[Practical Stoicism #18] Learn to see things clearly
Hi!
How are your New Year's resolutions holding up? Today is blue Monday for a reason; people realize they've not stuck to their goals, so they become depressed.
Goal setting is important in Stoicism. As Stoics, we work to limit our focus to only the things we can control. Everything that is outside our power should be left alone. This limiting of our focus is not always easy, as our automatic impulse is to change things we don't like.
To gain mental clarity, ancient Stoics came up with handy tools to guide our thinking. One of these tools is called the 'stripping' or 'physical definition' method. I describe this exercise in my most recent article titled A Practical Guide to Stoic Wisdom, but I want to use this space in the newsletter to dive a bit deeper than I did in the article.
A method to strip all mental labels
Even though we are capable of reasoning, we don't apply this skill to every impression we get. Most of our reactions are automatic, and we are mostly unaware of the unconscious beliefs that underlie them. To become better thinkers, we need to break through fixed thinking patterns.
When we see something, we tend to value it a certain way. This something can be an object, but also a person or a situation. The value we place on what enters our consciousness is mostly 'good' or 'bad'. In other words, we label what the object of our attention means to us.
But how can we label things that are outside of us? They don't depend on us, so why should we value them in a specific way?
The straightforward answer is: we shouldn't. Instead, we should train ourselves to refrain from putting a value judgment on everything. When something unfortunate happens to us, we do better at looking at the situation objectively. This way, we can keep our chill and handle the situation rationally.
Emotions play a significant role here. Because of our unconscious beliefs and the feelings they result in, we tend to label everything that happens around us. To step in at the right moment so we can prevent labeling, we need to train ourselves. How? One way is by applying the 'stripping method' to our impressions.
The stripping method is an exercise where you describe an object or situation only in observable terms. Some call it 'physical definition', as you are only allowed to explain things physically. Mental labels don't exist in the real world, so we cannot use them.
We can find this exercise in Marcus Aurelius's Meditations (3:11):
"To the stand-bys above, add this one: always to define whatever it is we perceive—to trace its outline—so we can see what it really is: its substance. Stripped bare. As a whole. Unmodified. And to call it by its name—the thing itself and its components, to which it will eventually return.
[...]
What is it—this thing that now forces itself on my notice? What is it made up of? How long was it designed to last? And what qualities do I need to bring to bear on it—tranquillity, courage, honesty, trustworthiness, straightforwardness, independence, or what?"
By describing objects and events only in visible terms, you give your labeling voice no chance to interfere. Of course, this is easier said than done. Emotions follow almost directly after automatic value judgments, and before you know it, you are taken over by your feelings. The trick is to steer clear of emotional labels and to limit yourself to what's real.
Why is this 'stripping' exercise important? Epictetus tells us in his Handbook (3):
"In the case of particular things that delight you, or benefit you, or to which you have grown attached, remind yourself of what they are.
Start with things of little value. If it is china you like, for instance, say, 'I am fond of a piece of china.' When it breaks, then you won't be as disconcerted.
When giving your wife or child a kiss, repeat to yourself, 'I am kissing a mortal.' Then you won't be so troubled if they are taken from you."
Life will kick you in the ass if you go unprepared. If you never think of what can happen to you, you will be caught off-guard when unfortunate things inevitably happen. That's why you need to keep reminding yourself everything is temporary, so you won't be distressed when you lose it.
Doing the physical definition is simple: When you notice you are affected by an object or situation, take a moment to think and ask yourself: "Am I adding something mentally?" Then, describe it only in observable terms.
Defining things objectively, you'll start to notice the things that you have to leave out. What you leave out is what you usually add as a price label. Without this value judgment, the unhelpful emotion will lessen or even disappear.
Let me know if this exercise is helpful, and what other practices you do to develop clear thinking.
Stoic wisdom around the web: Physical definition and other useful Stoic exercises for clear thinking
The Stoics III: Marcus Aurelius
This article is by a site called 'Philosophy for Kids', which makes the content super easy to digest. The author tells us a bit about the struggles Marcus Aurelius faced and how the stripping method helped him stay sane. The article also contains some other Stoic exercises, so definitely check it out.
10 Insanely Useful Stoic Exercises
For accessible content and exercises, it's always a good idea to have a look at Ryan Holiday's Daily Stoic. This article has 10 Stoic exercises, one of which is the stripping method. Ryan recommends we stop to ask ourselves two questions when faced with a tough situation:
"What value does this situation bring to everyone? You might be surprised at how many times the answer is "none"."
"What type of qualities does this situation require? If you have these qualities then great, if not then just think of this situation as a good chance to develop them."
Why not Stoicism?
Another gem by Massimo Pigliucci (where hasn't he published about Stoicism on the web?!), this time making a case for Stoicism and casually providing eight exercises to get started. I recommend you have a look at activities number 3 (stripping method), 4 (retreat into yourself), 7, and 8 (journaling).
See like a Stoic: an ancient technique for modern consumers
I like that this article approaches Stoicism from the view of a consumer. We often forget how our buying behavior affects others and the earth, so clear thinking is a welcome tool for change. The writer of this article explains the stripping method in detail and splits it up in 4 easy steps. Worth reading!