Psychedelic Stoicism
Happy Friday!
I forgot to warn you last Friday, but this week is STOIC WEEK. Yes, that time of year when we all stop and stand directly in front of a wall for 7 days straight.
Run by various luminaries of the UK Stoic scene (there is such a thing), Stoic Week is a week of reading old dead guys and meditating on how our lives don't match up to our core beliefs. It's great.
Today's meditation is on the theme of community. Stoics believe that humans have an irresistible instinct for community - as fundamental to us as eating or breathing. (But breathing's another story...) And this community extends far beyond our family, loved ones and neighbours.
The Stoics firmly believe in the brotherhood of man: that every human being is biologically related, as brother and sister, and that we should treat each other as such. Indeed, we should use our favourite close relationships as models for how to behave towards the rest of mankind. (Yep, even towards those silly judges on the Bake Off.)
That's a pretty rad idea, and one of the many similarities that I see between Stoic thought and what I can only call psychedelic philosophy.
These thoughts are far from fully formed - I only made the connection in the sauna yesterday - but basically I think we need a school of Psychedelic Stoicism!
Where Stoicism tries to build a way of living based on logic, classic psychedelics tend to show you the way in a totally immersive alternate reality. But the way is the way, whichever signposts you follow. And I believe the two are complementary.
Take this quote from the Roman Stoic Emperor Marcus Aurelius:
But I have recognised ... the nature of the wrongdoer himself, and seen that he is related to me, not because he has the same blood or seed, but because he shares in the same mind and portion of divinity.
We were born for cooperation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of upper and lower teeth. So to work against each other is contrary to nature...
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2:1
These words capture the essence of a psychedelic experience: we all share in the same mind and portion of divinity. To work against each other is not only contrary to nature, but - as I remember from my experience last year - utterly absurd. I spent a lot of that trip in tears of laughter.
How ridiculous that we humans would ever dare to work against each other: we're fractions of the same whole, the same Nature. It's not simply that such behaviour would be chopping off our nose to spite our face; it's as ridiculous as believing that the Sun were "working against you" when it shines too brightly on your computer screen.
Silly humans.
If you want to read more about Stoicism, I've published four meditations on Meditations: Love, Change, Retreat, Indignation.
MINOR UPDATES
Wim Hof Method: A cold has set me back somewhat - contrary to some of the more colourful internet claims, the method will not give you an unbeatable immune system. Press ups have maintained around the 40 mark, although this morning I did 47. Breath-holds are stable around the 3.40 mark.
Psychology: I visited Sussex University earlier this week, for a chat about their Experimental Psychology masters programme. It's three years of undergrad work compressed into one, for a fraction of the cost. Makes me wonder why we bother with undergraduate degrees - why not wait until the mind is mature enough to apply itself work hard for something important?
INPUT
I got five on it.
SCIENCE: Psychedelics, Personality and Political Perspectives Nour et al (2017)
Lifetime psychedelic use (but not lifetime cocaine use or weekly alcohol consumption) positively predicted liberal political views, openness and nature relatedness, and negatively predicted authoritarian political views.CUISINE: Chips on the seashore at Brighton.
RADIO: The Mossad (2010) BBC Radio 4
QUESTION: Did the ancient Romans really only eat one meal a day?
OUTPUT
Faves from the Daves.
Meditations on Meditations: Love, Change, Retreat, Indignation (October)
"No one ever died while breathing". Psychedelic Breathwork with Alchemy of Breath (October)
The Most Living: Synopsis (October)
Wim Hof: The Cold is Our Teacher (September)
I leave you with a thought for the day from MARGE:
Do not waste what remains of your life in speculating about your neighbours, unless with a view to some mutual benefit. (Meditations 3:4)
Be excellent.
- dc
p.s. Life To The Lees: Cycling Around Britain is still merrily asale.
p.p.s. Oooh... You can forward this email to a friend!
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