Stoic Meditations

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204. Enjoy your friends and loved ones, now Sep 24, 2018

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Seneca says that we should greedily enjoy our loved ones, right now. Because we have no idea how long we will enjoy the privilege of their company and affection. Pay attention to the here and now.

203. The Stoic approach to grief Sep 21, 2018

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Stoicism is often accused of counseling to suppress emotions. This quote from Seneca clearly shows it doesn't. Then again, we don't want to wallow in grief and let it paralyze us, because we have duties toward the living.

202. Converse with the best minds, read a book Sep 20, 2018

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Seneca reminds us that one of the simplest and cheapest of pleasures is to engage in a continuous conversation with the best minds humanity has ever produced. By reading a (good) book.

201. Are you really that busy? Sep 19, 2018

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Seneca suggests that we should change our attitude toward being busy: don't surrender yourself to your affairs, but loan yourself to them and you will live a happier life.

200. Greed leads to unhappiness Sep 18, 2018

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Seneca says that for many people the furnishings of their lives are more than enough, but they keep wanting more, thus dooming themselves to unhappiness and turmoil.

199. How to think about life and death Sep 17, 2018

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Seneca clarifies one of the famous Stoic paradoxes: no, you shouldn't live every day as if it were your last. But you should live every day to the fullest because you don't know which one will be your last.

198. Are you dead before the time, by your own choice? Sep 14, 2018

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Seneca reminds Lucilius that a full human life is about being useful, and particularly about helping others. Sure, you can withdraw from the world and live in peace, but then you are arguably already dead.

197. No matter what, keep your emerald color Sep 13, 2018

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Marcus tells us that, regardless of how people around us behave, we should keep following our moral compass, just like an emerald keeps its color regardless of what others are doing.

196. Epictetus asks a student a trick question... Sep 12, 2018

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Epictetus engages in a short dialogue with one of his students, asking him a trick question. How would you answer the question of whether pleasure is a good thing, something to be proud of?

195. The right thing to do is often painful Sep 11, 2018

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Musonius Rufus articulates the Stoic equivalent of "no pain, no gain," in part as a rebuke to the Epicureans. Engaging in social and political life is painful, but it's the right thing to do.

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