This podcast explores the stoic practice of Memento Mori, emphasizing the importance of keeping death in mind to live well. The hosts discuss the Stoic view of death, overcoming fear of death and pain, accepting death as a dispreferred indifference, and the fear of pursuing a positive vision. They also delve into different approaches to practicing stoicism and the significance of reflection and exploration.
Memento Mori is a practice that encourages us to confront the fact of our own mortality and make choices aligned with our values and long-term goals.
The Stoics view death as a natural part of life and teach us to accept it fearlessly, changing our perspective on death and overcoming fear and anxieties associated with it.
Deep dives
The Importance of Memento Mori
Memento Mori is a practice that reminds us of our mortality and encourages us to confront the fact that we will die. It serves as a way to pursue knowledge, overcome obstacles, and embrace our freedom. By acknowledging our mortality, we can better understand the nature of life and make choices that align with our values and long-term goals.
The Stoic View of Death
The Stoics view death as an indifference rather than inherently good or bad. Death is seen as a natural part of life, and the virtuous person must learn to accept it fearlessly. By changing our perspective on death and understanding it as a part of our existence, we can overcome the fear and anxieties associated with it.
Practical Ways to Practice Memento Mori
There are various ways to practice Memento Mori, such as keeping reminders of our mortality, reading Stoic writings, visualizing our own funeral and reflecting on the legacy we want to leave behind, and contemplating the limited span of our lives. These practices help us stay grounded, appreciate the present moment, and make more deliberate choices in our lives.
Benefits and Risks of Memento Mori
The benefits of practicing Memento Mori include gaining clarity of purpose, developing gratitude, embracing our freedom to choose, and overcoming obstacles to virtuous living. However, there are also risks, such as becoming nihilistic or overly negative, ruminating on death excessively, or trivializing the practice without truly confronting the implications of mortality. It is important to approach Memento Mori with a balanced mindset, recognizing its value while being mindful of potential pitfalls.
“You are mortal.” So whispered the slaves of triumphant Roman generals as they celebrated their return in a glorious parade.
In this episode we discuss memento mori: Remembering the fact that you will die in order to live well.
We discuss the Stoic view of death and why they argued that one should always keep death in mind. We end by summarizing the benefits and risks of memento mori exercises so that you can translate Stoic philosophy into real practice.
(02:16) Introduction
(08:37) Memento Mori
(17:49) Face Death to Pursue Knowledge
(22:07) Overcoming Death
(27:08) You Are Free
(32:30) How to Practice
(39:04) Summarizing the Benefits
(42:55) Risks
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