevertheless is no little thing itself.” We can gain insights on a topic by exploring what others have already figured out.
Socrates illustrates the point here:
“Employ your time improving yourself by others’ writing, so you come easily by what others have labored hard for.”
There are endless questions to ask. What does it mean to be wise? How can one find happiness? What does it mean to be courageous? Great thinkers have been asking questions for thousands of years; we are wise to learn from their answers.
The Perennial Sayings ebook is by no means exhaustive and likely fails to include many important topics. However, I hope it provides a valuable starting point (or reminds) you of an insight that helps you in everyday life.
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Part III — 21-Day Guided Journal
“Let us examine, observe, and inspect our hearts, for we are our own greatest flatterers: every night, we must call ourselves to account,” advised Seneca. The ancient art of journaling helps us examine our past day's words and actions. Seneca asked Lucilius: “Why should we fear the sight of our own errors when we can admonish and forgive ourselves?”
An essential piece of philosophical journaling is the realization that we are not our past mistakes. It is within our power to forgive ourselves and within our power to learn, improve, and do better tomorrow.
At the heart of this ancient practice are questions. In Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote,
Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.
The wisdom of questions reveals itself across philosophical and spiritual traditions. Socrates stressed that questions teach us how to think. Einstein believed we should never stop questioning.
When it comes to the daily practice of journaling, thankfully, we don't need Socrates or Einstein to ask us questions. It is entirely within our control to start living the questions that truly matter to us.
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Final Thoughts
As you progress in your search for wisdom, keep these wise words in mind from Heraclitus: "Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character."
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Thank you for reading; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
JW