Stoicism and Greek Mythology

July 21st, 2023

Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill will, and selfishness. All of them due to the offender's ignorance of what is good or evil. But for my part, I've long perceived the nature of good and its nobility, the nature of evil and its meanness, and also the nature of the culprit himself, who is my brother. Therefore none of these things can injure me for nobody can implicate me in what is degrading. Neither can I be angry with my brother or fall foul of him for he and I were born to work together. To obstruct each other is against Nature's law.

This was the morning meditation of Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of Rome, so many moons ago.

Marcus Aurelius studied and practiced the philosophy of Stoicism during his reign. His meditations were written in his diary and were used for personal self-improvement and in dealing with the unexpected yet inevitable bad actions and low-level reactions of others. As Emperor, he was often betrayed, cheated, backstabbed, framed, and lied about, but he had the conviction and strength of his Stoic practices. This enabled him to empower himself, to maintain a higher perspective, and not to engage in the drama and low-level interactions surrounding him. Because as Emperor he was continually met with the greatest of betrayals - one of which was his most trusted longtime friend who tried to steal the throne from him. Very Game of Thrones.

In 1998, I met a therapist named Elizabeth Retan who was teaching me how to use art therapy, symbols, and archetypes as a tool for healing. She gave me a book by a Jungian psychologist who used Greek Gods and Goddess archetypes to identify the strengths and challenges within ourselves in order to heal our wounds during any given chapter of our lives. At that time I identified with Persephone, the Goddess of the cold dark underworld. Later I would identify with other deity archetypes - from Athena, to Aphrodite, to Hera. But Artemis was my original archetype as a child - the adventurer, the explorer, the protector against bullies - so she was always popping in, and in-between all of these other archetypal incarnations. And each one had their own unique set of betrayals to devastate me with. The Greek and Roman myths are rich with betrayals and devastation so they're the perfect tool to use in life.

Betrayal can come from anywhere. Even from the most unexpected and heartbreaking places and people. From personal relationships, to trusted co-workers, or family members, or longtime friends, or even people on the periphery. I've had my share, like many others. It can feel impossible to find the silver lining or the blessings in these, but they are there. The first step is to know that everything that happens in life is for you not against you… the gift of betrayal.

Psyche and Eros is a famous story of betrayal. They were lovers, but she was a mortal and he was a God. Their story is often interpreted as Psyche's betrayal of Eros, but I see it a little bit differently because they actually both went through a series of tests in which each one grew through the elevation of the other. In the end, Psyche had her faith tested while Eros had his feelings of trust tested. They come together after being separated, and are the only couple in the ancient Greek stories to be completely faithful and committed to each other thereafter. With the Stoic practice of observing instead of reacting, of stepping back instead of engaging in low-level reactions, the blessings start illuminating. No matter how harsh or hateful things may seem, if you suspend the emotion, the reaction, remove the labeling of it as "bad" then you start to see how it is a blessing in disguise. This gives the ability to elevate spiritually.

Like the greatest emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius, during one of his greatest betrayals in the year 175, if you're mentally prepared for the the worst so that it doesn't knock you off center if it happens, you stay in a place that is balanced and secure, an inner equilibrium. His morning meditation ritual is a great practice even for the world's population against the controlling and corrupt forces that are trying to divide and disempower the people. From friends to co-workers to organizations or government agencies and other authorities, betrayal can come in all forms behind-the-scenes, but it's made better with the realization that there is a gift hidden inside it. As we enter an all-encompassing digital age, forever-wars, gain of function acceptance, normalcy of experimental bioweapons and improperly tested vaccines and other pharmaceutical products to be used for everything, we can react on their level as we have been trained to, or we can empower ourselves, build up our strength and connectedness with each other.

Love,

Käla

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