I wasn’t even sure what I felt. It could have been anxiety — or stress, or fear, or worry, or pain, or sadness, or melancholy, or any other draining emotion. I just knew something was there. And it sucked.
I nearly surrendered to this attitude. But then, I miraculously stumbled upon a fascinating concept:
Philosophical Meditation.
It would be reaching to say my problems dissolved into thin air. But something deep inside me changed. I suddenly understood where my feelings came from. I acknowledged them instead of engaging in them.
And slowly but surely, I felt like a human being once again.
Here’s exactly how to apply Philosophical Meditation and how it can fundamentally change your life too.
What Is Philosophical Meditation?
Philosophical Meditation is the practice of dissecting your emotions with the help of pre-defined questions. As The School of Life puts it, Philosophical Meditation is:
“A practice whose premise is that a decisive share of the trouble in our minds comes from thoughts and feelings that haven’t been untangled, examined or confronted with sufficient attention.”
That’s powerful.
Think about it. Life passes by at terrifying speed — particularly in the 21st century. That doesn’t only apply to our emotional life, but the technological and structural changes in the world around us.
We rush through our mornings to get to work. We gobble down our meals in front of glaring screens. We jump on airplanes that beam us at mind-boggling velocities across the globe. We interact with most people without being present because we’re always on our way to get somewhere.
Don’t get me wrong. Speed is fascinating. Technology is fascinating. Modern life is fascinating. But in all the haste, we forget a root cause of anxiety and negative emotion:
A lack of self-knowledge.
We don’t investigate our minds enough. Philosophical Meditation aims to change that. The practice sets aside a dedicated time and space to deal with thoughts, feelings, and sensations we suppressed throughout our stressful days.
Once we direct the spotlight at the issues in our life, it gets much easier to detect the flaws — and what we can do to mitigate them.
So without further ado, here’s how to apply Philosophical Meditation.
How to Practice Philosophical Meditation
The School of Life pioneered this practice throughout articles, videos, and their eponymous book, The School of Life.
To set the right conditions, they recommend:
“We’d ideally have half an hour without interruption, with paper and pen to hand to seize ideas and feelings as they emerge from the mental undergrowth.”
I like to do this with my journal right before bedtime. It’s when I’m the calmest and feel no urge to get anything done. Maybe mornings work better for you. It can take a bit of experimentation to find the right time and space — just make sure you’re undisturbed and free of time pressure.
Then, we turn to three core questions to evoke the subterranean depths of our emotions:
- What am I anxious about?
- What am I upset about — and with whom?
- What am I excited or ambitious about?
To each question, there are ‘sieves’ that explore the issues. For this, I added notes and further prompts to make it as simple and effective as possible.
Let’s dive in.
Question 1: What am I anxious about?
Even if you don’t have the impression you feel presently anxious, you almost certainly do anyway.
And it’s not surprising. We are constantly bombarded with horrifying news, large-scale global problems, an abundance of choices, and unrealistic role models we compare ourselves to.
The problem is that most of this happens subconsciously.
For example, we see billboards and Instagram posts of beauty ideals and unnecessary luxury items every day. We might not process them the moment we glance at these images. But the mere exposure effect is always at play. This psychological concept dictates that the more we’re exposed to something, the more we internalize it subconsciously.
Therefore, it’s only until we deliberately sit down with pen and paper that our conscious minds understand why we’re feeling the blues.
Notes
- Write down a list of any present anxieties in your life.
- You don’t have to write a novel — a few words for each entry are enough.
- It doesn’t matter what comes to mind. For me, it’s usually a funky blend of trivial problems and existential dread.
- If you can’t think of anything, here are some prompts: work, relationships, money, to-do list, illness, change.
Every time I make this list, I feel a strange relief. It’s as though the sole act of dumping my brain on the page makes my worries vanish. Mental clarity emerges — like an airplane rising above the clouds.
Premeditatio Malorum
To take it one step further, I like to apply the Stoic practice of premeditatio malorum — a premeditation of the evils. Or simply put, imagining the worst-case scenario.
- Go through your entries of anxieties.
- Envision the events in tedious detail.
- Imagine every little bit that could go horribly wrong. Don’t brush up the anxiety with optimism; paint a picture of the absolute worst.
- Now, take a look at the series of events and think about what you can do to prevent or cope with the situation. At this point, I usually realize how insignificant my anxiety is and how almost anything is survivable.
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality,” Seneca observed. The worst-case scenario you imagine will probably never happen. This question helps clarify that. I’ve never done this exercise without feeling less anxious and more in tune with my emotions.
Question 2: What am I upset about?
Humans are fragile, sensitive, and irrational creatures. And yet, society expects us to be strong in times of trouble. To be resilient in crises. To be rational at work. To be relaxed and witty in social settings.
We’re expected to behave tougher than we actually are.
As a result, we go throughout our days wearing invisible iron armors. There are so many things that bother us, like mosquito bites. But we don’t flinch. We don’t shed tears. We don’t take our time to introspect. That is until we find ourselves in seemingly random modes of outrage, breakdown, or insomnia.
So, in this second question, we take off our armor. We investigate it. We look for dents and damages. We may even find holes and stains of blood we didn’t even notice.
Only after this examination can we patch up our wounds and repair the damage done.
Notes
- Make a list of the things and people that currently upset you.
- Try to be as uncensored and quick as possible. Nothing is too petty or pompous to be upset about.
- Remember: No one but you needs to understand your list.
I deem myself to be a very calm person. And yet — or because of that — I find it often surprising how much comes to my mind’s surface once I start writing. So, no matter your temper or situation, there’s always something to be upset about.
This is the opportunity to let it all out.
Be your own friend
If you feel comfortable, follow through with the following:
- Pick two or three points of upset from your list.
- Retell these points in painstaking detail as if you were talking to a good friend. Either talk to yourself out loud, write it down, or actually find someone to chat with.
- Ask yourself: What reasons might a particular person have had to upset you? What explanation you don’t know about might there be for them to act that way?
- Give yourself advice and consolation as if you were kindly encouraging your best friend.
This achieves twofold: we understand both ourselves and others better. We realize that heated arguments with fellow human beings are often a result of unexamined problems — sleep issues, hungry stomachs, or a chain reaction of unlucky incidents.
Question 3: What am I excited about?
We are always on the lookout to change our lives. And yet, through all the hustle-bustle of our hectic lives, our ambitions scramble into a big pile of inseparable junk.
On top of that, we’re often expected to restrict our emotions. We mustn’t be greedy, we’re told. We mustn’t be too ambitious. We mustn’t be overly excited. And, above all, we mustn’t be envious of others.
But these are the exact emotions that contain our deepest wishes and desires.
They deserve to be examined.
Notes
In a constant flow, write down anything you feel ambitious, envious, or excited about.
Similar to the previous question, try to be as rapid and straightforward as possible.
Nothing is too outrageous. This is your personal and private list.
I found it crucial to let myself go in this question. My first few sessions rarely showed signs of greed and envy. Only later did I realize that these emotions are completely normal.
Opportunities for growth
Pick two recurring entries or something you’re particularly excited about. These are your growth opportunities.
- Flesh out your excitement as if you were talking to a loved one.
- Is the excitement a healthy long-term solution or a quick fix?
- What are the changes you have to make in your life to meet the excitement? Be precise.
- Are your expectations realistic? Is the outcome in your control? If not, scratch it from the list.
This part of the exercise is the hardest for me. After all, it’s easier to be anxious or upset than to be excited about something. But I think it’s the most crucial part of the exercise. We all need goals and ambitions to work toward. However, attachment and unrealistic expectations can taint our fulfillment.
Analyzing our excitement can be a grounded outlet for growth.
The Meditation Model that Radically Changed My Life
Philosophical Meditation is not the remedy for our issues and hardships. It’s not a quick fix that dissolves our problems into thin air. But it’s a great start to get there.
It’s a tool for getting to know yourself.
I found that I’m much less anxious and upset for the sole reason that I know what’s going on inside my head. In addition, it helps me develop a step-by-step approach to mitigate my problems and reach my full potential.
Here’s the model that radically changed my life:
- Conventional meditation every morning for 20 to 30 minutes — letting the mind do whatever it wants. Doing nothing.
- Brain dump every evening — making lists for all three questions without going in-depth.
- Once or twice a week: taking 20 minutes to do a complete Philosophical Meditation and analyze everything that has accumulated over the week.
Yes, sticking to this is hard. No, I don’t manage to show up every day. It’s an ideal I sometimes meet and sometimes don’t. And that’s okay.
The chief task is that you find what works and feels good for you.
For many people, conventional meditation does not quite work. Perhaps there’s so much going on inside your head you find a complete daily Philosophical Meditation most soothing. You might find it easier to buddy up with a neighbor to do the exercise on the weekend. Or maybe you just want to stick to the brain dump.
Whatever it is, don’t give in to the speed overload of modern life. Set time aside. Let your subconscious tell you what’s wrong. Work on solutions. Meditate on the evils. Be your own friend. Identify your growth potential.
I promise you will start to know yourself better. And that’s always the first step to profoundly changing your life for the better.