Posts by Kalosyni

Quote from Godfrey

. The Garden would have been a center for friendship as well as learning and practice.

I try to imagine what it would have been like!

And I also can see that it could be wonderful to re-create a modern Garden (or Gardens)...even a movement which would bring friendship and savoring life as the most important things, and work to overcome alienation, isolation, and consumerist over-consumption. And it would also be a place to examine and discuss the question of what makes a worthwhile enjoyable life.

Quote from Cassius

since all is done for the sake of pleasure.

And maybe to put it another way... for the sake of savoring and the enjoyment a life worth living?

I guess I still need to examine my personal hang-ups with the word "pleasure" that come from a protestant upbringing.

Quote from Godfrey

the Buddhist desire to get rid of desires

For me it seemed that in the Buddhism there is an attitude of acquiescing and accepting things as they are, and yet we are alive and have human needs.

This is where I find Epicurus to be of great help in that he has categories of needs - natural and necessary; natural and unnecessary; and culturally conditioned and fruitless.

And from what I understand human connection and friendship is both a natural and necessary need, which back in Epicurus' time was probably much easier to have fulfilled compared to our current times.

Thank you Cassius, and thank you for creating this amazing resource and forum!

My studies of Epicurus have just begun this summer, so I am just beginning to build knowledge and understanding. So far I've been reading what I can on the internet, poking around and seeing what I can find, which is how I found this forum. I soon hope to order DeWitt's book, thinking an actual physical book would be nice.

You wrote: "All of us who are here have arrived at our respect for Epicurus after long journeys through other philosophies,...".

And that is true for me as well. I studied Buddhist philosophy (many schools of Buddhism and different teachers) and also attended a Zen Buddhist group for a number of years. But I was not happy, and struggled with feelings of emptiness and dark thoughts. It's not enough for the mind to "try" to end suffering. One needs to actively cultivate happiness, and now it feels to me that Epicurus philosophy has a way for me to do so.

Having found Epicurus ancient philosophy, I feel like it has already helped me. I feel more hopeful. It is truly a gift to incline the mind toward pleasure and the goodness of life! Especially appealing to me is the emphasis on friendship in Epicureanism.

Thank you again for this place to connect with others who are interested in this philosophy!