The Inner Citadel: the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Pierre Hadot

Baltzly, Dirk

doi:10.1093/mind/110.439.764

Cited by 8 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…(Foucault, 1997, p. 232) The idea of writing as an act of working on oneself was especially relevant when the person was looking for guidance in moments of crisis. In this regard, the practice of writing provided guidelines for conduct, rules of action, and practical procedures for self-government in moments of personal disorientation (Foucault, 1998; see also Hadot 1998). This working on oneself included, for example, the preparation to encounter future difficulties, a way of imagining and foreseeing hardships and setbacks.…”

Section: From the "Window" To The Foucauldian Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diaries as Technologies for Sense-making and Self-transformation in Times of Vulnerability

Marcos

Zittoun

Gillespie

2023

Integr. psych. behav.

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Diaries have been generally understood as “windows” on sense-making processes when studying life ruptures. In this article, we draw on Michel Foucault’s conceptualization of self-writing as a “technology of the self” and on sociocultural psychology to propose that diaries are not “windows” but technologies that aid in the sense-making. Concretely, we analyzed three non-exhaustive and non-exclusive uses of diary writing in times of vulnerability: (1) imagination of the future and preparation to encounter difficulties; (2) distancing from one’s own experience; and (3) creating personal commitments. Our longitudinal data comprised three public online diaries written over more than twenty years, belonging to three anonymous individuals selected from a database of more than 400 diaries. We analyzed these three diaries by iterating between qualitative and quantitative analysis. We conclude that: (1) beyond their expressive dimension, diaries are technologies that support the sense-making process, but not without difficulties; (2) diaries form a self-generated space for dialogue with oneself in which the diarist also becomes aware of the social nature of her life story; (3) diaries are not only technologies for the Socratic “know thyself” but also technologies to work on oneself, especially in terms of the personal perspective on the past or the future; and (4) the practice of diary writing goes beyond sense-making towards personal development and the desire to transform one’s life trajectory.

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Section: From the "Window" To The Foucauldian Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People have been writing about themselves for more than two thousand years (Foucault, 1997(Foucault, , 1998Hadot, 1998). Over the centuries, from Ancient Greece to our current digital era, there has been surprising consistency in the practice of documenting daily activities and thoughts in a diary.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diaries as Technologies for Sense-making and Self-transformation in Times of Vulnerability

Marcos

Zittoun

Gillespie

2023

Integr. psych. behav.

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“…A new wave of classical studies has shed light on the role of ancient Greek philosophy as a form of psychotherapy ante litteram [54,55]. When Hellenistic philosophies penetrated the Roman culture, they brought a set of psychological techniques aimed at restoring or preserving the healthy mind [56].…”

Section: Greek and Roman Stoicism As Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a striking example of the Stoic form of mindfulness, in his 'Meditations' Marcus Aurelius reminded himself (and all of us) that those who fail to pay attention to their own thoughts and know their own minds are bound to be unfulfilled in life: 'Through not observing what is in the mind of another a man has seldom been seen to be unhappy; but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy' [55]. Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' could be read as an early example of a modern therapy journal.…”

Section: Stoic Exercises and Mindfulness Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

The Western origins of mindfulness therapy in ancient Rome

et al. 2023

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Stoic philosophy has multiple parallels with cognitive behavioural therapy interventions. In their ancient texts, the Roman Stoics present a set of theoretical principles and behavioural strategies that are directly relevant to the clinical care of patients with a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions. Mindfulness is a key component of the ‘third wave’ of modern psychotherapy that closely resembles the ancient Stoic practice of attention or ‘concentration on the present moment’. Stoic mindfulness draws attention to one of the main principles driving both Stoicism and modern psychotherapy: the assumption that cognitive activity (reasoning) mediates emotions and behaviours. This principle can be traced back to Epictetus’ Enchiridion, where he recognises that ‘men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things’. It has been shown that cognitive behavioural therapies and mindfulness-based interventions directed at patients with neuropsychiatric disorders were originally developed as Stoic-inspired treatment interventions. Both Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck (the founders of rational emotive behaviour therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, respectively) explicitly acknowledged the role of Stoicism as the philosophical precursor of their treatment approaches. The effective implementation of evidence-based guidelines would benefit from an increased awareness of the influence of the Stoic tradition of philosophical therapy on the treatment approaches currently in use in neuropsychiatry.

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“…Modern versions of the works of the three Roman stoics may be more accessible for SLTs due to the sometimes arcane language that characterises the original texts. The authors recommend the following introductory texts: for Marcus Aurelius, Hadot's (1998) The Inner Citadel: the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and Robertson's (2019) How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: the Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius; for Seneca, Fideler's (2021) Breakfast with Seneca: a Stoic Guide to the Art of Living ; and for Epictetus, Pigliucci's (2020) A Field Guide to a Happy Life: 53 Brief Lessons for Living .…”

Section: Future Research and Clinical Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Stoicism inspire stuttering intervention? The clinical usefulness of an ancient philosophy

Connery

Cavanna

Coleman

2022

Intl J Lang & Comm Disor

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Background: A range of psychotherapies are effective in managing an individual's personal reactions to stuttering and reducing the impact stuttering has on their lives. Many of these therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, have their origins in Stoicism, an ancient Greek philosophy founded in 301 bce. Stoicism remains a relatively unexplored topic in the psychotherapy and speech and language therapy literatures. Aims: This paper aims to highlight the potential benefits of integrating Stoic principles and techniques into stuttering intervention. Methods: This aim is achieved through a discussion on Stoic philosophy and the range of techniques that have informed modern evidence-based psychotherapies that are effective with the stuttering population. Main Contribution: This paper initiates an important conversation on the usefulness of Stoicism to the field of stuttering. Key recommendations are provided for the integration of Stoic philosophy into future clinical and research practice related to stuttering.Conclusions: Stoicism offers philosophical guidance for the art of living, but also provides a range of strategies and practical techniques that have potential to expand the clinical toolkit of modern psychotherapy and speech and language therapy. Scientific validation of the clinical application of Stoicism is recommended to exploit its effectiveness with the stuttering population.

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The Inner Citadel: the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Pierre Hadot

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Diaries as Technologies for Sense-making and Self-transformation in Times of Vulnerability

Diaries as Technologies for Sense-making and Self-transformation in Times of Vulnerability

The Western origins of mindfulness therapy in ancient Rome

Can Stoicism inspire stuttering intervention? The clinical usefulness of an ancient philosophy

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