24: Negative Visualization

     As mentioned in my post of 3/18/18 ("An Artist At Friend-Making"), I have not agreed with all of the advice that Seneca imparts to his friend Lucilius. But I did come across some guidance in Letter 24, that I can't argue with. Seneca begins that letter by recounting Lucilius' anxiety about a lawsuit that has been filed against him by an enemy. Seneca refuses to tell his friend to be optimistic about the outcome of the case. Instead, he counsels Lucilius:
          "But what I will do is lead you down a different road to tranquility. If you want to be rid of worry, then fix your mind on whatever it is that you are afraid might happen as a thing that definitely will happen. Whatever bad event that might be, take the measure of it mentally and so assess your fear. You will soon realize that what you fear is either no great matter or not long lasting. ... since many external factors have a bearing on the outcome, hope for the best but prepare yourself for the worst. ... Observe what each thing has inside, and you will learn: there is nothing to fear in your affairs but fear itself."
     William Irvine, in his A Guide to the Good Life, describes this psychological tool as "negative visualization." The concept is also discussed in a chapter on Seneca in Oliver Burkeman's The Antidote. I have had a chance to employ negative visualization in my own life recently, due to a physical health issue. A series of tests on my heart have confirmed the good news that -- contrary to the opinions of some -- I do in fact have a heart; the bad news is that there appears to be something wrong with it (probably not life-threatening, fortunately). Throughout these tests, the fifth of which is scheduled for later this month, I have tried to keep in mind that the findings may not ultimately prove to be positive. However, by using negative visualization, I have been much less anxious about the outcome than I would have been before coming across Stoic thought. 
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References:
     Oliver Burkeman, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking (Faber and Faber, Inc., New York, 2012), Chapter 2, pages 23-50.
     William B. Irvine, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, 2009), Chapter 4, pages 65-84.
    Seneca, Letters on Ethics to Lucilius, Translated with an Introduction and Commentary by Margaret Graver and A.A. Long (University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2015), Letter 24, 2, page 85, and 12, page 87.