Great article. I’m a former Ranger studying and practicing Stoicism. This is the first article I’ve seen from another GWOT vet that isn’t a superficial take on the philosophy.
This sentence resonated within me. I've long learned from Buddhist teachings to "calm the mind". It's a daily meditation. Sometimes I'm in complete control and others not so much, however, I never stop reinforcing what I know helps.
The similarities between Stoicism, Buddhism, and the philosophies of combat units are profound. They all deal with overcoming the natural functions of the mind.
And I'm the same as you - no matter how much attention I devote, I end up slipping here and there.
This is the truth, Sam! I read and spend time thinking about the stoics and Stoicism, but still slip at times, too. I suppose it's true for all of us. But it's the fight that we live for, and the small battles we win along the way, when we catch ourselves sinking to the level of our training and breathing life into the concepts. (i.e. When we read ourselves into living!)
This is a powerful essay, brother. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the beautiful message. It means very much to me and I'm humbled.
I need to check out the Harold Bloom essay and will do so soon.
I really appreciate you reading and I'll continue to dig deep into the things that matter, and the more discourse like this we can have, the better we'll all be for it.
Great article. I’m a former Ranger studying and practicing Stoicism. This is the first article I’ve seen from another GWOT vet that isn’t a superficial take on the philosophy.
Thanks brother.
"What is the condition of my thoughts"
This sentence resonated within me. I've long learned from Buddhist teachings to "calm the mind". It's a daily meditation. Sometimes I'm in complete control and others not so much, however, I never stop reinforcing what I know helps.
The similarities between Stoicism, Buddhism, and the philosophies of combat units are profound. They all deal with overcoming the natural functions of the mind.
And I'm the same as you - no matter how much attention I devote, I end up slipping here and there.
It's the fight that's enjoyable, at least for me.
This is the truth, Sam! I read and spend time thinking about the stoics and Stoicism, but still slip at times, too. I suppose it's true for all of us. But it's the fight that we live for, and the small battles we win along the way, when we catch ourselves sinking to the level of our training and breathing life into the concepts. (i.e. When we read ourselves into living!)
This is a powerful essay, brother. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Scott.
Sam,
Thank you greatly for your essay.
Reading your strategic analysis is a joyful experience.
You open a beautiful door that YOU know how to open.
It is the door you entered as a Seal.
You invite us in,
and as we enter you transfer your valuable insights and your intense vitality
to each of us, giving us more life--making more life available to us.
The capability to DO that --in literature, or in any other realm of life--
is the definition of genius.
(See Harold Bloom's essay What is Genius,
the intro to his book on 100 exemplary creative minds.)
Once a person builds himself so fully and powerfully
that he HAS that fundamental life generating capability (at whatever level),
the challenge and the joy is in continuing
to grow one's wisdom deeper and deeper
by finding those who know more than we do.
That's why I'm here.
Thank you for the beautiful message. It means very much to me and I'm humbled.
I need to check out the Harold Bloom essay and will do so soon.
I really appreciate you reading and I'll continue to dig deep into the things that matter, and the more discourse like this we can have, the better we'll all be for it.
Amen, Sam.
I'm up for it,
and I'm with you.
The questions are more important than the answers.
In multiple ways... not least because it shows we care.