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Resilience is a highly sought-after attribute in all cultures across time and space. There’s not a place in the world that would despise a resilient man. In today’s modern world, there is already a robust and positive mindset for overcoming challenges. Yet, looking into the past, what lessons can be learned, and what methods can be applied today?

How the Ancients Practiced Resilience

Before humans first even became aware of themselves and the world around them, they had already struggled with the hardships of life. Hunger, death, war, calamity, and everything in between. Life has always been hard.

Thus, in a span of millennia and countless experiences, profound wisdom and tested practices for navigating the unpredictable currents of existence developed. These allowed ancient humans and their modern descendants to eventually learn how to break apart the world and warp certain factors of it according to their will.

Looking into the Past of the Stoics

The school of philosophy that was established by Zeno of Citium, Stoicism, emphasized the importance of focusing on what can be controlled and accepting what cannot. This idea is often expressed in the maxim: “Virtue is the only good.” In modern times, virtue is merely a synonym for good quality, but during the classical period, virtue was more of a code of conduct that sought balance between two extremes. Central to Stoic practice was the idea that true happiness was only achievable through virtue. Thus, the constant development of virtue was believed to help a Stoic navigate any challenge with grace and fortitude.

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This highlights the inner strength that is cultivated from inner peace and acceptance. By focusing on the present moment, the Stoics did not dwell on the past nor worry about the future. The inability to do both would result only in unnecessary suffering.

The important lesson that a Stoic should learn to be more resilient against the world is to accept fate. This did not mean that one had to take what was brought upon them without fighting back. To accept fate was to understand the necessity of action while being aware that there were limitations that humans could not overstep.

Seeing the Past of the Taoists

The Chinese philosophy of Taoism contends that everything exists in harmony with one another and that there is a natural course for everything. Life, death, the setting of the sun, the rising of the sun, fortune, the tides, the seasons–these are all connected in one way or another. This idea is founded upon the concept of the “Dao,” which can roughly be translated as “the way” and can be regarded as the natural order of things. The key to resilience was to act in accordance with this order, doing wu wei, or “effortless action,” which emphasizes the importance of “going with the flow.”

Trouble comes when one diverts their orientation against the Dao, the natural flow of the universe. It is only through alignment with the Dao that individuals can more effectively navigate the challenges thrown at them with greater ease and grace. An important step in achieving this alignment is cultivating inner peace through physical practices such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, etc. Whatever is done, the result should be to arrive at a state where the mind is quiet and calm is paramount.

The important lesson for a Taoist is to embrace change. Just as fighting against the currents of a river leads only to doom, so does fighting against the tide of the cosmos. Change is an inherent part of living. To embrace it is to become much more resilient.

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Thinking About the Indigenous Past

Indigenous cultures all over the world possess profound wisdom for living in harmony with the world and fostering self-resilience.

Their vast stores of knowledge come from the deep cultural heritage that they’ve managed to preserve despite subjugation and colonization.

Through many years of living off the land and being guided by the natural world, they have developed many ideas on how to cultivate resilience. The most salient one is their unbreakable connection with nature. Many indigenous cultures revere nature and understand humanity’s place within it. This perspective helps ground an individual, allowing one to adapt more quickly to the challenges of life.

By incorporating these ancient principles into our lives, we can cultivate the resilience necessary to navigate the challenges of the modern world and build a more fulfilling and meaningful existence.

For more on modern ideas of cultivating resilience, check-out Michael Pellegrino’s CRISIS = Opportunity Finding Growth and Resilience in Challenging Times.