Don’t Let Unpleasant Feelings Control Your Mind
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker’s weekly dive into the pool of stoic wisdom and how you can use its waters to meditate and improve your life.
This week’s entry belongs to my main man, Marcus Aurelius. This quote from the book Meditations is one of many times Aurelius writes about the concept of overcoming pain and other unpleasant sensations:
“Whenever you are in pain, be prepared to think that pain is a moral evil and does not harm your guiding mind: pain cannot harm either your rational nature or your social nature. In most cases of pain, Epicurus’s dictum should also help you: “Pain is neither unbearable nor endless as long as you remember its limits and do not exaggerate it in your imagination.” Remember, too, that many things we find unpleasant are unrecognized analogues of pain — for example, drowsiness, intense fever, loss of appetite. So when you find yourself complaining about any of these, tell yourself, “You succumb to pain.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.64
Another translation:
“In all pain, allow this thought to be present, that there is no dishonor in it, and it does not impair the governing mind, since it does not harm the mind to the extent that the mind is reasonable, nor to the extent to which it is social. Indeed, in the case of most suffering, let this observation of Epicurus help you that “pain is neither unbearable nor eternal if you remember that it has its limits, and if you add nothing to it in your imagination”: and remember it is too. that we do not notice that many things that we dislike are similar to pain, such as excessive sleepiness, burning from heat, and lack of appetite. When you are unhappy with any of these things, tell yourself that you are giving in to pain. ” – Marcus Aurelius, Reflections 7.64
What does it mean
Physical pain, drowsiness, hunger, heat, cold, and other uncomfortable or unpleasant feelings should be separated from your rational mind and spirit. Basically, just because you feel something that you don’t like doesn’t mean that it is all you should focus on. Aurelius reminds us that these different versions of “pain” can and should be tolerated, and that these sensations do not last forever. So don’t exaggerate their impact. In general, don’t make an elephant out of a fly.
To be honest, this is actually a riff of the old saying of Epicurus (quoted in the quote), but it’s a good variation. Aurelius believed in the duality of mind and body; two separate things that work together in harmony. In this case, he encourages you to remember this whenever you feel uncomfortable. Just because you feel something physically doesn’t mean you have to let it infect your mind.
What to take from there
In fact, this is your basic approach “reason more important matter” or something , that some might call “psychological stability”. When you feel like your attitude, behavior, or intelligence is influenced by simple physical sensations, tell yourself that “you are giving up.” When you realize that you are letting your discomfort rule you, you can stop it and regain control of your mind.
Of course, this does not mean that you should not do things that make you uncomfortable. You don’t have to smile and endure pain “just because”. It’s about self-awareness and it’s often necessary to be reminded that whining, complaining, and nibbling at others is not beneficial to anyone, no matter what state you’re in. punching the pillow. When you feel tired or hungry, there is no point in grumbling with those close to you. And when you are cold, there is no point in complaining about it endlessly. Go put on the damn jacket. Be strong, learn to endure and let your mind stay in charge.