230330 What I learned in my studies this morning 3

Reflex? Impulse? Whim?

Habit? Ignorance? Others?

Fear? Chance? No! Reason!

Thoughts:

Acting with a purpose.

A primary tenet of Stoicism is that a sage should resist whatever caprice arises as a natural reaction to the world. Instead, we should act according to our reason.

...as Socrates said, we ought not to live a life without examination, so we ought not to accept an appearance without examination, but we should say, Wait, let me see what you are and whence you come... ~ Epictetus, Discourses, 3.12.14-15

In other words (and my preferred formulation): act, don't react.

Don't let my actions be determined by reflex.

Don't let my actions be determined by impulse.

Don't let my actions be determined by habit.

Don't let my actions be determined by whim.

Don't let my actions be determined by chance.

Don't let my actions be determined by ignorance.

Don't let my actions be determined by fear.

Don't let my actions be determined by others.

Don't let my actions be determined. 

Let my actions be decided by my reason.

Let my actions be decided by my love of wisdom.

Let my actions be decided by my pursuit of virtue.

Let my actions be decided by my conscious choice.

Let my actions be decided. 

Today's Meditation:

Today's Meditation II: