Circumscribing the present

 

Chris Fisher on Prosoche:

"As Pierre Hadot points out, Marcus Aurelius’ prescription for the practice of the Stoic disciplines is distinct from the teachings of Epictetus in one way—Marcus Aurelius focuses on the present. Throughout his Meditations, he teaches us to narrow the focus of our attention to the present—our present representations, present impulses, and present actions. Hadot refers to this practice as, “circumscribing the present.”[3] We find within the Meditations that only our present thoughts and actions are within our control (2.14), and the past and future are indifferents (6.32).

"As Epictetus would say, “Things outside the sphere of choice are nothing to me” (Discourses 1.30.3). Most people struggle to relinquish their compulsion to fret over the past and worry about the future. The prokoptōn benefits by relinquishing his concern about the past and future, over which he has no control, and focusing his attention (prosochē) exclusively on the present. Hadot suggests that circumscribing the present has two additional benefits. First, by facing difficulties and hardships one moment at a time, they become more bearable. Second, it clears our mind of unnecessary concerns and increases our attention (prosochē) on present thoughts and actions" (Chris Fisher).

Prosoche: Illuminating the Path of the Prokopton by Chris Fisher