Sun, Nov 15 · 10:00 AM CET
Self-care is everywhere. We are told that eating chocolate can be an act of self-care, as can working out, building our bodies, spending time away from our children, cancelling plans at short notice, setting boundaries, standing our ground, putting our own needs first, taking a mental-health day, deleting social media, going on a digital detox, journaling, meditating, going to therapy, protecting our energy, cutting “toxic” people out of our lives, or simply learning to say no.
Around this idea, an enormous market has emerged. Books, podcasts, retreats, coaching programs, wellness products, meditation apps and online courses promise to teach us how to take better care of ourselves.
But what exactly are we being offered here?
If we want a more substantial answer to the question of self-care, we therefore need to begin somewhere more fundamental: What is this “self” that we are supposed to care for? And what would it actually mean to care for it well?
These questions are much older than the contemporary wellness industry. They belong to the very beginnings of Western philosophy.
Workshops @CHAPEL Raum für Stadtkultur Heidelberg.
Session 2 — Plato: Caring for the Self means Caring for the Soul
Plato begins with a fundamental claim: the self we should care for is the soul — the psyche. To care for oneself therefore does not primarily mean caring for one’s body, comfort, possessions, reputation, or social success. It means caring for the condition of one’s soul.
For Plato, the central task of self-care is therefore to bring order into the soul. The philosophical life — philo-sophia, the love of wisdom — is the practice through which we examine our desires and orient them toward truth and the Good. Philosophy is thus not merely an intellectual activity, but a way of caring for the self.
The promise is a transformation from inner conflict to harmony: by discovering what is highest and orienting our different forms of striving toward it, our desires acquire meaning and direction, and the self becomes unified.
Whether you are new to philosophy or already interested in big questions, this workshop offers an opportunity to think deeply, share your views, and learn from others.
Anna will conduct the workshop in an interactive way, making sure to make it engaging for everyone while also providing some inspiring input. After the workshop we will be able to discuss further and socialise at our brunch at Café Reno.
About the host:inspiration_philosophie inspiration_philosophie /
Anna Maria Lambertz-Rohstock is a doctoral researcher at the Department of Philosophy at Heidelberg University. She is currently completing her Ph.D. with a dissertation on the fulfilled moment in the Neoplatonic tradition and the existential philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard, supported by a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes).
