What Cannot Be Taken
We made it to prison! Jk! In all reality, I have often wondered what it would be like to have my freedom taken from me. I’m reminded of examples who found psychological freedom amid the worst forms of confinement, my favorite of which is Epictetus.
He was born into slavery around 50–55 CE in Hierapolis (I think present day Turkey). He belonged to a wealthy secretary to Emperor Nero in Rome.
Despite being enslaved, he was allowed to learn philosophy, likely under the Stoic Musonius Rufus, and his contributions to inner freedom are often forged from his experiences in captivity .
It said that his master once twisted his leg so hard that it broke, and all Epictetus had to say was, “if you keep twisting it, it’s going to break.”
He later writes: “You may fetter my leg, but not even Zeus can conquer my will,”
He was eventually freed, becoming a teacher of Stoicism himself. And after the Emperor expelled philosophers from Rome, Epictetus relocated to Nicopolis in Greece, where he even founded his own school!
His personal philosophy allowed him to survive the test of time and aid the minds of those such as ourselves and all those that we might reach! All because of the power of the mind!
As if I haven’t shoved it down your throat enough, it’s good to remember it in every waking moment of your life; this was Epictetus greatest contribution to our lives perhaps:
Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.
If you think that what is by nature enslaved is free, and what belongs to others is your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will find fault both with gods and men.
But if you think that only what is your own is your own, and what belongs to others is, as it really is, theirs, no one will ever compel you or restrain you. You will find fault with no one; you will accuse no one; you will do nothing against your will.”
Epictetus understood something so well that he actually began to experience it, I bet you! He understood that none of us are truly free externally, and no matter how much we wish it, it’ll never happen.
We are shackled to our bodies, and everything outside of the mind can be stolen from us. We can all want for different freedoms that we don’t have. We can want more financial freedom, physical freedom, freedom from time and change, and regardless of how well off we are, we can always want more.
If we want to avoid psychologically suffering, we have to let go of the things that are outside of our control.
