“He who knows how to suffer suffers less”. Paul Dubois
This week I have been experimenting with “cognitive distancing”. It is a very interesting concept to me, with the base premise being that “it is not events that upset us but our judgements about events”.
I have been experimenting with this, within the context of physical and mental pain. The physical pain of riding my bike with others who are faster, stronger and fitter, and pushing hard to keep up. This often puts me in a place of where I am perceiving pain on a physical level, at least from the perspective of my judgements about the sensations in my body, from the position of my “mind”. My mind often telling me too much, it hurts, stop, ease off, or quit.
Practicing from a cognitive distancing approach, I have been experimenting with separating my mind from the physical discomfort. One of the methods that I have been using with some success, is holding the image of a candle flame within my minds eye. If I can hold the flame perfectly still within my mind, I find myself removed from my bodily pain, and being able to look at the sensations of discomfort from a point of view that “this too will pass”. So far I seem to be having some success.
Book of the week
How To Think Like A Roman Emperor - Donald Robertson
A very interesting read on Stoic philosophy, and how the stoics where in many ways the original cognitive behavioural therapists. I found the book very engaging on many levels, its discussion of stoicism, practical tools and techniques to incorporate stoicism into ones life, and a practicality with Robertson’s explanations and examples. I have read many books on stoicism, not always finishing them, as the material was rather dry.
Robertson uses Marcus Aurelius to carry his story, and does this very effectively, by using examples and circumstances from Marcus’s life, his teachers and the inner musings of Marcus on life, death, and building character.
Rating 4.5 / 5 there were a few places where the book got a little dry, but overall an excellent read.