How to overcome heartbreak with Philosophy, Psychology, and Exercise
Life, as we all come to realize, is a multifaceted journey with peaks of joy and valleys of pain. Having experienced more than a few cycles of love and heartbreak, I have not only found solace, but also profound guidance in ancient philosophical wisdom. Pairing this with contemporary…
What is Stoicism? A Beginners Guide to an Ancient Philosophy
In a world that often seems teetering on the edge of disorder, where distractions abound and inner peace seems elusive, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism offers a beacon of hope. Born in the tumultuous streets of Athens and refined amid the grandeur of Roman imperium, Stoicism is a…
The Best English Translations of Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations”
I’m sure we’ve all heard of Marcus Aurelius’ ancient philosophical book Meditations, either on a podcast, or through a recommendation from a friend. The question you may be asking though is which translation of the text should you read. In this article, we will cover three different translations…
Living in Accordance With Nature
Stoicism is primarily known as a moral philosophy, which means it is focused on virtue and developing our character. All philosophical schools with a moral focus ask essentially the same question: what is the best way to be a good person? Each philosophy differs on the answer, but…
Do Stoics Believe in God?
Stoicism was first created by Zeno of Citium as a philosophy standing on three pillars: ethics (ithicós), physics, and logic (logos). Later on, the philosophy’s moral aspect developed in such a way it overcame the other two pillars, although there is still a place for logic and physics…
What Motivates a Stoic?
There are many things that could be said to motivate a Stoic and we could write an entire book on the topic, but we will sum up the answer to this question in one word: ataraxia. This is ultimately the main goal of a Stoic and, therefore, what…
How Should a Stoic Look at Education?
The Merriam-Webster offers a few definitions for the term “to educate”, but the most fitting one is: “to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction and to persuade or condition to feel, believe, or act in a desired way”. When we share our knowledge with someone, we…
What do Stoics Think About Suicide?
Suicide is often treated as taboo in many ideologies, so it is surprising to find that Stoics had nothing against suicide. According to their philosophy, the only things of importance when it comes to death is that you are not afraid of death and that you have lived…
Why Does a Stoic Meditate?
Meditating is a natural part of a Stoic’s routine. Its peculiarity resides not so much on the “how” they meditate, but on the “why”. Do stoics meditate to clean up their minds? Do they meditate to focus on something? Do they meditate to reach enlightenment? These are some…
The Most Difficult Stoic Practices
How difficult can it be to become a Stoic? Well, the answer depends on your mindset towards this journey. A lot of people think it is too challenging and ultimately give up. Those people are partly right – it is challenging. Reaching philosophical enlightenment isn’t meant to be…