If we let them, our days can become filled with activities that take our attention away from what we really want to be spending time on. Breaking news, advertising, social media disagreements — these are just some of the things that want to keep you engaged with them for as long as…
Whether we feel held back by our many personal responsibilities or stifled by our work environment, we all harbor a desire for more freedom. We often bemoan the restrictions that are placed on us. But what actually is freedom and how do we attain it? Well, as the Stoic teacher…
Daily practice is the most important component that makes the adoption of a “philosophy of life” real. Through our learning, we absorb the principles of our philosophy and prepare to act them into existence in the real world. A vital precursor to the application of our philosophy of life is…
When we get used to having certain material things in our lives—certain properties, certain possessions, certain paraphernalia—it’s natural to become complacent and believe that we’ll have them in our lives forever. We lose sight of, or deliberately ignore, the fact that we don’t ultimately have control over whether the things…
Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position in a safe spot where you won’t be disturbed, allowing your body to relax and your mind to become present. As we embark on this mindful guided meditation, we’ll draw inspiration from the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic Roman emperor,…
To practice Stoicism is to place a much greater emphasis on the present moment than on the past or the future. Stoics like Marcus Aurelius trained themselves to focus on the here and now. “The present moment is enough for you,” he told himself. As Pierre Hadot wrote in his…
Here is a short but powerful thought from the Stoic philosopher Seneca’s essay On the Constancy of the Wise: Liberty is having a mind superior to injury, a mind that makes itself the only source from which its pleasures spring, that separates itself from all external things, avoiding the unquiet…
The following is a short look at Mark Tuitert’s new book, The Stoic Mindset. By way of an intro, here is a snippet from the book’s description: Elite sportsman Mark Tuitert used the principles of Stoic philosophy to become an Olympic gold medallist, champion athlete and successful entrepreneur, overcoming a…
We all have things we’re attached to. Think of possessions, places, pursuits, and people in your life (or other things that don’t begin with P) that you couldn’t do without. Maybe you have worked hard to accumulate material items you’ve always wanted to have, built a good reputation in your…
In the relentless pursuit of happiness, a common impulse leads us to believe that a change in surroundings will lift the burdens of our minds. Seneca, the ancient philosopher, challenges this instinct in his 28th Letter to Lucilius, inviting us to question whether our travels truly offer escape or merely…