Stoic Meditations

Epictetus explains why king Antigonus was anxious to meet Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, and not vice versa. The king had not yet internalized the fundamental principle of the dichotomy of control: making a good impression on others is not up to us. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca gives us another Stoic "paradox": it may be better to be tortured than to sit at the dinner table. Well, not normally, but surely if you are being tortured to protect innocent lives, or sit at dinner with a tyrant. It all depends on context. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

We hear a lot of nonsense about Stoicism being tough and therefore only for men. But Seneca clearly explains that virtue doesn't make us invulnerable to pain and suffering, and that women are just as capable as men to become virtuous. Go figure. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca tells Lucilius that he himself is far from being a wise person, which is as rare as the mythical phoenix. Nevertheless, we can all be "proficientes," those who make progress. Which is the whole point of Stoic training. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Marcus Aurelius reminds himself to be grateful for the things he has, which he would long for if he didn't have them. At the same time, everything is impermanent, so we should be prepared for our losses. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca provides us with a very short and to the point summary of Stoic philosophy: virtue is the only good, it depends on our ability to reason correctly, and it leads to good judgment. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

The goal of Stoic training is to become a better person, not a perfect one. But the first step, as always in life, is to want to make progress. If you wish to better yourself, the game is afoot, you need to start now. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca says that he hasn't conquered any enemy but his own greed, ambition, and fear of death. If more people, especially the leaders of the world, were to take that attitude, perhaps there would be no need to conquer enemies. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca makes the startling claim that philosophy is a lifelong commitment that cannot be indulged only in our spare time. He doesn't mean academic studies, but rather practice, just like a Christian or Buddhist would do it. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support

Epictetus reminds us that one does not become a good carpenter, or pilot, by simply studying the theory of carpentry or piloting. Mindful, repeated effort is needed to see results. The same goes with one's philosophy of life. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stoicmeditations/support