My Epicurean Life
If you wish to see how I practiced this philosophy in my own life you need only look at the choices I made when the world was not watching. My days were a constant effort to balance the loud demands of building a young republic with the quiet daily habits that kept my mind calm and steady.
Consider my retreat to Poplar Forest. When the pressures of the presidency and the non stop stream of visitors at Monticello became too heavy to bear I escaped to a secluded octagonal house I built in the Virginia forest. There were no politicians there and no grand public dinners. I spent my days reading classical literature studying mathematics and enjoying the simple peace of solitude. It was my ultimate sanctuary away from the public eye.
Look also at my daily schedule. No matter how chaotic my life became I governed my hours with strict order. I rose each morning at dawn and immediately made a fire in my chambers. Before the rest of the world could interrupt me with their problems I spent the early hours reading and writing in my private library. Later in the afternoon I spent hours riding my horse through the woods and tending to my gardens. These physical habits were not merely hobbies. They were a deliberate shield designed to give my body strength and keep my mind free from anxiety.
My lifelong passion for music and architecture was another way I practiced the art of tranquility. When the political fighting in Washington grew unbearable I would retreat to my violin or lose myself in architectural drawings for the University of Virginia. Immersing myself in the physical math of design or the precise beauty of a musical composition forced my mind to focus entirely on the present moment.
Even in my final years when my body was failing and debts were mounting I refused to let the panic of the world invade my thoughts. I spent my mornings organizing my books teaching my grandchildren and writing letters to old friends. I chose to focus entirely on what was right in front of me. I lived my life proving that true happiness does not come from the grand titles the world gives you but from the quiet steady control you maintain over your own mind.
You may ask how these personal habits of mine connect to the ancient rules of Epicurus and why they make me a true follower of his school. To understand this you must look past the modern misunderstanding of the word and see what Epicurus actually taught about the physical world and the human mind.
Epicurus taught that the greatest good in life is the total absence of anxiety and fear. He called this state ataraxia. My strict daily schedule my morning reading and my retreats to Poplar Forest were not just random choices to stay busy. They were deliberate tactics to protect my mind from the stress of public life. By controlling my hours and shutting out the political chaos I was actively creating the mental tranquility that Epicurus said is the very foundation of happiness.
Epicurus also taught that true pleasure is negative meaning it is found in the lack of pain rather than the constant chasing of new excitements. He warned that public fame political power and endless wealth are dangerous traps because they bring more anxiety than joy. When I walked away from the presidency and refused to stay in the public eye I was following this exact advice. I chose the quiet simple pleasures of my library my horse and my garden over the loud intoxicating power of the state. I proved that a moderate life shared with close friends is far sweeter than a life spent chasing the applause of the crowd.
Finally Epicureanism is rooted in materialism. This means believing that the universe is physical made entirely of matter and atoms and governed by natural laws. My obsessive love for agriculture gardening architecture and science comes directly from this worldview. When I spent my afternoons studying the soil tracking weather patterns or designing the precise angles of a building I was worshiping the physical world as it actually is. Epicurus taught us to trust our senses and find truth in nature rather than in mystical superstitions. By dedicating my retirement to the study of the physical earth I was living out the ultimate scientific mindset of his philosophy.
I am an Epicurean because I structured my entire existence around these concepts. I managed my mind to avoid anxiety I chose quiet moderation over public ambition and I dedicated my intellect to understanding the physical laws of nature. That is what the philosophy requires and that is how I lived it.
Read a letter I wrote about my being an Epicurean: https://www.thomasjefferson.com/jefferson-letters/october-31
