Test Your Impressions

Test Your Impressions

Meditation for April 9, 2021

April 9, 2021 7:00 AM

“From the very beginning, make it your practice to say to every harsh impression, ‘you are an impression and not at all what you appear to be.’ Next, examine and test it by the rules you possess, the first and greatest of which is this — whether it belongs to the things in our control or not in our control, and if the latter, be prepared to respond, ‘It is nothing to me.’”

- Epictetus, Enchiridion, 1.5

The world will tell us to "do what feels good/right" or "go with your gut". Life experience will often refute these claims as they more often than not lead towards more misery.

Conclusion

Our opinions are biased, colored by emotions and generalizations. A Stoic should question any bias. Test all of our senses. Trust only what we can verify.