Learning to Wait: Simone Weil on Attention and Will

"We should try to remedy our faults through attention, not through will."
— Simone Weil

Many of us assume becoming a better person is a matter of trying harder: exercising greater discipline, making better choices, or strengthening our will.

Simone Weil offers us an alternative. What if the deepest forms of learning, moral growth, and love depend less on force of will than on the quality of our attention? What if we change, not by trying harder, but by learning to attend more deeply?

In this session of the Seattle Applied Wisdom Lab, we will explore Simone Weil's short essay, Attention and Will. Together we'll ask:

• What is attention?
• Why is genuine attention so difficult?
• Can attention be cultivated?
• What does attention have to do with truth, goodness, and wisdom?

The required reading is approximately 10–15 minutes. Participants are asked to read it before attending so that the text can serve as a shared point of inquiry.

Because discussion depends on everyone engaging the same text, please RSVP only if you genuinely expect to do the reading, attend, and participate.

Format

• This will be a structured, discussion-based session.
• The goal is not to debate immediately or give long speeches, but to understand the reading together before evaluating it.
• We'll move through a series of guided discussion blocks designed to help us investigate one question at a time.

The required reading is short (approximately 10–15 minutes), but reading it beforehand is essential. Our discussion assumes everyone has engaged with the text.

Reading
https://lapis-mercurii.org/sawl/learning-to-wait.pdf

Who This Is For
This group is for people who are interested in:

• Thinking seriously about how to live
• Engaging with philosophical and psychological ideas in a practical way
• Having thoughtful, focused conversations that go beyond surface-level takes
• No prior background in philosophy is required—just a willingness to engage
• No prior attendance is required

Details

• Space is limited to 10 to maintain a high-quality discussion
• Please RSVP only if you plan to attend
• The session will begin promptly

Where and When

• Wednesday, August 19, 6:00–7:30 PM (please note day change)
• Meeting Room, Green Lake Branch — Seattle Public Library (please note location change)
• 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N., Seattle, WA
• Please arrive 10 minutes early to avoid interruption

Note
This event is NOT hosted, sponsored, or endorsed by The Seattle Public Library. Any views discussed are not a reflection of the Library.