Clinging and Aversion

“The person in training must seek to rise above, so as to stop seeking out pleasure and steering away from pain; to stop clinging to living and abhorring death…” Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 6.25.5-11 Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

When you feel you are suffering from a pain or situation that won’t go away — stand back for a moment and imagine others going through the same thing (or something similar – there is no way understand/feel others’ pain exactly), but you can say a prayer – I see your pain, I know that pain myself, may we all be freed from it at a time to come. This helps us “rise above it”, knowing all beings suffer… Ask yourself can I have compassion for the suffering? Yes, because I have suffered. 

Pushed by Drives, Pulled by Values

“Philosophy is simply asking us to pay careful attention and to strive to be more than a pawn. As Viktor Frankl puts it in The Will to Meaning, Man is pushed by drives, but pulled by values.” These values and inner awareness prevent us from being puppets. Sure, paying attention requires work and awareness, but isn’t that better than being jerked about on a string?”

Yetzer ha-ra (pushed down the wrong path), Yetzer Ha-tov (pulled toward your higher self)

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday