THE STOIC

JOURNAL OF THE STOIC GYM

Stoicism in
everyday life

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 7 JULY 2023


THE STOIC PROMISE
If you will listen to me, whoever
you are, and whatever you are
doing, you will not feel suffering
or anger, or compulsion, or
hindrance. You will pass your
time without worries.
EPICTETUS
THE STOIC
Journal of The Stoic Gym
Volume 5 Issue 7 July 2023
The Stoic Gym, 2023
Editor
Dr. Chuck Chakrapani
Associate Editor
Kai Whiting
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THE STOIC
THE STOIC
JOURNAL OF THE STOIC GYM
Stoicism in everyday life
CHUCK CHAKRAPANI
When people face extreme situations, there problem the next itme, we are less likely to be
is a body of evidence to show that Stoicism overwhelmed by it and more likely to look
helps. Seneca faced his death with calm. for a Stoic solution, keeping our peace and
Marcus Aurelius faced war with equanimity. equanimity.
Musonius Rufus faced his multiple exiles
without complaining. The problems we face can either be “trivial”
(for example, how to deal with traffic jams)
If we fast forward to modern times, we have or “profound” (such as, what should we do
the example of James Stockdale facing long when bad things happen to others).
years as a prisoner of war with the help of
Stoicism. We have Dr. Rhonda Cornum’s What do you do...
account of how she used Stoic principles to
survive and move beyond a sexual assault. • When you have bodily pain?
Clearly, Stoicism has helped many people to • When your health is challenged?
face extreme conditions like death,
imprisonment, exile, and assault. But can • When thingss don’t go according to plan?
Stoicism affect our daily life?
• When you are stuck in traffic?
We believe it can. One of the aims of THE
STOIC magazine and TheStoicGym.com is • When your perceptions are coloured by your
to help keep awareness of Stoic principles past and you fail to see what is happening now?
top of mind. We try to do this by constantly
publishing articles that discuss how Stoic • When bad things happen to others?
prinicples may be applied in our daily life.
Our hope is that constantly reminding • When we fail to be present?
ourselves of the principles will make them
available when we need them. These are some of the problems we come
across in our daily lives and we don’t always
There is not one single Stoic solution to know how to deal with them. We present our
each and every problem we face. The same contributors’ thoughts on these issues. We
problem may have many Stoic solutions. hope you find them useful.
Neither can we think of solutions to all
problem we might possibly face. However, C�u�� Ch��r�p���
we can think of some common problems
we face and see how they can be approached
from a Stoic perspective.
TheStoicGym.com
So we asked our panel of writers to tell us
how exactly they would use Stoic principles NEW BLOGS THIS MONTH
in their daily life. We left it for them to think
of an everyday situation and then say how The importance of time
they would see it from a Stoic perspective.
As I said, these are not canned Stoic
solutions for our everyday problems. Their
9 ways to handle bodily pain: part 1
purpose is to train our minds from a Stoic
perspective so, when we face a everyday 9 ways to handle bodily pain: part 2
2 JULY 2023
THE STOIC
JOURNAL OF THE STOIC GYM

Editorial. Stoicism in everyday life 2

Stoicism in everyday life

Chuck Chakrapani. When bodily pain bothers us 4

Tanner Campbell. When our health is challenged 5
Andi Sciacca. When things don’t go according to plan 7
Greg Sadler. When bad things happen to other people 8
Brandon Tumblin. When we are not present 10
Piotr Stankiewicz. When our views are coloured by our past 11
John Kuna. When we are stuck in traffic 13
Karen Duffy. Paradise is a library 14

Regular features
Stoic every day. Stoic quotes for every day of the month 15
Stoic fellowships around the world 17

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 7 JULY 2023

When bodily pain bothers us
All we have is this pain we are suffering now and even that will not last
long. There is no need to saddle ourselves with imagainar� scenarios that
can only add to our pain.
CHUCK CHAKRAPANI
In one of his letters to Lucilius (Letter 78),
Seneca outlines his thoughts on how to deal
with pain. Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus
also have some ideas on this subject. Here
are their main ideas.
1. Pain is manageable
There are two types of bodily pain: pain
that lasts for a short time and the pain that
lasts a long time.
Severe pains often occur in the slender
parts of our bodies such as nerves, joints,
and other narrow parts. Human beings
cannot endure sharp pain for too long.
Because of that, nature made it such that
sharp pains do not last long. Extreme pains
are frequently interrupted. So this is our
consolation for severe pain: When the pain
is too severe, you finally stop feeling it.
As for chronic pain, at it causes problems.
Then, as time passes, numbness sets in, and
the pain goes away.
2. Do not add your opinion
Pain is bearable until we add our opinion to
it – “this is terrible!” or “why me?” or “how
can I enjoy life when I am in pain?” When
we think like this, we are adding suffering to
our pain. The best way to think about pain
is to say to yourself that if you have a body,
you will have pain from time to time. It is
unrealistic to believe that you can have a
body that will never have pain. It will be
there for a while and then diminish or go
away. Why make it worse with unhelpful
thoughts.?
3. Do not relive the past or be
afraid of the future
Another way we add suffering to our pain is
by reliving past memories. Our memories
of past pain or the memories of pain
suffered by others make our pain worse.
THE STOIC
Sometimes we also imagine how the pain
will affect us later in the day, tomorrow, or
for the rest of our lives. By doing this we
add imaginary pain to the pain we aleady
have.
All we have is this pain we are suffering now
and even that will not last long. There is no
need to saddle ourselves with imagainary
scenarios that can only add to our pain
4. Distract yourself
When we have bodily pain, we tend to dwell
on it. This makes it worse because our
attention is focused on our pain.
Of course, we cannot tell ourselves not to
think of our pain. But we can distract
ourselves by thinking about different things,
especially things that elevate us. By doing
this, we take our mind away from pain, thus
making it less impactful.
5. Cultivate mental pleasures
It is hard to understand that, when our
body is in pain, our mind is unaffected.
“How can I think of anything when I am in
pain?” However, in reality, your mind is
unaffected by bodily pain. True, when you
are in severe pain, all your faculties focus on
it. But severe pains don’t last long and
chronic pain loses its impact after a while.
Therefore, we should remember that our
mind is unaffected by our body’s illness.
Once we realize this, we see bodily pain
affects only bodily pleasures. It does not
affect our mental pleasures that are
unconnected with the body. So when we
have bodily pain, there is no reason why we
should stop cultivating mental pleasures
that are open to us no matter how our body
feels.
6. Heed the advance warning
Sharp pains can set in with no warning.
4 JULY 2023
However, many illnesses and chronic pains
give advance warning through mild
symptoms. Some illnesses such as flu, even
when they do not give us advance warning,
have a high probability of occurring in
some seasons.
If we believe we are prone to an attack by a
specific illness beause it is the ‘season’ or
because we think we are vulnerable, we can
take necessary precautions by taking
preventive medications or avoiding certain
situations that would expose us to a specific
illness.
Recurring pains also give us warning. We
take precautions against them, including
taking preventive medications.
7. Stand up to your pain
We should not be too quick to give in to our
illness. When we believe that we are
powerless over our pain, then we are.
Instead if we tell ourselves that the pain is
temporary and we will prevail over it, the
pain will have a lower impact on us.
8. Think positively
When we have bodily pain, let us remind
ourselves that we have bodily pain because
we have a body. We can be glad about that.
(Discourses, Epictetus).
9. Think of pain as normal
When we treat pain as something normal
rather than as something terrible, we are
unlikely to be bothered too much by it.
(Meditations, Marcus Aurelius)
You can read a two-part expanded
version of this article (9 ways to deal
with bodily pain) at TheStoicGym.com.
When our health is challenged
We cannot choose our limits in concer�s to our physical fit�ess. Nor can we choose
how oſten we fall victim to illness during our lives. Neither, finally, can we choose how
or when we will die �suicide not�ithstanding�. However, we can always choose to do
what we’re able to choose to do.
TANNER CAMPBELL
Controlling vs. choosing
You’re familiar with the dichtomy of control,
no doubt, but that word, “control”, is a
poor choice of words (in my opinion).
Epictetus uses the phrase “eph’ ēmin”, which
means “within our power”, in the opening
lines of his Enchiridion:
“Some things are within our power (original
Greek: eph’ ēmin) while others are not.”
Our power… to do what? Not our power
to control things, I think that’s wrong.
Instead, I feel Epictetus is referring to our
power to choose things.
Why is this an important distinction? Aren’t
the words “control” and “choice” basically
the same in this context? No. Not in my
view anyway. When we think about
controlling something, we’re framing our
thoughts in a power dichotomy. On the
other hand, then we think about choosing
something, we’re framing our thoughts in a
moral, ethical, or duty dichotomy.
Choosing vs. caring
For example, we cannot control our
parents’ health choices. If we cannot
control our parents’ health choices, should
we choose not to care about their health
choices? Should we walk away from
whatever duty we have to them (in concerns
to their health choices) since we cannot, in
the end, force our parents to make healthier
decisions? If we consider control to be the
ultimate arbiter of what we do and don’t get
involved in, then yes.
However, if we consider our ability of
choice to be the ultimate arbiter of what we
do and don’t get involved in, then of course
not.
THE STOIC
We cannot choose how our parents regard
their health, but we can choose not to walk
away from attempting to influence them
positively (sometimes in spite of
themselves). Walking away from what we
cannot control, simply because we cannot
control it, speaks poorly of our character.
What, on the other hand, does it say of our
character if we choose to make the effort to
positively influence the health habits of our
parents to the best of our ability? Something
far better, no doubt.
Developing character
Remember. Stoicism is about the
development of a virtuous character, and so
our character must always be at the centre
of any decision we make or action we take.
Let’s now turn our focus to ourselves
Can we choose whether or not we are ill?
No. Can we choose whether or not we are
physically fit? Not always, as we cannot
choose whether or not we have a disability
or a medical condition that might prevent,
for example, cardio workouts.
We can however, regardless of disability,
medical condition, or other external factors,
choose to do what we are able to choose to do.
The fact that our body, the husk in which
we live, the shell whose deterioration and
eventual death is an inevitability, isn’t truly
our own (and is instead, “on loan” to us) –
and that we certainly cannot control – has no
bearing on whether or not we can (or
should) choose to do what we can to influence
the healthy condition of it (within whatever
limitations Nature has assigned us).
We have choices
Perhaps we cannot use our legs, but we can
5 JUL;Y 2023
choose to use other parts of our body to do
what we can to positively influence our
physical fitness.
Perhaps we will fall ill a number of times in
our lives, but we can choose to eat well and
do what we can to positively influence our
physical health.
We will absolutely die, one day, but we can
choose to live well during our life.
We cannot choose our limits in concerns to
our physical fitness. Nor can we choose
how often we fall victim to illness during
our lives. Neither, finally, can we choose
how or when we will die (suicide
notwithstanding). However, we can always
choose to do what we’re able to choose to
do. This is the point of what contemporary
Stoics call the “dichotomy of control” – it’s
a tool for character introspection, not for
assessing our power and control (which I,
personally, find to be unnecessarily
aggressive words).
Summer is often a time of rest and
relaxation, of unfocused leisure, and of lazy
rivers and no responsibilities, and I’m not
suggesting that’s not okay from time to
time, or frequently. It all depends on what
you reason it to say about your character!
So, as you start your summer, I want you to
consider what choices you’ll be presented
with the opportunity to make, and what
those choices (the ones you decide to make)
will say about your character.
Tanner is the host of the Practical Stoicism podcast,
co-author of the Daily Stoic Journaling program, and
owner of Practical Philosophy. He considers himself
a "Stoicism Communicator" by trade and creates daily
education content related to both Stoicism and philosophy
in general.
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When things don’t go according to plan
My earlier self made a brief appearance, thinking, “Oh my God… We drove all this
way, for this?!” � but she was quieted by a calmer, happier, more Stoic version of
myself who thought, “Well, let’s keep going and see what we find out. These things
do happen. Best not to react just yet.” And so we did.
ANDI SCIACCA
It can be tempting to think of Stoic practice
as connected to the big things – the death
of a loved one, changes in relationships,
unexpected news from a doctor, an
opportunity for the unknown, decisions to
stop – or start – something that impacts
your well-being or the well-being of others.
Small things are just as important
These things do offer inspiration to practice
living in accordance with nature. However,
I’m discovering that there are plenty of
everyday opportunities to engage in Stoic
practice – and those are just as important
(perhaps even moreso) as they offer regular
occasions to build good habits.
I was reminded of this recently, in an
unlikely place: while traveling over 900
miles in roughly 36 hours over a whirlwind
weekend in terrible weather. The trip had
moments of stress – but I’m convinced that
my beginner’s attempts of Stoic practice
turned what could have been an
uncomfortable experience into something
that was actually pretty wonderful.
Now, it certainly helps that I was on my way
to see my favorite band (The Cure) in the
company of my favorite human (my
husband) – but I actually found myself
reflecting, at several points, on how an
earlier version of myself might have reacted
differently.
Putting things in perspective
First, tickets were sold out just as soon as
the shows were announced. Is this a big
thing? No, not really. Is it life-changing?
No, likely not. But I do know that earlier
Andi would have been pretty upset. My
anger issues are part of what drew me to
Stoicism in the first place – and my earlier
self would have complained to anyone who
would listen about how unfair the process
THE STOIC
was – or how I should (such entitlement!) be
able to go.
But I was actually a bit surprised by my own
indifference.
Maybe another door will open
I’d accepted that it wasn’t meant to be – and
while disappointed, I let it go. Then, almost
as soon as I put my philosophy into practice,
I received an “act-now” email letting me know
that there were grass seats in Ohio up for
grabs. And, indifference be damned (I’m still
learning, after all!), I jumped at the chance.
The tickets were affordable – and we’d been to
this outdoor theater before. It was a
manageable drive, so we made the decision to
go for it.
We hit the road at 7am on a Sunday. We drove
through miles and miles of single-lane
construction and finally arrived at our hotel
around 5pm. We made our way to the venue
and got into the 90-minute uphill line of
bumper-to-bumper traffic, as the rain poured
down and the lightning flashed across the sky.
We finally made it into the entry gates and saw
hundreds of people walking away from the
theater and down the muddy path.
And it may close too!
We asked a few where they were going – and
they said, “We were told it was cancelled, so
we’re going home.”
My earlier self made a brief appearance,
thinking, “Oh my God… We drove all this
way, for this?!” – but she was quieted by a
calmer, happier, more Stoic version of myself
who thought, “Well, let’s keep going and see
what we find out. These things do happen.
Best not to react just yet.” And so we did.
What we found at the top was that the show
would indeed go on – it would just start a bit
7 JULY 2023
later than planned. So, we rented lawn
chairs, put on our ponchos, and found a
place under a big oak tree while it rained
and rained – and we waited it out. When
the band came on, they played for what
turned out to be almost three glorious
hours. We went back to the hotel, slept
well, and made the return trip the very
next morning. All was well. It could have
been a mess – I could have lost my cool,
or made assumptions, or gotten angry.
But I didn’t.
And it doesn’t mean I will always be so
connected to what I can control and so
disconnected from or indifferent to what
I cannot control – like weather, traffic,
the actions or assumptions of people
who could have prompted me to act in
kind – but I do know that this was a really
great experience.
I’m grateful for it – and for the insights it
brought me.
Entrust things to the universe
This one trip, this one little slice of
everyday life, reminded me of how much
better things can be when we do as
Musonius Rufus said, and “concern ourselves
absolutely with the things that are under our
control and entrust the things not in our control
to the universe.” (Musonius Rufus, Fragments
38 )
That night, the universe did its thing –
and I did mine. And it was fantastic.
Andi Sciacca is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
where she is an Associate Professor II of Writing +
Humanities at The Milwaukee Institute of Art &
Design (MIAD). She is also engaged in several
nonprofit leadership roles – including serving as a
member of the Modern Stoicism Steering Committee.
When bad things happen to other people
Caring about and being concer�ed for our fellow human beings is an
integ�al par� of what the Stoics asser� to be our rational and therefore social
nat�re. It’s not a question of whether or not Stoics can or should care about
others. Instead, it’s a ma�er of HOW.
GREG SADLER
Should Stoics care?
Later this month, I’m lined up to lead the
second event in a new series called
“Conversations with Modern Stoicism”.
The topic that I decided upon is one that I
see many people getting confused about.
Some even get quite worked up,
argumentative, and angry over it, I’ve found.
It's this: “When bad things happen to other
people – should Stoics care?” When we see
other people mistreated, reduced to poverty,
suffering illness or pain, feeling grief or
loneliness, insulted or injured, exploited or
abused, should this matter to us?
Some people would respond immediately as
if this is a “no-brainer,” that is, a matter one
needn’t think about at all. No, of course
Stoics shouldn’t care! And if you ask them
why, they will likely give one of several
responses. They might respond that a Stoic
shouldn’t care about anything that falls
outside the scope of their own mind,
character, or faculty of choice. Those are all
externals, indifferents, matters outside one’s
control, and that includes other people and
what happens to them.
Alternately, they might place the focus not
on themselves, but on the other person and
– depending on what the “bad” thing
happens to be – deny that anything bad has
happened to that person. After all, virtue is
the only good and vice the only evil. That’s
one assertion we see made at times in classic
and contemporary Stoic texts, isn’t it?
What does Stoicism say?
You can find passages in Stoic writing that
some people do marshal in order to justify,
THE STOIC
even demand, such an attitude of
indifference to the experiences and the
plights of other people. The Stoics say an
awful lot of things, though, and anyone
who intends to develop and practice the
virtue of wisdom so central to Stoicism
should strive to study, mull over, and bring
together not just a few passages but the
whole of Stoic doctrine as we have it.
Stoicism is a complex system of
philosophical concepts and claims,
arguments and analogies, precepts and
practices. It’s not a bunch of isolated
memes, quips, or sound-bites.
It certainly is true that classical Stoics
thought and taught that many people are
mistaken about what is genuinely good or
bad for human beings, and what matters
strictly speaking fall into the range of the
“indifferents” (and might be “preferred” or
“rejected”). But that doesn’t mean that the
Stoic attitude in every case, when dealing
with people who within that mistaken
viewpoint believe that they have been
harmed or experienced something bad,
would be to say: “Too bad for them.
Nothing really bad has happened to them or
taken place”.
Care, but don’t “groan inwardly”
That person’s pain or fear, grief or anger
might be an emotional response that is from
a Stoic perspective rooted in mistaken
assumptions, erroneous lines of reasoning,
poorly shaped habits. But that doesn’t mean
that experiencing those emotions isn’t
something bad that person experiences, or
that the Stoic can’t or shouldn’t sympathize
with that unfortunate person. Epictetus
tells us that we can behave empathetically
8 SEPTEMBER 2022
towards a person who has experienced a
death in their family, and even “groan
outwardly”. He just suggests to us that we
don’t “groan inwardly”.
Caring is an integral part of
Stoicism
Caring about and being concerned for our
fellow human beings is an integral part of
what the Stoics assert to be our rational and
therefore social nature. That’s not
something to be rooted out, discouraged, or
set aside. It’s something to be guided and
grown, developed and deployed in
accordance with our better, rational human
nature. It’s not only possible but desirable to
care about and care for our fellow human
beings who, precisely because they aren’t
Stoics, are even more vulnerable to being
wounded by the world they inhabit, or
perhaps even suffer the consequences of
their own misguided decisions.
It’s not “whether” but “how”
I’ll close by noting that this isn’t just a
matter the virtue of wisdom bears upon,
but also and perhaps even more one that
falls into the scope of justice, an equally
important virtue. There are consistently
Stoic ways to care whether people get what
they deserve, whether commitments are
followed through, whether wrongs are
remedied. It’s not a question of whether or
not Stoics can or should care about others.
Instead, it’s a matter of HOW.
Greg Sadler of ReasonIO is an educator and the
editor of Stoicism Today (ModernStoicism.com).
JULY 2023

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if you believe they are; Leave your past behind; Don’t let the indifferents
rob your freedom; Where there is fear, freedom is not; You can never lose
anything because you don’t own anything; Life is a festival. Enjoy it now.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT THIS BOOK
One of the best books on Stoicism…Please go and read it. –
Donald Robertson, Author How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
This book is probably one of the best introductions to Stoicism that I’ve
read… The philosophy seems crystal clear and the use of examples from
various famous philosophers and modern role models makes it engaging and
easyto read. I really think Chuck has a way of expressingStoic ideas that’s
very clear and concise...I’m not sure how he managed to cover so much ground
so well in so few pagesbut he did, and I find that very impressive... Chuck’s
book is a page-turner that gives you more bang for your buck… So please just
go and read it.
A wonderful book – Dr. Gregory Sadler, Sadler’s Honest Book Reviews
If you want to apply [the Stoic principles] right away, it is a wonderful
book for that. This will help a lot of people.This is a gateway book.
Choosethisbook – Robert Cialdini, Author of Influence
Chuck Chakrapani reveals for modern eyes what the ancient
Stoics knew: True freedom comesfrom choosing wisely. Here’s an
aligned piece of advice – choose this book.
Get your copy here! https://amzn.to/2NKcSx7
9 JULY 2023
 When we are not present
W
Remember: the present moment is all we have. Life is fleeting; moments slip
away with ever� breath. Even when pondering the f�t�re, you are still forced
into the present moment – you are simply t��ing to bring that ver� uncer�ain
f�t�re right here and now, which cannot be done.
BRANDON TUMBLIN
The practice of being present is often seen
as a Buddhist idea, however, it is also a very
core Stoic idea. But what does it mean to be
present to a Stoic, and how does one
incorporate it into daily life?
The uncertain future
If we are not immersed in the present
moment, then we are either thinking about
the past or the future. To start, let’s consider
how the future is uncertain. We have no
idea what will happen tomorrow or if
tomorrow will even come. That is a
humbling realization, truly, and it begs the
question: why should we spend too much
time contemplating what could be when it
isn’t guaranteed?
That isn’t to say that a Stoic spends no time
at all planning for what’s to come. For
example, there is the practice of
premeditation of evils, in which the Stoic
ponders what could potentially go wrong
and what to do if it does go wrong. Such a
practice is essential in being able to deal
properly with what could come. However,
this practice is done to prepare you for how
to react in the present if this scenario
comes to pass.
I would venture to guess that most of the
future thinking that we find ourselves
absorbed into is centred around worry,
anxiety, or even excitement. Emotions like
worry and anxiety can become overbearing
for obvious reasons, but what about
excitement? Why is that such a bad thing?
I do think that Stoics can feel excited about
certain things, but they must do so while
remaining detached. What that looks like in
practice is accepting that the very situation
that you are excited about could not happen
as you wish, but that doesn’t mean that you
can’t be happy and accepting of whatever
does happen in its place. Be excited, but
THE STOIC
with detachment: that seems like the Stoic
path.
The unchangeable past
Aside from looking forward, many of us
fall into the trap of spending too much time
looking back. There are reasons to ponder
and evaluate your past – past experiences
are where you learn the lessons needed to
improve your future.
However, there are other ways in which
looking back can be unStoic. As an
example, consider the person who has lost
their partner to cancer and spends much
time dwelling on the wonderful times
they’ve had together and correspondingly
wishing and hoping that they were still alive.
Grieving is a normal process, but Stoic
detachment means accepting that you can
achieve eudaimonia, even after losing a
loved one. That doesn’t mean that you don’t
love and care for people, but it does mean
that you acknowledge your own strength in
being able to live your life productively in
the future without them.
Again, this isn’t to say that thinking back on
good memories is inherently unStoic, but it
must be done in moderation within the
context of a life that is still moving forward.
Going through a photo album every now
and then is fine; living the rest of your life
shut off from future opportunities because
you can’t stop recollecting how much better
the past was than right now is not.
On being present
Finally, we come to the present. Remember:
the present moment is all we have. Life is
fleeting; moments slip away with every
breath. Even when pondering the future,
you are still forced into the present moment
– you are simply trying to bring that very
10
uncertain future right here and now, which
cannot be done.
Similarly, when over-evaluating the past,
you are not making the present from the
past; you are fooling yourself into thinking
that that past moment is here. But it’s not.
The present is right here and now. It is
fleeting, but it’s all you’ve got.
Daily life practices
Where does the rubber meet the road with
this Stoic practice?
Being Stoically present looks like taking a
moment to observe the clouds in the sky
when you have a workday that’s
overwhelming. It looks like taking a short
breather from your computer and analyzing
the shapes in the wood on your desk, in
wonder about nature’s order. It looks like
reminding yourself that those around you
will not be here forever, so perhaps you
should take a moment to feel some
gratitude for them.
Like many philosophical ideas, being
present is easy to understand in concept but
it can be tricky to implement. The way
forward is simple practice! Remind yourself
to be more present throughout your day,
and you’ll improve. Before you know it,
you’ll be like Marcus Aurelius, reminding
yourself regularly to not worry about the
past or future too much; it’s far from
certain.
Brandon is most well-known for his podcast, The
Strong Stoic Podcast, where he discusses
philosophical ideas both solo and with guests. He
also coaches individuals to help them be their best
selves, writes articles, plays music, manages projects,
and several other things.
JULY 2023
When our views are coloured by our past
Let's consider for once that it's always today, i.e., that the only nat�ral state of
the world is the one we obser�e in the present moment.
DR. PIOTR STANKIEWICZ
Being present in the moment
The Stoic teaching about being in the
present moment is as old as the hills. It
encourages us to check into the present
moment since it is our only interface with
the real world.
However, we can also apply this principle to
another challenge, namely getting along
with younger people. This is also an age-old
predicament. Since the dawn of
humankind, the older generations have
tended to criticize the younger ones.
Interestingly, the list of complaints seldom
changes. Younger generations are
consistently labeled as "lazy," "entitled,"
"self-absorbed," "disrespectful," and so on.
Conversely, young people are always
striving to distinguish themselves from the
elders. They create their own language,
contexts, memes, and more. This dynamic
can make communication difficult. Is there
anything we can do about this?
We treat early experiences as the
norm
A curious aspect of the human psyche is
that we readily absorb the circumstances of
our early life and assume them to be the
universal norm. We get to believe that what
the world was like when we were teenagers
or in our early twenties is "normal" and
"natural”. This perception shapes the world
we understand best and enjoy most.
Nothing unusual about that – just a fact of
life.
Yet things constantly change
Yet another fact of human life is that it
constantly, incessantly changes. This is even
truer today than it was in the times of
Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. Back in the
THE STOIC
day, the life of a great-grandfather might
not have been very different from the life
of a great-grandson.
Today, however, the wind of change blows
a hundred times stronger. The pace of
development is breathtaking and mind-
boggling. Within the span of a single
lifetime, we've gone from the first powered
flight to landing on the moon. We've also
transitioned within just one generation
from the Internet being a curiosity for tech
enthusiasts to a ubiquitous necessity. The
2020s have brought even more rapid
changes, with the introduction of AI, the
pandemic, and a new war in Europe.
This intensifies the generational conflict.
Each generation tends to perceive its own
technological and political setting as the
"natural" one, but in the fast-changing
world these perspectives fail to overlap.
The world we knew then and the
world of today
Having turned forty this spring, I see this
clearly. Just like everyone else, I
acknowledge the state of the world when I
was about 20 as the natural one. Of course,
I’m always curious and I strive to keep up-
to-date with all the new advancements and
updates. I believe I’m quite well acquainted
with them and not out of touch.
However, at the same time I realize that I
perceive these new developments as
additions or “new layers” added onto
reality. Even though I understand them and
can navigate them effectively, they still feel
"new”. They are variations and
modifications of the "base level", i.e., the
world as I knew it when I was young.
11
The puzzle, of course, is that younger
people don't share this perspective. The
state of affairs from 20 years ago is
irrelevant for them. No matter how open-
minded I try to be, or how much I try to
learn about new technologies and cultural
contexts, they will never feel native to me.
The only thing I can do is to attempt to
artificially “factor in” the world's new
agendas and advancements into my “old”
worldview. This works well for now, yet
such calculations have limits. If I rely solely
on this, I will inevitably be labeled a
"boomer".
It’s always today
To overcome this, we must reverse our
thinking. Let's consider for once that it's
always today, i.e., that the only natural state
of the world is the one we observe in the
present moment. This perspective puts us
on an equal footing with younger
individuals, our contemporaries, and
virtually everyone else.
The age difference can be removed from
the equation and the only question that
truly matters now is what we bring to the
table. We no longer have to adjust our
worldview or artificially recalculate
conditions we are not native to. Instead, all
our past experiences and the training we've
received become the wisdom we carry into
the present moment. And the only valid
question is to what use we can put it?
Dr. Piotr Stankiewicz, Ph.D., is a writer and
philosopher, and promoter of reformed Stoicism. He
authored Manual of Reformed Stoicism, and Does
Happiness Write Blank Pages?
JULY 2023
 ai w HOW TO LIVE LIKE

le
! Marcus
av o
b
la
n

Aurelius
A guided journal for daily practice

WHAT IT IS
How to Live Like Marcus Aurelius offers a way to lead a life that
is worthy living: a life that is pleasant, serene, and not a
struggle.
No matter how much time we devote to reading Marcus
Aurelius, no benefit will come of it unless we practice what
he says. But how do we practice it? That is where this journal
comes in.
HOW IT WORKS
For each day of the year, this book has three sections:
THINK (a short, carefully selected quote from Marcus
Aurelius), PRACTICE (a brief suggestion on how to practice
the quote) and WRITE (space for you to write your thoughts
and experiences).
HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE?
The quotes and practices are structured to not demand more
than a few minutes of your time every day.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
You can have a completely new outlook on life – a life full
of confidence, kindness, serenity, and beauty – by
practicing the exercises for the next 52 weeks. It is hard
to think like and practice Marcus Aurelius every day for a
year and not be transformed by that experience.
GET SAMPLE LESSONS FREE
If you want to test drive the journal, you can download
the first three weeks for free at https://thestoicgym.com/
books/book-delivery
READ THE FIRST TWO WEEKS

FREE HERE!
When we are stuck in traf�c
When something happens in the world and it raises an impression in you,
take a beat. Before commi�ing to your immediate response, ask yourself:
Can this affect my capacit� for being a good person? Is this even t��e?
JOHN KUNA
Stuck in traffic. Not again!
Imagine yourself commuting to work, or
dropping off your child at school, or going
to pick up groceries. You know the route,
it’s second nature to you. You’re thinking
about the day ahead, whether your kid did
the homework, what you’re planning to
cook this week. But, you’re running late.
The road is packed with drivers. Some
driving slowly, some going lane to lane –
anything to edge slightly faster toward their
destination. You’re coming up to a light. It’s
green. Oh, now it’s yellow. Will the car in
front of you make it? Oh, they decided to
stop instead, now you’re stuck at the red
light and running further behind.
The light changes green. The car in front of
you doesn’t move. You blare your horn. You
start to move. Suddenly, a car lurches in
front of you from your blindspot. Too
close. You slam on the brakes in the middle
of the intersection. The car behind you
swerves around you. Its driver gives you a
dirty look. The car in front speeds away.
You’re shaken. You’re late. Almost got in a
crash. What do you do? What do you say to
yourself ? How do you respond?
Thoughts that don’t help
If you’re like me, traffic can sometimes be a
blind spot in our Stoic practice. You may
have all sorts of harsh impressions arise
about the situation. I should be on time.
This person in front of me should have
made the light; they’re an idiot. Ugh, they’re
not paying attention – moron. WOAH, way
to cut me off you jerk! It wasn’t my fault,
how could you blame me for that?! We’re so
focussed on where we’re trying to go that
we stop focusing on what we’re trying to do.
And when something doesn’t go the way we
THE STOIC
prefer it to, things can spiral pretty quickly
into a cascade of negative thoughts and
judgments about the situation and others.
And then, we’re left picking up the pieces of
our fragile ego and mental state.
Take a beat.
Don’t be too quick to assent
As Stoics, we know the most important
thing is to cultivate an excellent moral
character – to be a good person. One of the
most practical and intuitive techniques the
Stoics honed to reach that goal is the
Discipline of Assent. It’s a simple concept.
When something happens in the world and
it raises an impression in you, take a beat.
Before committing to your immediate
response, ask yourself: Can this affect my
capacity for being a good person? Is this
even true? You’ll find that the answer to
those questions is often “no.” Let’s go
through some of those examples above,
now from the Stoic perspective. Rather than
blindly accepting them as reality, we will
interrogate them using the Discipline of
Assent.
I should be on time. But, being late doesn’t
make me a bad person. I can still choose to
respond to this situation well. I can be more
mindful about leaving earlier. It’s not the
traffic’s fault – it’s just traffic. A fact of life.
We all run late occasionally, and that’s okay.
The idiot ahead
This person in front of me should have
made the light; they’re an idiot. That’s a little
harsh. Are they really an idiot? Perhaps
they’re just being cautious. Perhaps they
realized they wouldn’t clear the intersection
with such heavy traffic. Moreover, can their
13
decision make me a bad person – or would
believing they’re an idiot based on one
choice make me a bad person? Probably the
latter, it’s not appropriate to judge so
quickly.
Ugh, they’re not paying attention – moron.
More harsh insults! What if the traffic is
packed on the other side of the
intersection? What if they’re too far under
the light and can’t see it? It may be fine to
hit my horn so they know to move, but who
am I to call them a moron? Can they make
me a bad person? No.
WOAH, way to cut me off you jerk! That
person drove in an unsafe manner and
almost hit me. But I’m okay – I avoided the
crash. They could be in even more of a rush
than me, maybe it’s urgent. Maybe it’s a
medical emergency. Does their behaviour
affect whether I’m a good person? Not at
all.
It wasn’t my fault, how could you blame me
for that?! Maybe this person doesn’t know
what happened. Maybe that wasn’t a dirty
look and they’re just shaken like I am. Can
their glare really affect my moral character?
No, only my own actions and beliefs can do
that.
As you go through your day, take a beat.
Practice assent. Remember that cultivating
your character is only something that you
can do for yourself. As Epictetus once said:
It is not events that disturb people, it is their
judgments concerning them. - Enchiridion Ch. 5
John Kuna is a Stoic prokopton, writer, and dog
lover. He likes digging deep into Stoic theory, but
also writing accessible and inspiring Stoic content.
JULY 2023
SEPTEMBER 2022
Paradise is a library
“Don’t just say that you’ve read books, show that through them you have
lear�ed to think be�er, to be a more discriminating and reflective person.”
KAREN DUFFY
WITH FRANCIS GASPARINI
The great Greek philosopher Heraclitus is
reputed to have said, “I am what libraries
and librarians have made me.” I have to
agree with that because I go through books
like an elephant goes through peanuts.
Francis Bacon, the philosopher and
scientist, wrote that “Some books are to be
tasted, others to be swallowed, and some
few to be chewed and digested.” I try not to
choke when devouring a book.
Reading books on philosophy
I luxuriate in reading philosophy, but I also
read the novels of Charles Portis, the poetry
of John Donohue, and the nonfiction of
Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris. I read things that are
serious but I also indulge in the pleasures of
frivolous reading; I recently perused with
delight the story of a man who adopted a
dog. He noticed that the pup had a tattoo
on its belly, and he loved his hound so much
that he had a replica tattooed on his own
body. He later discovered that the tattoo
meant “neutered”.
We read to know we are not alone
C.S. Lewis wrote that “We read to know we
are not alone.” It was through the unalloyed
beauty of reading that I had the joy of
meeting Margaret Fuller. This polymath
was a writer, teacher, Transcendentalist
philosopher, foreign correspondent, and
military nurse. As a young woman in 1839,
she started her “Conversations,” a series of
discussions with other women about books
and current events. She intended these
sessions to compensate for the fact that
many of her female peers had not received
much in the way of education. “If you have
knowledge, let others light their candles in
it. Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” she
THE STOIC
remarked.
In 1840, Fuller’s friend Ralph Waldo Emerson
asked her to edit a Transcendentalist journal
called “The Dial”. When he didn’t pay her for
two years, having really put the “free” in
“freelance,” she finally quit. She went on to
write for the New-York Tribune, where she
was its first female book reviewer, first female
editor, and then its first female foreign
correspondent.
In England, she met the Italian nobleman
Giovanni Angelo Ossoli, and was smitten.
The two moved to Florence together, though
it is not certain if they had gotten married at
that point, or if they ever did. Fuller gave birth
to their son Angelino, nicknamed Nino, in
September, 1848.
Fuller, Ossoli, and Nino embarked on a ship
to New York City. As they neared their
destination, the ship ran aground on a sandbar
just 50 yards from shore. Most of the crew
and passengers abandoned ship, but Fuller
and Ossoli could not swim. Locals came down
to the water to loot the cargo streaming from
the broken ship; none went to help the young
family. A massive wave swept them
overboard, and only Nino’s body was ever
recovered.
Margaret Fuller’s life was too brief, but she
blazed a trail across two continents. How did
she do it? Through reading. She was born in
1810 to Timothy and Margaret Crane Fuller,
and at this time girls were not given much of
an education. Timothy was a maverick and put
his daughter through a rigorous home-school
program. She learned to read English before
the age of four. By nine she had learned Latin
and Greek, and read widely in these ancient
14
languages.
She then had some years of formal
schooling, including two years at the
delightfully named School for Young
Ladies. Upon returning home she
continued her voracious reading and
taught herself several more languages so
she could read European literature. She
was considered the most well-read
person in New England, and was the first
woman allowed in the Harvard library.
Her life, her writing, and her legacy were
built on a foundation of books.
Jorge Luis Borges mused that “I have
always imagined that Paradise will be a
kind of library.” In the small picturesque
town near our farm, our library is the
most beautiful building. It is situated on
the village green and it is the heart of our
community, a basilica for the brain. It is a
temple for the material that lives between
our temples.
Reflecting and sharing
Sharon Lebell, in her book The Art of
Living attributes the following to
Epictetus: “Don’t just say that you’ve
read books, show that through them you
have learned to think better, to be a more
discriminating and reflective person.” I
try to follow this maxim by making notes,
reflecting, and sharing what I have read.
In writing this article, I am following
Epictetus’ advice.
Karen Duffy is a producer, actress, and former
MTV VJ. Her latest book on Stoicism. Wise
Up (https://amzn.to/3PpLv5D) is published
by Seal Press.
JULY 2023
 Stoic every day
Stoic quotes for every day of the month
1 9

Sometimes I call a thing good, and sometimes bad. What is the Most of us are not angry with sins but only with the sinner. [Seneca,
reason?... Ignorance and inexperience. [Epictetus, D2.3] A1.28]
2 10
You continue to live here, as you are used to; or you go away of your We can be obstructed or compelled only in matters over which we
own free will; or you die... What else is there besides these? So be have no control. These are neither good nor bad, because they are
cheerful. [Marcus Aurelius, M10.12] not based on our choices. [Epictetus, D2.5]
3
11
Those who are careless about their own morality cannot endure
seeing the same in others. [Seneca, A1.28] It is the law [of the universe] which assigns every creature its due.
So, to give in to grief, fear, or anger is to become a fugitive. [Marcus
4 Aurelius, M10.25]

As human beings, we are born to be faithful to one another ... 12

whoever denies this denies their humanity. [Epictetus, D2.4]
The ultimate cure for anger is delay. [Seneca, A1.29]
5
13
Where you are now is like any other place. All things here are the
same as on the mountain top, on the seashore, or wherever you Whoever has given you food and property can take them back, and
choose to be. [Marcus Aurelius, M10.23] your body too. Accept what you are given and work on it. [Epictetus,
D2.5]
6
14
We have other people’s vices before our eyes, and our own behind
our backs. [Seneca, A1.28]
Bear this in mind always. All the life of today is a repetition of the
7 past, and it will repeat in the future. [Marcus Aurelius, M10.27]

Externals are not in my power. Choice is. [Epictetus, D2.5] 15

8 Some things that make us angry, we learn from others...We shouldn’t

be quick to believe what others tell us. [Seneca, A1.29]
What is my ruling faculty to me? What am I making of it now? What
am I using it for? [Marcus Aurelius, M10.24]

THE STOIC 15 JULY 2023

 Stoic every day (contd.)
Stoic quotes for every day of the month
16
Don’t you realize that just as a foot is no longer a foot when
detached from the body, you are not a human being when you are
detached from humanity? [Epictetus, D2.5]
17
Everything has to submit to what happens, but only rational beings
are given the power to follow what happens voluntarily. [Marcus
Aurelius, M10.28]
18
Some people lie to deceive us, and others say things because they
themselves are deceived. [Seneca, A1.29]
19
We are given such a body as ours, in such a universe as ours, and in
such a community as ours. Therefore, what happens to us is
unavoidable. It is for you to step forward and deal with these things
as best as you can. [Epictetus D2.5]
20
Whatever you do, ask yourself every step of the way, “Am I afraid
of death because I might lose this?” [Marcus Aurelius, M10.29]
21
Do you condemn your friend offhand? Are you angry with him
before you hear his story? [Seneca, A1.29]
22
Life is indifferent; but the use we make of it is not. [Epictetus, D2.5]
23
When you are offended by someone’s behaviour, turn around and
ask why you have acted like that. [Marcus Aurelius, M10.30]
THE STOIC
24
What can be more unjust than to believe a story told in secret, and
to be angry about it publicly? [Seneca, A1.29]
25
If you control your desires and aversions, there is nothing to worry
about. This is your opening statement, your case, and your proof.
[Epictetus D2.2]
26
When you see anyone, think of their counterparts. Where are they
now? Nowhere. Or no one knows where. [Marcus Aurelius, M10.31]
27
Maybe it is a good person who has wronged you. Don’t believe it.
Maybe it is a bad person. Don’t be surprised. [Seneca, A1.30]
28
When something involves practical training, don’t pretend you have
the skill if you don’t have it yet, but yield to those who do. Be
content to remain calm and composed. [Epictetus, D2.5]
29
Once things change, they cease to exist forever. Then why struggle
and strain? Why not be content to live your short life in the right
way? [Marcus Aurelius, M10.31]
30
What is there to wonder if bad people commit harmful acts?
[Seneca, A1.31]
31
Take responsibility for what belongs to you, not for what belongs to
others. [Epictetus, D2.5]
D: Discourses. M: Meditations. A: On Anger
16 JULY 2023
 IN PLAIN
STOICISM ENGLISH

MUSONIUS RUFUS: THE COMPLETE WORKS (IN ONE VOLUME)

STOIC LESSONS
This is the complete works of Musonius Rufus, the man
who taught Epictetus. While Musonius was very well-
known and respected during his time, he is less widely
known now. He was a social activist, a proto-feminist, a
vegetarian,and a minimalist. No topic is too small or too
big for him. Here are some of the topics Musonius
discusses in this book:
Why women and men are equal, why hardships are of little
importance, why everyone should study philosophy, why where you live
or are forced to live is of no importance, how not to take things
personally, how to live “according to nature”, how to live a
virtuous family life, and how to lead a simple life. Musonius
shows why, if you keep practicing virtue, you don’t need anything
special in your old age.
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3f5z7sO

MARCUS AURELIUS: THE COMPLETE WORKS (2 VOLUMES)

STOIC MEDITATIONS
(MEDITATIONS)

Meditations is the personal journal kept by the beloved

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It was never meant for
publication and yet, after his death, it became the most
widely read book on Stoicism. Meditations is a deeply moving
personal journal which is uplifting and invigorating.
https://amzn.to/2PvC7nf

AURELIUS THE UNKNOWN

(LETTERS, ANECDOTES AND BIO)

While Meditations is one of the best-read Stoic books, not

many of us know about Marcus’ other writings: his
personal letters and speeches. For the first time ever,
Aurelius, the Unknown presents all his letters and speeches in
a single volume. This volume also includes a biographic
sketch and several anecdotesfrom his life. A must-read for
all fans of MarcusAurelius. https://amzn.to/3rjRzQD
THE –STOIC 18 APRIL 2021

STOICISM
EPICTETUS:THE COMPLETE WORKS (5 VOLUMES)
STOIC FOUNDATIONS
(DISCOURSES BOOK 1)
Stoic Foundations is an excellent place to start your Stoic journey. Stoic
Foundations explains the foundational principles of Stoicism and
revolves around 10 themesthat are fundamental to Stoicism. These are:
1. Concern yourself with only what is in your power; 2. Becontent to let things
happen asthey do; 3.Your thinking, not the externals, drives your behaviour; 4.Do
not placevalue on external things; 5. Evaluate your first impressions using reason;
6.Don’t give in to your anger or animal instincts; 7. You canhandle anything;
alwaysact your best; 8. Learn to think properly and logically; 9. Practice,not
knowledge,results in progress; 10. Only you can make you happy.
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STOIC CHOICES
(DISCOURSES BOOK 2)
Stoic Choices is an indispensable guide to making decisions when
We arefacedwith conflicting choices: It provides clear answers
to question suchas:
What should you act upon: External things or internal things? When should
you choose to beconfident and when to be cautious in making decisions? What
should you protect: Your inherent qualities or qualities that are not inherent to
you?Is there a choice between knowledge and action? Is there
choice betweenknowledge and anxiety? Should you study logic? Why? Should
you choose to be faithful? What should you do to fight falseimpressions?
https://amzn.to/3cNS4gM
STOIC TRAINING
(DISCOURSES BOOK 3)
The aim of Stoic training is to make you an excellent person.
Stoic training consists of three disciplines: desire, action, and
THE STOIC
THE STOIC 16
IN PLAIN
ENGLISH
assent. You need to train your mind to be concerned only with
the choices you make and be ready to deal with whatever the
future may bring. It is not necessaryfor you to be ascetic. All you
need to do is see things as they are without adding your
judgments to things, people, and events. It is your faulty
judgments that are the root causeof 100% of your problems. The
aim of Stoic training is your happiness, your ability to be at home
wherever you are doing whatever you are doing.
https://amzn.to/3tESbC6
STOIC FREEDOM
(DISCOURSES BOOK 4)
In Stoic Freedom, Epictetus is at his best. He shows us how to
achieve freedom – how to be free irrespective of what happens
to us. In these brilliant discourses, Epictetus showsus how to
be free and what a free person looks like. Who is a free person?
According to Epictetus a free person is patient, pure, and
steadfast. Such a person is not envious or anxious, and is not in
conflict with anyone.If you want to be truly free, this book
offers some powerful ways of achieving freedom.
https://amzn.to/2NDAqDZ
STOIC INSPIRATIONS
(ENCHIRIDION, FRAGMENTS, EXTRACTS)
Stoic Inspirations is the fifth book in the Stoicism in Plain
English series and completes the works of Epictetus. It contains
Epictetus’ sayings (Fragments) someof which are not found in
Discourses, a concise summary of Epictetus’ eachings (Enchiridion)
by Flavius Arrian, inspirational extracts (Golden Sayings)from
Epictetus’ works by Hastings Crossley, and a biography of
Epictetus.
https://amzn.to/3tEjAUM
JULY 2023
Stoic fellowships around the world
Australia Mexico
Adelaide Adelaide Stoa Guadalajara Estoicismo Práctico (Stoicism Mexico)
Brisbane Brisbane Stoics Mexico City Estoicismo Mx
Cairns Cairns Stoics
Melbourne Melbourne City Stoics Nepal
Kathmandu Stoics in Himalaya
Austria
Linz Stoa Linz/Austria Norway
Oslo Oslo Stoics
Brazil Oslo Norway Stoics
Guarapari Viva Vox Trondheim Trondheim Stoics
Viçosa, Minas Gerais Stoa Ataraxia
Philippines
Canada Cainta Stoic Philippines Chapter
Edmonton Stoicism Alberta
Vancouver Vancouver BC Stoics Russia
Vernon Okanagan Stoics Moscow Moscow Stoa
Chile South Africa
Santiago Via Estoica Pretoria Pretoria Stoics
Quillota Quinta Stoa
Spain
France
Barcelona Stoa Barcelona
Sélestat Stoa Gallica Madrid Stoa Madrid
Majadahonda Asociación Cívica Habitum Vitae
Germany
Bonn Rheinland Stoiker Switzerland
Frankfurt Frankfurt Stoics Zurich Stoa Helvetica
Hannover Hannover Stoics
Kronberg Theorie und Praxis der Stoa als Lebensphilosophie Thailand
Munich Munich Stoics
Lat Kraband Stoicism Thailand
Italy
United Kingdom
Reggio Emilia Il Laboratorio Filosofico di Reggio Emilia
Cambridge Cambridge Stoics
Japan Edinburgh The Scotland Stoics
London London Stoics
Tokyo Tokyo Stoics Manchester The Manchester Stoics
Tokyo Asia-Pacific Virtual Stoa Ukraine
Kyiv PSYSK
Kenya
Ogembo Kisii Stoic Center
 Stoic fellowships
around the world
(Contd.)

United States of America Missouri

Arizona Kansas City Kansas City Stoa
Anthem Students of Stoicism
Tempe Arizona Stoics
New Jersey
California
Kansas City Kansas City Stoa
Fremont Fremont stoa St.Louis Midwest Stoics
Los Angeles Los Angeles Stoics
Monterey Monterey Stoics New York
Sacramento The SMF (Sacramento) Stoics
San Leandro Redwood Stoa Buffalo Buffalo Stoics
New York City The Global Agora
United States of America (cont’d) New York City New York City Stoics

Colorado North Carolina

Denver Denver Stoics Asheville Lyceum of Aion
Grand Junction Western Slope Stoa Clinton North Carolina Stoics

District of Columbia Ohio

Washington, DC Stoics of Washington, D.C. Northfield Northeast Ohio Stoics

Florida Oregon
Daytona Beach Stoic s of Daytona Beach Portland PDX Stoa
Jacksonville Jacksonville Stoics
Orlando Orlando Stoics Pennsylvania
Tampa Tampa Stoics
Philadelphia The Philadelphia Stoa
Georgia
Tennessee
Atlanta Atlanta Stoicism
Nashville Nashville Stoics
Iowa
Texas
Ames Ames Stoics
Austin Austin Stoics
Maryland Houston The Houston Stoics
San Antonio San Antonio Stoics
Catonsville The Practicing Stoic
Vermont
Massachusetts
Burlington Vermont Stoics Meetup
Boston New England Stoics
Washington
Minnesota Tacoma SeaTac Stoics
Minneapolis Minnesota Stoics Wisconsin
Milwaukee Milwaukee Stoic Fellowship
 IN PLAIN
STOICISM AnA

ENGLISH

SENECA (THE COMPLETE WORKS, IN PROGRESS)

THE BOOK OF ANGER

STOIC TRANQUILITY
(IN TWO VOLUMES)
Seneca’s On Anger, one of the best books ever written on the In this gentle book, Seneca explains
subject, is a detailed analysis of anger: what causes it, what how to achieve a tranquil life, and
price we pay for it, and how we can be totally free from it. In advises on how to be peaceful, no
Volume 1 of Stoic Book of Anger, Seneca explores the causes matter what happens in life, This short
and consequences of anger. What causes anger? Why is anger book covers a wide range of topics: Why
destructive? Does anger serve any useful purpose? Can we are we restless? How to be alive
completely get rid of anger? How can we manageanger? In alive until we die, how to match our
Volume 2, Seneca provides specific strategies to control and tasks with our ability, why we should be
eliminate anger from our lives. If careful in choosing a friend, how to avoid
you are ever bothered by your anger excess, how to handle life with skill,
(or the anger of others) you cannot how to foresee adversity, how to be prepared
afford not to read this Stoic classic. for disappointments, how to avoid
It provides answersto questions like stubbornness and indecision, how to take
why we should avoid anger, how to stop anger a lighter view of things, how to handle
from arising, what examples we should avoid misfortunes and be vigilant. https://amzn.to/2Qn1fx3
following, what examples we should follow, and
what strategies we should adopt to be
completely anger-free. STOIC ATLAS
(A REFERENCE BOOK)
https://amzn.to/38ZYxE4 This short volume is an indispensable reference for modern
Stoics. It covers the following topics: The Geography ofAncient
Stoicism; The Geography of Modern
Stoicism; The Timeline of Ancient
Stoicism ; The Timeline of Modern
STOIC HAPPINESS Stoicism; Stoicism in Words,
Pictures, and Numbers; The History
“If you want to be happy, don’t follow the crowd”, warns Seneca, of Ancient Stoicism; The History
one of the best exponents of Stoicism. Seneca was concer ned of Modern Stoicism; An Outline
about applying Stoicism to everyday of Ancient Stoicism; An Outline
life. How can we make Stoicism of Modern Stoicism, with pictures
work for us, so we can live happily, of Stoic sites (both ancient and
fearlessly, and peacefully? In this modern) and photographs of the
short book addressed to his brother, Modern Stoic movement; Both the
Seneca tackles the problem of online and the print editions are in
happiness. What are the basics of full colour, beautifully produced.Get
happiness? What is the path to your copy now!
happiness? How to use pleasure and https://amzn.to/2Wd8s1O
not be used by it? Why should we
ignore criticism and pursue virtue?
How to enjoy wealth that comesour
way and not be a slaveto it?
https://amzn.to/3tHOz2d

THE STOIC 19 JULY 2023

–

THE STOIC ADVISORY BOARD

Alkistis Agio, Greece Elizabeth Azide, USA Flora Bernard, France Elen Buzare, France

Chris Gill, UK Liz Gloyn, UK Meredith Kunz, USA Sharon Lebell, USA

Tim LeBon, UK Anthony Long, USA Gregory Lopez, USA Antonia Macaro, UK

Ron Pies, USA Massimo Pigliucci, USA Donald Robertson, Canada Greg Sadler, USA

Andi Sciacca, USA John Sellars, UK Associate Editor Editor-in-Chief

Kai Whiting Chuck Chakrapani–
–