"Amor Fati"
"Let man see, let them know, a real man who lives as he was meant to live"
-Marcus
The concept of ‘amor fati’ (love of one’s fate) encapsulates the Stoic attitude of acceptance fundamental to the discipline of desire. The Stoic has a sense of natural reverence towards the universe as a whole, and accepts all events with complete equanimity.
For this exercise, spend the week practising radical acceptance by willing things to be as they actually are, rather than as you might like them to be. It may well be normal to prefer things to be a certain way in the future, fate permitting. However, you can’t change the distant past or even what’s just happened, you can only try to influence the future, to an uncertain degree, by changing your current thoughts and actions.
So focus on accepting that the past cannot be changed and the future may not be as you’d prefer.Imagine that the universe has been designed to present you with challenges from time to time, so that you can respond appropriately, in accord with virtue. Contemplate the idea that events could not have been otherwise, but were strictly determined by the laws of nature to be exactly as they were. What really matters is your current voluntary response to events, what is ‘up to you’.
Accept everything external as being ‘indifferent’, and rise above it all magnanimously. Discuss the ways in which you helped yourself rehearse this attitude of Stoic acceptance, and the effect this had on your thoughts and emotions. Include a quote from a Stoic philosopher that reflects ‘amor fati’. In the future, how often do you think you will practise this way of thinking? What are the possible benefits (or drawbacks, as the case may be)?
"The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things"
-Seneca
Personal Experience
This might have been my favorite exercise in the entire course. It came at a time where something happened in my life that affected my quality of life and I simply had to accept it and continue. Beyond that, this idea of lovings one's fate basically reinforces every other exercise we have been practicing. It is an accepting of the idea that externals have no influence in our ability to be virtuous humans seeking tranquility and peace. The sole concern I should I have is balancing my own thoughts, actions and reactions. I rehearsed this by being grateful for who I am at this point in time and all the opportunity I have to change and grow. If fate is something I can control through my conscious thought and action then I love the opportunity to realize this and reflect on it. If taken to far people could maybe get carried away and stop thinking, so it is important I always question my own thoughts and actions and ask myself if I still love where I am or should I change my fate.
"Everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which will be."
-Marcus Aurelius
Thanks For Reading, More Philosophy and Stoicism to come!