The basic vision of philosophical practice is inspiring: that philosophy can make our life better. The question is how to translate this grand vision into actual practice. Two paradigms to address this question dominate our field: First, the paradigm of philosophical practice as critical thinking. Second, the paradigm of philosophical practice as a free dialogue, free of methods and presuppositions.

1. ON BEING COMPANIONS

The faces of my online companions appear on my computer screen, side by side, in two rows, each enclosed in a box. We look at each other from six corners of the earth, through distances that are bridged by online connections, through the miracle of electronics.

I greet my companions with a smile. Who knows where each one of them is sitting now. I imagine the walls that are hidden from the camera, the windows that open to a street or a garden, the clothes that are thrown on the floor. Maybe a dog or a husband is sitting in the corner.

And yet we are together. Because my words resonate with your words, because our thoughts are intertwined together, like different branches in the same thick forest. For the duration of 90 minutes we are different threads woven together into a multi-color fabric of thought and insight.

And this means philosophical companions – not I versus you, not declaring personal opinions, but standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the same choir of singers, composing new understandings in philosophical togetherness.

The philosophical companionship is a framework for philosophical interaction, a format of philosophical practice. And like most formats, it can be used for a variety of different goals. However, I think that there is a certain goal that is especially appropriate for it. This is because the philosophical companionship involves contemplation.

Since its birth in the early 1980s, the philosophical practice movement has been dominated by two main formats: First, one-on-one counseling about personal issues, or so-called “philosophical counseling.” Second, discussion groups, especially philosophical cafés and Socratic dialogue workshops.

RECORDINGS OF RECENT                                 PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS

COMPANIONSHIP SESSIONS

                                                                                    This month’s topic:

                                                                                          philosophies of authenticity

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UPCOMING COMPANIONSHIPS

To join a companionship, write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE

Name of companionship: What does it mean to be true to myself?

Facilitator: Ran Lahav

Dates: Thursdays night, 1:00 pm, USA Eastern Time (19:00 Italy time), starting July 17th

Duration: Four weekly meetings (can be extended, if participants agree)

Participants: Philosophical practitioners and individuals with philosophical background.

Language; English

Fees: Free of charge

Style: Contemplative sessions focusing on a text, with some textual study.

Details: In this companionship we will explore…

Some philosophical practitioners are against methods. This might seem strange. After all, many important philosophers had methods: Aristotle's syllogistic method, Husserl's phenomenological method, the method of conceptual analysis. Epicurus had methods to assess needs, and the Stoics had methods to for philosophical contemplation. So what's wrong with philosophical practitioners using methods?

Philosophical ideas have a tremendous power to inspire us and awaken us, but they need a space in our hearts and minds. This is a space of listening and reflecting, where ideas would appear and breathe and whisper.

In his essay "Circles," the 19th century American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson describes inspired conversations:

(I am simplifying here his poetic language)

Ideas, as I said earlier, have a tremendous power to inspire us and awaken us – not just philosophical ideas, but ideas in general. Nevertheless, philosophical ideas have an especially powerful potential. This is because they deal with fundamental issues of existence, and also because they give these issues rich and complex meanings. They can therefore make a difference to fundamental themes in our life.

Philosophy deals with ideas. Philosophical practitioners work with ideas, but for a special purpose: to make life deeper, richer, fuller with wisdom. Because ideas have a tremendous power to awaken us, to inspire us, to open for us new worlds, to connect us to new sources of plenitude.