The Four Virtues and Recovery

In this first post, I will discuss the four virtues at the heart of stoicism to give a better understanding of the underlying values that thrive within the philosophy. I will give an introduction into the basics of each virtue and relate it to those of us in recovery.

Virtue is typically defined as having a moral excellence, righteousness or goodness. Stoics view that living a virtuousness life is the key to happiness and what can often times bring on the negative feelings and wrong choices that we make in life can be due to not living this way. Many of us who suffer from addiction get into a repeated cycle of wrong choices, negative feelings and self-loathing that we try to drown away with using which leads to even more bad decisions. It is a loop that goes around and around as it drags us farther and farther down. Therefore, leading a virtuous life can be the key in finally escaping that cycle so that we can break our addictions and find that happiness and satisfaction that we seem lost to. The Stoics broke up virtue into four main categories: courage, justice, temperance and wisdom.

Justice

One of the key concepts in stoicism is the fact that we as humans are all connected being a part of this great universe and planet that we all share together. That we are one great community of human beings and that right living is having a life in which you are making choices that are for the greater good of humanity. Justice to Stoics is often times seen through living an honest life, that treats everyone fairly and equally.

For many of us who have suffered from addiction, we often times led a life of deception. We might have been dishonest to family, friends or even co-workers. Our lies would dig us into deeper and deeper holes that we found harder and harder to get out. We may have committed actions that hurt others, like stealing, failing to pay back money owed, or cheated on a loved one. A life of not being just can lead us farther into our addictions. Therefore, justice can be that path toward what we need.

One of the easiest pieces of advice that can help to follow a path of justice comes from Marcus Aurelius in his wonderful book Meditations. Throughout the book he discusses how every person should ask themselves, right before they do or say anything, if this is the right thing to do that is better for humanity and those who are around me.

Temperance

Temperance you will often see this associated with the idea of moderation. Attributes of this virtue are characteristics like: good discipline, seemliness, and self-control. A major part of what Stoics discuss is the understanding of what we have control over and what we do not have control over then using this knowledge to moderate our emotions and actions.

The Serenity Prayer that many of us have memorized is actually focusing on this idea of temperance and how we need this to achieve sobriety. The power of reading into stoicism is that it gives a deep insight into the Serenity Prayer and how we can implement it throughout our lives. It can become more than just something that we know and say as it becomes a power that guides us through our every day.

Wisdom

Wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgement. It can be seen in having good sense, good calculation, discretion and resourcefulness. It works with the first two virtues that I have already discussed. Understanding and practicing justice and temperance will begin to give you good sense, calculation and discretion in what you do.

This is the reason that the Serenity Prayer ends with “the wisdom to know the difference.” If we begin to practice these things in recovery, we will gain knowledge of how to make the right choices and live with justice and temperance. It will be a new cycle of right decisions that feed more and more of them. It just takes practice. One thing I do have to say though, is that us addicts can be resourceful. However, we always used this resourcefulness to get more of our drug of choice. Isn’t it about time we used it to do the right things?

Courage

I left courage for the end because this is the grand finale. Courage is a mental or moral strength to persevere. Stoics saw it in showing the characteristics of: endurance, confidence, high-mindedness, and industriousness. It takes courage to live by justice, temperance and wisdom. It takes courage to strive to live a virtuous life in a world where you can be surrounded by people who may not be living that way. It is courage that will push you through.

“Living life on life’s terms” is how we begin to talk about courage. We have lived a life where we tried to escape the difficulties that we come across. We have lived a life that we ran from all the bad choices and wrong things that we did. But in recovery we cannot live that way anymore. We need to have the courage to finally face life and live it.

In the end, I hope that you can find a life of virtue. One that lives with justice, temperance, wisdom and courage. We may have wasted years not living, but it is never too late to start.