“No where is more peaceful, more free of interruptions than your own mind.” ― Marcus Aurelius.
We all know that life is made up of ups and downs, joy and trials, good times and bad times, and sometimes we struggle to keep up. In the midst of trouble, our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy. That's why, across various cultures, traditions, and religions, self-mastery has been a core teaching. These teachings, especially those of the Stoics, emphasize that making our mind our best ally is one of the key internal strategies to master almost all external circumstances. Let's dive into the second Stoic Virtue of our series: The Inner Citadel. Thanks for joining me. Enjoy.
The Inner Citadel.
“Things cannot touch the Soul
Things cannot touch the Soul.
They have no access to the Soul.
They cannot produce our judgments.
They are outside of us.
They themselves know nothing, and by themselves they affirm nothing.”
(Marcus Aurelius—Meditation)
The traditional Stoic doctrine made a distinction between the body and the soul, and further, within the soul. In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius speaks several times of the need for the self and for the guiding part of the soul to delimit and circumscribe themselves. He claims that, there are three things of which we are composed: our body, our vital breath, and our intellect. The first two are ours only insofar as we must take care of them. Only the third is ours in the proper sense of the term. This is why, if we separate ourself from our thought (dianoia): everything that others may say or do; everything that we ourself have said and done (in the past) , as well as the things which trouble us because they are still to come, and everything that happens to us, independently of our will—then we will be able to live the time that is left to us, up until our death, untroubled, benevolently and serenely with regard to our inner (daimon).
For Ryan Holiday, American marketer, author of many bestsellers including «The Obstacle is The Way» or «Daily Stoic», define The Inner Citadel as 'the core sense of who oneself is and what he's capable of.' For me, it's 'your small portion of land to harvest, guard, and defend. It's standing up for yourself even when everyone or everything go against because you trust yourself, because who you are, because you know your worth.
“An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you.” — Goi Nasu.
The 4 obstacles to our Inner Citadel:
— The first, and the most exterior, is the others or to be more precise: our thoughts about others. As Marcus says in (III, 4, r):
“Don't waste the part of life that remains to you in representations (phantasiai) concerning other people, unless you relate them to something which benefits the common good. Why do you deprive yourself of the opportunity of accomplishing another task? Imagining what so-and-so is doing, why he is doing it, what he thinks, what he is plotting and all those other questions which make you dizzy inside and turn you away from the attention which you should be paying toward your own guiding principle (hegemonikon)?”
I remember venting with a friend of mine who reply to me with these words: “If only we knew how much people don't give a fuck about us, we'll do our do and live our lives freely without fearing anything.” It was harsh, yes. But it was only nothing more, nothing less than the truth. Breakthrough guys... Nobody is thinking about you. Why? Because they are busy thinking about themselves—just like you.
— The second is that our concerns about the past and the future. If we want to become aware of our true selves, we must concentrate upon the present. As Marcus puts it, we must 'circumscribe the present' and separate ourselves from that which no longer belongs to us: our past words and actions, and our future words and actions and accept that only the present is within our power. Seneca had already expressed this idea:
“These two things must be cut away: fear of the future, and the memory of past sufferings. The latter no longer concern me, and the future does not concern me yet.”
— The third is constituted by the domain of involuntary emotions. These are caused by impressions received by the body, and by the soul considered as the principle of the body's animation, or 'inborn vital breath.' What this means is that when our rational consciousness or guiding principle translates such an emotion into its inner discourse, and announces that 'This is terrible and appalling,' then the guiding principle immediately refuses to give its assent to this value-judgment.
— The fourth is our resistance to Life or a “rushing tide which bathes you with its waves,” is that of the course of events; in other words, it is the course of Destiny and of the time in which Destiny unveils itself: a river of all events, a violent current: that is what eternity is. No sooner has each thing appeared than it has already passed; another comes along, and it too will be swept away. If, Marcus adds, we can recognize that all this flux of things and events is alien to us, then we will be 'raised above the tangled web of Destiny.' Its wanting that which happens; in other words, it wanting what universal Nature wants.
“My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendaciousness in the face of what is necessary—but love it” — Friedrich Nietzsche.
Why do we HAVE to take care of our Inner Citadel?
The Oxygen Mask Principle.
In the event of an emergency on an airplane, passengers are always reminded of a crucial safety protocol: in case of a drop in cabin pressure, secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others. his simple instruction carries profound wisdom applicable beyond air travel—it embodies , a powerful metaphor for self-care in our daily lives: You can't help anyone else if you can't help yourself.
“So before I save someone else, I've got to save myself. And before I blame someone else, I've got to save myself. And before I love someone else, I've got to love myself.” —Ed Sheeran.
I see building our Inner Citadel as a duty, a debt we owe not only to ourselves but to others. Focusing on ourselves might sound selfish, but I believe in being 'selflessly selfish.' We must know ourselves, work on ourselves, and take care of ourselves before we can truly care for those around us. The simple reason is that we can't support, love, and care for others unless we can support, love, and care for ourselves. I've come to realize that always putting others above oneself is not a virtue; it is actually a selfish move that leads to resentment and unnecessary frustration. Building our Inner Citadel requires us to be honest with ourselves. It demands that we dive deep into turbulent waters and face things we sometimes don't want to confront. That's why, in an attempt to escape the work that needs to be done, we often wrongly assume we are responsible for others' happiness, and that others are responsible for ours. But guess what? Nobody can make you happy; nobody can give you the peace you seek—nobody but you. So, let's explore some tips on reclaiming that key to your happiness and peace that we might have put into someone else's pocket.
7 mindfulness tips to help you find (and keep) inner peace.
— Acceptance: Acceptance is different from acting blind. It is different from ignoring negative feelings which generally doesn’t help, because suppressed emotions never really disappear. Instead they can intensify, leaving us far less calm down the line. Acceptance, on the other hand, often does make a difference.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”— Reinhold Niebuhr.
— Cultivate gratitude: Gratitude involves showing appreciation for the things in life that are meaningful or valuable to you. Taking a moment to notice and acknowledge the things you’re grateful for each day can brighten your outlook, boost your mood, and help you feel more positive in the face of challenges.
— Forgiving yourself and others: I think that, we hear a lot about forgiving others but not enough about forgiving ourselves. As they said, forgiveness is a gift you give not to other people but to yourself. Forgiving the people that have hurt you it's recognizing that you have worried and suffered enough. It's deciding that you'll not longer let the wrong that has be done to you in the past affects your present. Forgiving yourself is recognize that you're an human, that you are not perfect and that you too make mistake. It's allowing yourself to not fear trying and experiencing new things in life, because you know that you're always handle things with the tools you have at that precise moment because you know that—if you have knew better, you would have done better.
— Focus on now: Memento Mori, Memento Viviere, Carpe Diem.
— Going within and learn to trust and listen to your inner voice: Why? Because who knows you more than yourself? Even when your path diverges from the opinions of others, stay true to yourself. Your inner voice can guide you towards what truly aligns with your heart’s desires and protect your peace. Before asking out for advices, try to sit with yourself and ask: “What am I really thinking? How do I feel about this.”
— Journaling your thoughts and emotions: Journaling offers several benefits, including managing stress, anxiety, and depression. It can help you cope with difficult moments in life and long-term emotional patterns. Journaling is particularly helpful during both good and bad times when you feel you have no one to vent to. However, beware of the flip side of journaling. While it's valuable for introspection and memory-keeping, don't spend too much time on it. Avoid thinking more about your life than you're actually living it, which can lead to overanalyzing. Journal if it's your thing, but learn to journal well. If you're too lazy to write down your thoughts or are afraid they might fall into unwanted hands, there are apps you can use to free your mind and keep track of good moments. I recommend Daylio, Tibio, or Stoic (only for mood tracking). For those on iOS, there is also the new Journal App.
— Connecting to nature: Nature possesses a remarkable ability to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits. Therefore, consider taking a leisurely walk in a park or forest, or simply sitting by the sea or a river, or just in your courtyard. Listen to the birds singing and allow the tranquility of nature to permeate your being. By immersing yourself in the natural world, you can experience a profound sense of peace and rejuvenation.
I recorded those two videos few weeks ago and since it's two different vibes, I asked you guys to help me choose which one of the two I will use for this article. In the end, I used the two one of them even tough most of the vote where in favor of the one at BeiXiaoHe Park (68%), because I understand that everybody has they own preferences and because I value each of your votes. (Thanks again for not only reading my work but in also taking part when needed. Little by little we're becoming more and more of what I am aiming for—a community. Much love <3
I will end this article by a quote from «Shine from Within» one of my favorite books:
“My beautiful friend, I hope that you never forget that the brightest light comes from within you. I hope you feel you light radiating when you're doing your favorite thing and I hope you feel it when you're dreaming about all of your future plans. I hope you see its effect on those around you—that your light is so contagious and bright. And I hope you always remember there is no darkness in the whole world that will ever be able to suffocate your light—your light comes from a boundless source from within you, sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper... I hope you always remember that you shine so bright, just as you are now, flaws and faults entirely. ” — Nikki Banas.
>> Because at the end of the day, you only have yourself. Dear reader, your Citadel is yours to mold and maintain. Your perceptions, emotions or reactions are yours to deal with. Remember that nothing can touch your soul unless you let it. Happy Mental Health Awareness Month guys. Thank you for reading. May God bless you, take care.
One more thing before you go... If you have appreciated this post, I would like to ask you to please take a few more seconds to like button, comment, or share, that's how I can know that my work is indeed useful. Be blessed.
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