Philosophy as a Way of Life: Spiritual Exercises from Socrates to Foucault (Hadot)

Throughout this summer we have been participating in the practice of secular attunement, a way to arrive into the room together. I think of attending catholic mass, and the opening prayer that performs this function. I then think of other secular practices. Apathia, practicing apathy in the face of my driving desire to belong. To choose to not engage in things that I enjoy just a little too much as I know it leads to emotional sickness. Taking the time to understand how my world facilitates aspects of my personality and to craft for myself an intentional relation to it.  

On my drive Into campus this morning, I drove by a man standing by the bus stop sign, lost in thoughts, staring up the distance, and I wondered what he was thinking about.

While sitting outside of Chick-fil-A eating my dinner, there was a man doing a public performance of rap on the street sidewalk. It was very loud and disruptive to my dinner. I was by myself. But I didn’t feel the need to drown it out as this was part of my moment on this day. And I did not feel like censoring it.