Practice like a Stoic: 40, Focus on the mind-body connection

No, the Stoics were not dualists, and yet they were focused on the mind

Modified from an image at qbi.uq.edu.au

[This series of posts is based on A Handbook for New Stoics—How to Thrive in a World out of Your Control, co-authored by yours truly and Greg Lopez. It is a collection of 52 exercises, which we propose reader try out one per week during a whole year, to actually live like a Stoic. In Europe/UK the book is published by Rider under the title Live Like A Stoic.Below is this week’s prompt and a brief explanation of the pertinent philosophical background. Check the book for details on how to practice the exercise, download the exercise forms from The Experiment’s website, and comment below on how things are going. Greg and/or I will try our best to help out! This week’s exercise is found at pp. 237-238 of the paperback edition.]

“Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to the will, unless the will consent. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to the will. Say this to yourself at each event that happens, for you shall find that though it hinders something else it will not hinder you.” (Epictetus, Enchiridion, 9)

Could it be that Epictetus is assuming a dual nature of mind and body? It appears that he suggests a sharp distinction between “the will” and the body, almost as if he were talking about the rather mystical—and scientifically unfounded—concept of “mind over body.” But a little background knowledge of Stoic theory dispels this worry. The Stoics were thoroughly materialistic in their philosophy, believing that both mind and body are made of matter, and moreover, that everything in the universe is highly connected, including those two aspects of being human.