Hello there, This week for our practice, let us grab some inspiration from the philosopher who inspired Zeno to find Stoicism. Socrates said in Plato’s Republic: “Pleasure deprives a man of the use of his faculties quite as much as pain.” We all have vices. Some are obvious, others not so much. One of the first PEotW was in fact […]
Hello there, This week for our practice, let us admit we are not all-knowing, nor are we born with all the knowledge, and learn something we thought we already knew. Marcus Aurelius reminds us to keep learning what we think we already know in Meditations VI 21: “If any man is able to convince me and show me that I […]
Hello there, This week for our practice, let us focus on our fellow Cosmopolitans and find inspiration in the words of Seneca from his Moral Letters CIX 15: “It is in keeping with Nature to show our friends affection and to celebrate their advancement as if it were our very own. For if we don’t do this, virtue, which is […]
Hello there, This week for our practice, let us change our view from the macroscopic to the microscopic. Epictetus Discourses II 18.1-5: “Every habit and capability is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions: walking by walking, and running by running…therefore, if you want to do something make a habit of it, if you don’t want to do that, don’t […]
Hello there, This week for our practice (and do share what you think and how you practice), let us employ Epictetus’ words from his Discourses III 19 2-3: “For nothing outside my reasoned choice can hinder or harm it – my reasoned choice alone can do this to itself. If we would lean this way whenever we fail, and would […]
Hello there, This week for our guidance, Marcus Aurelius reminds us we are fallible humans beings with a modus operandi of failing in our pursuit of virtue in Meditations VI 11: “When you have been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in a manner, quickly return to yourself and do not continue out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts; […]
Hello there, This week for our guidance, Seneca tells us about the “other side of the coin” vis a vis his cautioned advice to give up what is unnecessary in his moral letters V 2: “Repellent attire, unkempt hair, slovenly beard, open scorn of silver dishes, a couch on the bare earth, and any other perverted forms of self-display, are […]
Hello there, This week for our guidance, Seneca reminds us that “things” are rarely worth what we think of them in his moral letter XLII 6: “Therefore, with regard to the objects which we pursue, and for which we strive with great effort, we should note this truth; either there is nothing desirable in them, or the undesirable is preponderant. […]
Hello there, This week for guidance, Seneca clarifies that self-deprivation is not virtue in his Moral Letters V 5: ” Just as it is a sign of luxury to seek out dainties, so it is madness to avoid that which is customary and can be purchased at no great price. Philosophy calls for plain living, but not for penance; and […]
Hello there, This week for guidance, Marcus Aurelius reminds us about the discipline of action in Meditations IV 2: “Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according to the perfect principles of art.” We are supposed to take the time to decide on the most appropriate course of action, so as to ensure it is the […]