Readings into Eastern quietist thought has lead me westward and into the amazing world of Hellenism. I've discovered Stoicism. Notably Epictetan Stoicism. One differentiates between what is 'up to you' and what is not up to you. In other words what you can control and what is out of your control. Stoicism suggests the what is in your control is a mere sliver of the whole, namely your own decisions, actions, volition etc - your desires and aversions. Your actions. All 'good' is to be found only within. What you tell yourself about events, and how you choose to react to them is where moral judgement should ultimately lie - events and situations are not good or evil in themselves.(thats dubious). Like Buddhism, the passions are to be snuffed out. Indifference to the external world is the key. That which is not up to you should be nothing to you. Perhaps this over-simple summation makes Stoicism seem severe, immoral and inhuman, as one delves further we discover a rigorous science in stoicism.
Official blog for Melbourne based (ex-New Zealand) recording artist Matt Middleton for the years 2010-2019
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