Daily life of ancient Epicureans / 21st Century Epicureans

Quote from Robert

As 21st-century Epicureans, how do you integrate it into your daily life? Is there any particular structure or set of practices involved?

Robert that is an interesting question. For myself, it is reading/study (online or books) and contemplation of the ideas and how to apply them to my own life.

Perhaps Eikadistes may have something to share in regard to that.

I don't think of myself as having particular structure, but in my case I am pretty much constantly working with this website and reading and studying the texts and thinking of new ways to present it and talking to people about it. I suspect that the normal days of Lucretius or Diogenes of Oinoanda or Philodemus would have been pretty similar. The word "ritual" evokes a lot of both positive and negative connotations given the way we think of rituals working in the standard supernatural religions, and I tend to avoid those personally.

The most on-point advise that I recall is:

VS41. We must laugh and philosophize at the same time, and do our household duties, and employ our other faculties, and never cease proclaiming the sayings of the true philosophy.

To me, this kind of approach means that everything you do is folded into the master plan of living happily according to Epicurus' worldview, but on the other hand almost nothing you do is hard-wired to a particular absolute "ritual," because that's not the way life is - you're always adjusting to circumstances to produce the best result. You're either living by Epicurean ideas consciously and intentionally moment by moment, or during those deviations you're not really living by Epicurean ideas at all, no matter what "ritual" you might be engaged in.

Robert, your question makes me wonder how I might incorporate some aspect of Epicurus' general guidance into my daily life.

I interpret what I have learned so far from Epicurus is that he essentially says something like; here's my idea of how people live life to the fullest; pursue happiness and avoid unhappiness. Do this by asking if some activity gives you pleasure (or the promise of pleasure) or does it reduce mental or physical pain (or promise to do so)

Fortunately he didn't lay out rituals, unless it is an admonition to think about the consequences of your natural desires and actions either beforehand or afterwards.

So, looking at one of the Vatican sayings: VS71. Question each of your desires: “What will happen to me if that which this desire seeks is achieved, and what if it is not?” simply requires I create a daily/weekly/monthly practice to ask myself that question. Whether that becomes my personal "ritual" to live a happy Epicurean life remains my task.

I should have added that early in my study I printed out some pictures, worked on some 3d busts, etc. I never graduated to ring or pendants but those are good too, ieth the basic idea that its a good think to have occasional reminders in your surroundings that the philosophy is more than just an idea but that real people - lots of them - engaged in it too in the past, and you can be a part of that self-chosen group no matter how distant. I like thinking that I am part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Quote from Kalosyni

Quote from Robert

As 21st-century Epicureans, how do you integrate it into your daily life? Is there any particular structure or set of practices involved?

Perhaps Eikadistes may have something to share in regard to that.

Most definitely! More than just passing curiosities, the teachings of the Garden provide practical guidance so we can confidently respond to the obstacles that characterize daily life:

"We must simultaneously laugh and philosophize and manage a household and administrate the economic affairs and never let go of the language of the true philosophies." (VS 41)

(1) Memorizing and reciting the Doctrines, and parts of the Epitomes are prescribed spiritual practices from the Hegemon. A few random, but specific examples I can think of:

• You can't have permanently "bad luck". It's not like there's a supernatural STD...
• Forgive yourself for anger, but restrain yourself against rage.
• FDR took this one, but, literally: the source of the worst turmoil is "the fears themselves".
• "What Would Epicurus Do?" Our acronym "SFOTSE" essentially conveys this idea.
• There is no "Perfect State". Your historical fears are comparatively normal. Breathe.
• WHEN you get stressed working in an artificial climate, go take a breather outside.
• Don't eat alone. (You're not a rogue tiger; no need to cosplay as one).
• Try to make friends with everyone you can. If you can't, do your best to avoid them.
• Make the most of the time you're given (thanks, Gandalf). You only live once.

I'm just paraphrasing, but the sources of those statements help us focus on the most important things, spiritual/intellectual tools. Along those lines, he specifically calls 1-4 the "most important".

Incidentally, Philódēmos calls Doctrines 1-4 the "most important", and preserves them in his proverbial "Tetrapharmakos", a recipe to prepare a person for the blessed life. It contains a short list of ingredients: recognition that life is a product of nature, acceptance that we only live once, assurance that life is worth living, remembrance that terror is temporary; pleasure is inevitable.

That last one is actually really helpful in dealing with turmoil (that 4th doctrine), that pain is temporary. For me, it's a kind of spiritual mantra akin to "All Things Must Pass". No matter how bad things get, you're one step closer to the pleasurable goal of life. Even facing terminal conditions, as long as we still have awareness, we have power over our ability to choose to try to be chill.

So, I do actually flip around the Tetrapharmakos in my mind, along with a few memorable sayings.

They also really come in handy for discussions. Epíkouros provides us with some really great quips that immediately address a handful of very popular, very intellectually-lazy beliefs that are rearing their heads in the maze of a society consumed with media and technology. The bubbles of some of these ideas can be easily popped by posing things in an Epicurean light. For example:

• "You saw a ghost"? Tell me, what exactly does a "bodiless body" look like?
• "The world isn't real?" How exactly are you walking on "immaterial material"?
• "You don't believe your eyes?" What sense can you have without your senses?

Anyway, memorizing lines, propositions, and key points, like mantras, is a large part of the practice. In this group, I'd include anything related to capturing a higher resolution picture of the philosophy through studying ancient history, economics, or anything that helps advance your personal study.

(2) Then there are the gatherings. Like you mentioned, Eikas is the unifying one, but there are also holidays. As it turns out, celebrating one's birthday was not a common practice in ancient Greece, but was, at least, for a period, seen as a Persian import. Epíkouros prescribed the celebration of his own birthday, and observed celebrations for each of his family members, and his best friends, so the notion of having personal celebrations (which we commonly do as "Birthdays"), is categorically Epicurean. It's sort of a "gimme" in our culture, because of the coherence, but it is also on point.

We recognize major life events with feasts and celebrations, just like any other tradition. Weddings and funerals are universal, and we each co-opt them with our preferred spiritual flavor. There isn't, necessarily, a prescribed "New Human in the Community" ritual for Epicureans, though I'm not opposed to it (I mean something like a secular baptism). We don't have any specific

(3) Any kind of liberatory practice (like offering libations at the beginning of Eikas to the kathegemones) falls in this category. Maybe this comes in the form of setting aside a personal tithe, or donating. We support medical research efforts that will contribute to providing future cures for illnesses that affected our loved ones, and all of this is contextualized in a belief that reality is knowable, science if advanceable, cures are discoverable, and the one life each generation receives can be improved, so long as we all agree to abandon superstition and magical thinking.

Those are fairly ubiquitous practices that aren't specific to Epicureans, but, even if the currents of our culture shifted directions, I would still abide by these behaviors, to some degree.

(4) Ancient Epicureans made art and jewelry in the name of the tradition, and many of us here (check out Bryan's latest post for a perfect example) follow suit. I'm don't usually wear rings and necklaces, but I own a few t-shirts with the Hegemon's head, magnets, and other decor. That's a little more on the peripheral side of the art, and less to do with spiritual practice, but it still comes from a place of reflection and devotion and, I believe, let's us have our own historical expression to demonstrate the sort of experience we are having with the tradition in this period.

I've also got a few Epicurean tattoos. Just another example in the category of spiritual devotion.

Quote from Cassius

everything you do is folded into the master plan of living happily according to Epicurus' worldview

I think Cassius really nails the main point, which is that everything we do, as a result of these deeply-help philosophical positions, is affected, guided, and directed by those beliefs. Otherwise, our lifestyles are all essentially the same. Most of us are paying too much for eggs, and burning more petroleum than we thought we would, and spending our days replacing tires and tying trash bags. It's usually only when it comes to Death, or something heavy, that the rest of the "religious crowd" properly invokes their religious identity. Otherwise, we're trying to find new places to put our plastic, convincing ourselves we're eating right, and consuming entertainment.

There's also another important - but a little less pleasant to discuss - side of things. Not everyone in this world is, or wants to be, or is going to be your friend. Nor are you going to succeed in making them so, no matter how you might try to do so. Epicurean philosophy teaches you to be aware that many contentious issues such as supernatural gods and life after death are not just neutral, take-it-or-leave-it, or compromisable issues.

One analogy I think I can make without offending anyone is as to cigarette manufacturers, who apparently at this point in history are acknowledged to have made their products more addictive even while knowing that they were deadly. Without harping on one example, I think there are plenty of instances where we have to recognize that not everyone is supportive of everyone else's best interests (to say the least). Epicurean philosophy teaches you to immunize yourself against many impositions by giving you a basic orientation toward the universe that helps defeat those negative forces in life.

That's a huge point, and arguably in the ancient Epicurean calculus of higher priority even than identifying happiness as your goal. The major doctrines all fit together logically, hand in glove, but the first and second most important doctrines on the list are telling you to first and foremost watch out for those who would manipulate you with bad motives.

That's an attitude toward the world that needs to be constantly a part of how we live our daily lives, and I consider it along with the swerve free will / personal responsibility) to be one of the most distinctly Epicurean characteristics.

Exhibit A to my last post. If anyone wants to comment on it I'll crosspost this to physics, but the number of similar articles is innumerable and this is of note only because it's new. These guys have been organized for 2000+ years and the drumbeat never stops - so neither can our organizing an immunization.

Quote from Cassius

Epicurean philosophy teaches you to immunize yourself against many impositions by giving you a basic orientation toward the universe that helps defeat those negative forces in life.

There are so many things that are part of common culture that have nothing to do with a living a pleasant, pleasurable, and "blessed-as-if-living-like-the-gods" life -- and they are all just "empty opinion" (I'm especially talking about what we buy, and what we think we should buy, based on what everyone else is doing - food, clothing, home decor, etc.

Quote from Cassius

the first and second most important doctrines on the list are telling you to first and foremost watch out for those who would manipulate you with bad motives.

Which doctrines are you referring to?

Rolf

PD01. The blessed and incorruptible nature knows no trouble itself, nor causes trouble to any other, so that it is never constrained by anger or favor. For all such things exist only in the weak. ^[1]

PD02. Death is nothing to us, for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.

Quote from Rolf

Quote from Cassius

the first and second most important doctrines on the list are telling you to first and foremost watch out for those who would manipulate you with bad motives.

Which doctrines are you referring to?

Quote from Cassius

Rolf

PD01. The blessed and incorruptible nature knows no trouble itself, nor causes trouble to any other, so that it is never constrained by anger or favor. For all such things exist only in the weak. ^[1]

PD02. Death is nothing to us, for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.

And to add to what Cassius said, more specifically referring to those who are trying to convert people to a religious viewpoint which holds that a God will judge you in the afterlife.

Quote from Robert

If I'm thirsty, and convince myself that I need to have soda, beer, or whatever, might that also be an example? After all, very often a glass of water will do just fine.

I think that here we're talking about the necessary / unnecessary / etc analysis, which yes addresses the problem that through our own mistake, or through outside conditioning, we end up thinking that we have to have X in order to be satisfied, but in truth Y would produce a better overall pleasure over pain result.

The thing I like to caution against, though, is thinking that what a person should target is "just enough to get by" as if "just enough" is the goal. The goal is choosing the "most pleasant" option, rather than the "just enough" option, and I would argue that there is a very important difference between the two. Sometimes the soda, beer, etc., is in fact the most pleasant option and worthy of being chosen.

As VS 63 is usually translated, "Frugality too has a limit, and the man who disregards it is like him who errs through excess."

Quote from Cassius

Sometimes the soda, beer, etc., is in fact the most pleasant option and worthy of being chosen.

It's all about reasoning through things.

Soda (as in any drink sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or sugar) is one of the top things that causes tooth decay, as well as disruption of metabolic processes (leads to diabetes) - but once or twice in a year wouldn't hurt (like if you were visiting a friend and all they had to offer was soda and it seemed easier to just accept the soda rather than ask for water).

Now beer may end up being healthier than soda, but I'd have to research that

Again, reasoning through things, regarding beer...which contains alcohol...and so wouldn't be considered healthy. (see article excerpt below).

But perhaps once a month or less, or according to each person's choice and avoidance, and if you have a strong enough liver (as people age the liver isn't functioning as well.)

I personally have decided that I won't drink alcohol unless it is a very special occasion (such as a wedding).

Plus it's important to be sure to eat some food when drinking alcohol so that the absorption is slowed down.

Quote

As explained in this article, alcohol metabolism also results in the generation of acetaldehyde, a highly reactive and toxic byproduct that may contribute to tissue damage, the formation ofdamaging molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), and a change in the reduction–oxidation (or redox) state of liver cells. Chronic alcohol consumption and alcohol metabolism are strongly linked to several pathological consequences and tissue damage.

Source

I'm late to the game here, but I'd offer that philosophy - as conceived of in the ancient schools - was always meant to be lived. One chose a school (or took a more eclectic approach as I'd argue Cicero does in certain ways), and lived one's life in accordance with what one learned from one's teacher and one's school: Stoic, Peripatetic, Platonic, Skeptic, Epicurean, etc. As time went on, "religion" moved into that sphere - I'm thinking especially of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism (although some call that a philosophy - depends on the flavor I suppose), especially when those major religions got the imprimatur of government authority... like when the Roman emperor decided it would behoove him to have one emperor, one religion, one empire kind of thing. Later, philosophy became (in the popular and academic mind) a "subject" one studied apart from living one's life. In more recent time, the ancient schools - I'd argue spearheaded by "Stoics" (and, yes, I'm putting it deliberately in quotes) - have seen a revival of sorts, including philosophical counseling. Our little corner of the internet is one of the ways Epicurus' philosophy is part of that renewal, revival, and renaissance.

As far as ...

Quote from Robert

As 21st-century Epicureans, how do you integrate it into your daily life? Is there any particular structure or set of practices involved?

I try to incorporate the personal responsibility of choice/rejection in light of pleasure/pain. I try to keep perspective when it comes to the temporary nature of pain (NOT always easy in the moment!!). I try to ingrain VS35 in my thinking:

35. Don't ruin the things you have by wanting what you don't have, but realize that they too are things you once did wish for. οὐ δεῖ λυμαίνεσθαι τὰ παρόντα τῶν ἀπόντων ἐπιθυμίᾳ, ἀλλʼ ἐπιλογίζεσθαι ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα τῶν εὐκταίων ἦν.

I even have it hanging inconspicuously on my office door at work.

Quote from Robert

If I'm thirsty, and convince myself that I need to have soda, beer, or whatever, might that also be an example? After all, very often a glass of water will do just fine.

On this point, yes, water would quench your thirst. But if the soda, beer, or whatever doesn't cause undue hardship to acquire or provide more pain than pleasure, I truly don't think Epicurus has any injunction against choosing that option. I regularly go back to the idea that Epicurus - on occasion - would limit himself to just enough simple food to gauge what amount it really took for him to live pleasurably, to be happy, so he would know that IF it was necessary to live on that amount, he could do it. Given whatever circumstances might come up in his life, he was confident in his ability to find pleasure IF it came down to it by experimenting from time to time in this way. I'm utterly convinced he did NOT live this way all the time.

As others have mentioned, Epicurus took part in commemorations (rituals) of his own birthday, his family's, his friends, and took part in the large city festivals regularly. I think you can also incorporate an Epicurean mindset when taking part in holidays - even if you attend church services as pro forma with family. Epicurus and the early Epicureans took part in rituals and processions and other civic affairs that paid homage and sacrifice to the gods; but I'm convinced they were not (mentally) taking part the way most in the crowds were participating. They saw the gods differently, but could take pleasure in the festivities and even the sacrifices which were a part of every civic festival. So, enjoy our (American) secular festivities like Thanksgiving, or "religious/secular" events like Christmas.. but feel free to put your own Epicurean spin on things even its only to yourself.