Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us find some inspiration from the last great emperor of Rome. This is from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations X 29: “In every act of thine pause at each step and ask thyself: Is death to be dreaded for the loss of this?” So powerful. So sobering. I say this all the time but […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us look for some inspiration from Epictetus. This is from his Discourses I 24.1&2: “It is difficulties that show what men are. Consequently, when a difficulty befalls, remember that God, like a physical trainer, has matched you with a rugged young man. What for? some one says. So that you may become an […]
Hello there, For this exercise, let us seek some inspiration on the perils of ambition, pleasure and possessions, from the man who was at the top of the social and political ladder. This is from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations VI 51: “The lover of glory conceives his own good to consist in another’s action, the lover of pleasure in his own […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I will look for inspiration from Epictetus’ Discourses IV 1.141&142: “Be careful how you take the news – I won’t say that your child dies, because you couldn’t possibly tolerate that – but that your cruet of oil fell over. Or that someone drank up all your wine. Anyone finding you in despair might […]
Hello there, You’re a good person right? And you do good things for others, no? Well, here are some words from Marcus Aurelius to keep in mind then. Let’s get some inspiration from his Meditations IX 42: “For what more do you want when you have done a man a service? Are you not content that you have done something […]
Hello there, I tend to go through phases of philosophers depending on what I’m reading or am focused on at a particular time. I realized that as much as I have used Seneca’s work for these exercises in the past (and he has a lot of great work as we all know) in recent times I have neglected our favourite […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us look back at Epictetus and find wisdom in his often direct and borderline comic words. This is from the Discourses I 15.7&8: “Nothing great comes into being all at once; why, not even does the bunch of grapes, or a fig. If you say to me now, “I want a fig,” I […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us look at some words from Marcus Aurelius. This is from his Meditations XII 1: “You could enjoy this very moment all the things you are praying to reach by taking the long way around – if you’d stop depriving yourself of them.” If you found a genie and got to make […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I will look for inspiration from one of the Stoics staunchest rivals, the Epicureans. This is from the founder of the school himself, Epicurus, as reported by Diogenes Laertius: “No one was ever the better for sexual indulgence.” So for a practical exercise this week, just give up sex. Become celibate. Ha, no […]
Hello there, Last week we looked at the Stoic philosopher who was an emperor of Rome. This week we go all the way to the other end of the Roman social spectrum in order to seek advice from to the great Stoic philosopher who was a slave. Just comes to show how Stoicism is applicable and relatable to any human […]