At our July meeting of Brisbane Stoics, we explored a question that appears simple but reaches into a core part of Stoic philosophy.

Are you listening to the divine spark within you?

The discussion started with exploring what awe is and finding examples of these, whether it be overlooking the valleys below during a hike, conversing with an old friend, art, architecture, and our children.

From there, we examined what we do when we meet someone new and start to form judgements. We explored looking at mutual interests, and dropping the impressions that we might immediately receive, especially when we are looking to form a judgement based on a job title. We look instead to the energy of the person.

Finally, we explored, quickly, what god could be, recognising the various ideas from an external deity to an internal aspect of the world that we reside in. One way we experience god might be through a spark that you discover the ‘right way to move.’

This led us to an idea from Plato’s Meno, where we are all trying to discover new things and find out the truth of the matter. It’s a paradox though. If we are searching for something and we don’t know exactly what it is, how do we know when we get there? It may be curiosity that drives us, or trying to remember what our souls know if we accept the idea that they are all knowing and we forget once they inhabit a body.

For the Stoics, the divine is within us, not external to us. In fact, we are linked and share a part of the divine spark, for just as the sun’s rays reach down to us and are connected still to the sun, so to do we share a spark (breath) of the god that is found within the world.

With these ideas in front of mind, we read letter Seneca’s Letter 41 and discussed some of the core themes, which we recognised as:

• Look inward for the divine, there is no need to look for an external god
• Focus on our own standard of excellence and what is up to us
• Living according to nature, and beware of how easy it can be for the crowd to push us into vice

This led to further insights into the idea of cosmopolitanism. If we all share the same breath or divine spark, along with the idea that we should focus on our internal characters rather than any external accolades of things, we are all the same beings worthy of recognition. 

Yet we can so easily get caught up in the flashiness of things and incorrectly think that this is what matters, such as the flashy and costly car to display wealth and status, rather than the fact that we use cars to get us from a destination. As Seneca writes, we shouldn’t be distracted by the golden bridle on the horse, rather we should be celebrating a horse that is fast (and fulfilled its proper function), rather than one that is adorned to look good.

That is what matters, fulfilling our function to live according to nature. Which should be easy, yet we so easily get led astray by vice – such as the incorrect yet influential lifestyle choices of others and by chasing external things.

By looking inward, we can not only find our own standard of excellence but also see that shared divine spark in one another, reinforcing our commitment to cosmopolitanism.

Afterwards, we continued the conversation over coffee at a nearby cafe.

Join Us

Philosophy isn’t meant to stay on the page—it’s meant to be lived. If you’ve felt the pull to look inward and find that “divine spark” in yourself and others, we invite you to continue the journey with us. We’re a community dedicated to exploring these ancient ideas in the context of our modern Brisbane lives, and we’d love to have your voice in the mix.

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or simply curious about how Stoicism might help you navigate daily challenges, you are welcome at our table.

Our next meeting is on Sunday, 9 August at 9:00 am. We’ll be diving into our next theme, and we’d love to see you there. Come along to share your reflections, connect with like-minded people, and help us keep the conversation going.