We can only guess why Epicurus chose to have the Garden in a private location (and not a public place like the Stoa). We can guess about the causes that lead Epicurus to decide to not teach in public, such as the controversial nature of some of his teachings. Another possiblity is that Epicurus was a HSP (20% of all people are).
It is very possible that at least 50% or more of us here on this forum have heightened senses and are highly sensitive people who at times experience sensory overload.
There are times I experience sensory overload in a noisy, crowded room. Also, I have noticed that I can often hear things (like alarms or a cell phone ringing off in a distant room, etc) that others are unable to hear. I am also sensitive to certain scents, usually ones that contain harsh chemicals or harsh perfumes in which the scent "hits me" over and over (it seems natural products don't bother me).
Here is very good article (link is inside the following quote) explaining that there are multiple reasons why sensory overload occurs:
What causes sensory overload?
The input from your environment doesn’t stop at your senses. Several areas of the brain process the sensations you experience. When this processing can’t keep up with new input, the result is sensory overload.
The reasons for this mismatch between input and sensory integration can vary. A busy environment might be the culprit. For example:
- The person experiencing the overload might be tired or hungry, so their brain circuitry might not work as well as usual.
- Some people’s neurology might be sensitive because of mental health conditions or medical issues.
Sensory overload activates a fight, flight, or freeze response in which you try to escape triggers. This is when you see signs like meltdowns in children and irritability in adults.
It’s more than just an aversion to loud noises. Sensory overload can affect any one of your senses, such as:
Read more about it here:
And here is another good one...I may have already posted about HSP's elsewhere, but posting about it again (link is inside the following quote):
A highly sensitive person (HSP) is a neurodivergent individual who is thought to have an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli.1 Some refer to this as having sensory processing sensitivity, or SPS for short.
While highly sensitive people are sometimes negatively described as being “too sensitive," it is a personality trait that brings both strengths and challenges.
The term highly sensitive person was first coined by psychologists Elaine Aron and Arthur Aron in the mid-1990s. Elaine Aron published her book, "The Highly Sensitive Person," in 1996, and interest in the concept has continued to grow since then.
Read more here:
We don't have any evidence that meditation was part of Epicurean practices. But I can completely testify that meditation has helped me deal with the internal feelings that arise during overload. If anyone struggles with this, I would recommend trying out a mindfullness meditation group (a group setting with a skilled meditation teacher is a must, for getting the most out of meditation and learning how to deal with this).
And most importantly never feeling guilty about enjoying quietude!
