SULIS + MINERVA

In Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, a masterpiece of world literature and one of my personal favorites, the Roman emperor, deeply moved by his tragic love for Antinous, a young Greek from Bithynia, shaped his twenty-year reign into a golden age of peace and prosperity. With no biological sons of his own, he adopted Antoninus Pius, naming him as his successor, stipulating that Pius would in turn adopt Marcus Aurelius. Twenty-three years under Pius followed, leading to Marcus Aurelius, the son of Domitia Lucilla and praetor Marcus Annius Verus, taking the throne as Hadrian's great-nephew after his death.

Yourcenar's portrayal of Hadrian, marked by pragmatism and controversial decisions, secured the future he envisioned for the Empire. Adopting Pius ensured Marcus Aurelius ascended two decades later, fulfilling Hadrian's vision of leaving Rome to a literate, philosophical ruler who valued reason and Greek ideals.

Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor, dedicated himself to wisdom through philosophy from a young age. Embracing Stoicism, he pursued eudaimonia—happiness through moral virtue (arete) and serenity (ataraxia). Stoics see virtue as excellence and self-fulfillment.

To my surprise, Stoicism has seen a revival of interest in recent years. Some of my patients have brought their curiosity into my consulting office, asking how Stoicism might enhance their treatment. Although I hadn't thought much about it since my university days, given my background in psychotherapy I decided to delve into this ancient philosophy, exploring its relevance to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

After some reading on this topic, my aim today is to share insights so you may decide for yourself whether Stoicism, like psychotherapy, can genuinely help people lead better, more fulfilling lives in this millennium.

With that said, let’s explore Stoicism’s basics, the key aspects of psychotherapy, and how these two traditions supposedly intersect to offer valuable tools for personal growth and well-being.

The Basics of Stoicism and Its Modern Relevance

Stoicism struck me as a complete philosophical system covering physical theory, naturalistic ethics, and logic. Founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium around 300 BC, it evolved under philosophers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, offering practical guidance for a better life, and profoundly influencing philosophy. Being it so wide, I'll narrow my focus to what resonates most in our discussion.

According to Stoics, the path to a good life is through developing rationality and self-control, living in accordance with nature, and cultivating four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.

Wisdom involves rational choices through sound judgment, and understanding what we control. Stoics challenge misconceptions about happiness, urging alignment with what truly fulfills us. Cleanthes defined the ultimate goal as "living in agreement with nature." Courage extends beyond bravery to moral and mental resilience. It enables individuals to live with integrity and facing adversity. Justice is fair action and respecting others. Stoics emphasize social harmony and ethical behavior, while influenced by a deterministic universe. Temperance means balance and self-control. Epictetus said, “We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.” This idea—known as the dichotomy of control—encourages us to focus on our thoughts, beliefs, and actions rather than external events, overcoming destructive emotions in agreement with universal reason (logos).

Stoicism provides several principles and practices to apply these virtues. Adopting Stoic principles builds emotional resilience by focusing on what we can control. They underscore life's impermanence, its finite, transient nature, and the inevitability of losses. Building resilience involves gaining perspective, viewing life's difficulties as opportunities for personal growth. Letting intense emotions fade away enables us to more informed and effective choices. Stoicism, like modern mindfulness, promotes self-awareness and purpose through a focus on the present moment. Practicing gratitude shifts our attention to abundance. Through “premeditatio malorum,” imagining worst-case scenarios prepares us for adversity and strengthens resilience. Reflecting on mortality, or “memento mori,” helps us cherish life, live purposefully, and avoid wasting time on trivial pursuits. Embracing “amor fati,” loving everything that happens as necessary for personal growth and fulfillment, turns challenges into opportunities to thrive. By understanding others' perspectives, we relate in a more harmonious way.

While Stoicism has many admirers, it also faces various criticisms. Some question emotional suppression and passivity. It can seem rigid, promoting self-sufficiency over community. In addition, Stoicism's cultural context challenges direct modern application. Yet, Stoic rationality, resilience, and virtue attract many navigating life's challenges. Its depth requires thoughtful adaptation for personal growth.

Modern Psychotherapy and Its Parallels with Stoicism

To Cognitive Therapy, pioneered by Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, thoughts significantly influence emotions and behaviors. It's become widely accepted that emotions and behaviors can also shape thinking, and that these components can trigger physical sensations. By identifying and challenging irrational or maladaptive thoughts, individuals can alter emotional responses and behavior patterns, promoting emotional regulation, better actions, and improved thinking.

Key techniques in CBT include identifying and challenging distorted thoughts, engaging in value-aligned activities to combat depression, gradually exposing oneself to feared situations, and practicing present-moment awareness to reduce stress. Behavioral activation, a specific focus of CBT, promotes engagement in value-aligned activities by scheduling and reintroducing enjoyable and meaningful tasks into daily routines. This technique is complemented by behavioral experiments, which involve testing beliefs through real-life experiences to challenge and modify unhelpful behaviors and thoughts. These approaches are particularly effective for addressing anxiety, depression, and other psychological challenges. Initially guided by therapists, patients progressively find these practices easier and more familiar, enabling them to apply new skills independently in their personal development.

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I took the photo of Sulis Minerva’s head during a visit to the Royal Museum in Bath, England. The city was originally named "Aquae Sulis," which means "the waters of Sulis" in Latin. The Romans were drawn to the area's hot mineral springs and built a temple on the site in 50 AD, dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, a fusion of the Celtic deity Sul and Minerva, the Roman goddess of healing. Sulis Minerva thus represented the blend of two different entities, highlighting the religious and cultural syncretism that merged two worlds.

With that in mind, and after a hilariously amateur hack job on the original image to remove the extra info, I decided that Sulis would be the perfect symbol for bridging two legacies of human thought: ancient Stoic philosophy and modern psychotherapy.

 

Integrating Stoicism and Psychotherapy

The overlap between Stoicism and modern psychotherapy, particularly CBT, seems striking. Both emphasize rational thought and balanced thinking, encouraging us to change how we interpret and respond to situations and take responsibility for our actions and choices. Stoic negative visualization pairs with mindfulness for awareness and gratitude. In Stoicism and CBT, virtues and values guide meaningful actions and more fulfilling lives.

Resilience training in Stoicism parallels CBT's exposure therapy in developing coping skills and confidence to handle adversity. Both approaches promote broader perspectives on life's challenges, reducing anxiety and everyday worries—Stoicism through its 'view from above' and CBT through cognitive restructuring of beliefs and fears. Stoic acceptance equals acceptance-based approaches in psychotherapy, like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which advocate embracing experiences without unnecessary resistance.

These are the most apparent integrations that come to mind when attempting to merge Stoic principles with psychotherapy, yet there may be more. By combining these approaches, we could cultivate a more resilient mindset, confront life’s challenges with equanimity, and strive for a more fulfilling life.

While I acknowledge that I'm not an expert in Stoicism, it's clear that this philosophy can be misinterpreted or misused to justify indifference or apathy, particularly by those who don’t fully understand its principles. Oversimplification can lead to a superficial adoption that overlooks the depth and complexity of true Stoic practice.

Like in any philosophical school, its application and interpretation can vary widely, so it's essential to critically examine its principles and adapt them thoughtfully to one's own life. This caution is especially important if we are integrating philosophy with therapeutic techniques as an interwoven path to personal growth.

Stoicism offers profound insights into resilience and ethical living, best realized through a nuanced understanding and deliberate application that respects its strengths and limitations.

Applying Stoic principles in a modern context could benefit integrating psychodynamic insights, recognizing that individuals are frequently influenced by emotional forces of which they may not be fully conscious—perhaps already addressed through the Stoic concept of the dichotomy of control.

It's worth noting that Stoicism indeed emphasizes the importance of relationships with others and our place in the world, highlighting the significance of community bonds, political engagement, and living in harmony with nature.

But ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if it’s right for you.

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Hadrian deliberately chose Antoninus Pius as his successor, sowing the seeds for a cultured and peaceful Rome that flourished under Marcus Aurelius. Likewise, you can choose to become a better and more harmonious version of yourself. This text is a grain of sand in the boundless universe of wisdom that is yours to explore.

For further reading, I recommend Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Letters from a Stoic by Seneca, Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, How Effective is Stoicism as a form of Psychotherapy? by Anthony Collins, and Donald Robertson’s various titles. Stanford University offers a comprehensive online introduction to Stoicism and other philosophical schools at plato.stanford.edu.

Please let me know if there are any other materials you’d like me to add. Happy reflecting!

Image source: the author