Hello friends,
Around 2016 I found the Facebook EP group. At that time I was completely unaware of exactly what it was I was going to be getting into. I already believed I had a deep grasp of "philosophy"...specifically neoplatonic philosophy and a myriad of idealistic systems that ranged from the religious to the mystical. But I was unhappy with all of it.
I happened upon the Epicureans and their Garden. The Garden's walls were high, but there was a welcoming sign at the entrance.
So I went in and I listened and learned about a philosophy that I was completely unaware of. The people of the Garden were very passionate about the philosophy and their founder. I befriended some of the core members who let me into their circle. At that time I would've called myself an Epicurean.
I now saw the walls of the Garden from the inside and I welcomed new members as they crossed the threshold. I battled Stoics and religionists of all types, I had a penchant for Epicurean debate.
Time went on and I still carried with me my "former" ideas. Ideas about divinity, about religion, about metaphysics, about mysticism. Things I had picked up from those other systems. What I didn't realize was that when I tried to push the two worlds together, I became less Epicurean and more of an eclectic. My former religious guilt told me to leave the Garden. So after being graciously welcomed, I left the company of friends to re-pursue my former idealistic habits and religious speculations. I was now on the other side, yet again, of the Garden's Wall. The philosophy of Epicurus and the friendships that I had made still burned in me and I made several attempts to bridge the gap between my idealistic philosophical meanderings and the Epicurean community. All of which were mostly disastrous. In my experience, you cannot mix the two worlds and have a synthesized Epicurean philosophy.
In the time since I left, I would often fall back on my Epicurean experience and the philosophy I learned so much about. It seems that even though outwardly I had attempted to reject it, EP was securely now a part of my mental makeup.
Well here I am, reminiscing about the past, and now looking forward to the future. Do I now consider myself an Epicurean? Yes I do. Whether it is a label I give myself or one given by an outside observer, my sympathies and core philosophical doctrines fall back to Epicurus.
The walls of the Garden are high for a reason, they separate two worlds. Two very distinct worlds.
So you'll see me now on the inside of the Garden and I plan to be very, very active going forward as I once was years ago. I am yet again ready to "strike a blow" for Epicurus. 
