Image by John Gilchrist. CC BY-ND 2.0

In April of this year I began biking to work. It's quite the privilege for me since, until recently, arthritis had stopped me from doing all but the most basic or necessary of physically demanding tasks. Thankfully, medication has arrested and reversed a large amount of the harm that arthritis had done over the past few years. I'm also doubly fortunate that the city of Portland has a bicycle rental program, and that the entire fleet is made up of electric bikes. These e-bikes allow me to take the seven mile trip to work, since it would not be possible for me to cover that same distance with my own bike. Portland is a hill covered city and my knees and hips can no longer overcome the local terrain without the assistance that an e-bike provides. Someday soon I hope to get one for myself, but for now the rental program provides a real benefit.

It's hard to overstate how important these bike trips have become in my life. The Stoic goal is to be fulfilled at every moment no matter our circumstances, but we all have environments that are better suited for us, both as humans and as individuals. For me, turning a relatively passive car trip into a physically and mentally engaging bike ride is a true gift. There are, of course, long term health benefits that come from upping my weekly cardio activity, but what I actually notice in the day to day is that I arrive at work invigorated and that those endorphins accompany me through most of the day. I have also been quite intentional in using these trips as a form of meditation. Ideally, I attempt to stay present in the moment. As I ride, I take in the city: appreciating the neighborhoods and the people I see, feeling my breath and my physical effort. When I allow my mind to wander, I try to focus on philosophical themes such as connection and unity, basically all the cosmopolitan aspects of the Stoic worldview. But this Thursday it was raining, and I found myself needing to do some real work to keep my mind where I wanted it.

When I woke that morning, I knew that rain was possible. The ground outside was wet from evening showers, but as I prepared for the day, it was never more than misty outside. As a Portlander, I have a fair amount of rain gear. I have multiple rain jackets. My biking shoes are waterproof. I even have a pair of water repellent pants specifically meant for rainy day bike riding, but I don't know where they are. When the arthritis stopped me from riding I put them away somewhere. The past few months have been unusually dry so I had yet to seek them out (Which reminds me that I still haven't found them. I'll probably start looking as soon as I finish writing this). When the time came to decide bike or car, I chose bike. As I said, it was only misty at present. I knew it was possible that the rain would pick up as I was biking, but I really wanted the benefits of that ride. So I went for it. Ten minutes later I was soaked.

Specifically, my pants were soaked. All the rain gear worked as intended. The denim of my jeans also worked as nature intended, it absorbed every drop that hit them until they were fully saturated. I found this distracting. The zen of bike riding rapidly became an irritation which I found less than satisfying. I was probably disturbed for around five minutes before I fully noticed the situation and decided to tackle it. What was my problem? It wasn't that it was raining. I like rain. Even in my irritated state, I was enraptured by the refreshing, earthy scent of the rain. The morning was a bit windy and gusts would blow the rain into my face, and on tree covered streets that same wind would shake harder showers down on me, but I just found that invigorating. Still I was annoyed. Why? And that's when I noticed myself imagining other people's opinions of being at work with wet pants. I wasn't upset at being rained on, I was upset at being seen as someone who had been rained on.

Once I saw my problem clearly, I quickly overcame it. After all, why be concerned about another person's opinion of me? It would be one thing if a person were disappointed in me due to immoral actions or some such, that would be instructive, but I was imagining thoughts about wet blue jeans. Who cares? I can do my work in wet pants. I can be a good person in wet pants. There's nothing about the wet or dry nature of any of my clothes that affect my character or even my usefulness to the people I'd engage with once I made it to work. Was I really going to let the opinions of others, imagined opinions at that, sap all the joy out of my bike ride that morning? What is wrong with being wet on a rainy day? After clearing those thoughts out of my head, I still had fifteen minutes to enjoy my ride and take in the uniqueness of that particular morning.

I found the ride instructive. In many areas of life, my understanding of what is and is not important guides me away from irritation, no matter if the negative opinions are real or imagined. But in this novel moment, old habits once again led me down the wrong path. I'm glad that I was observant enough to recognize I was going astray. And I'm grateful to have the skill to quickly find my way back to right thinking. Hopefully that rainy bike ride made me all the more skillful, so that I can more consistently keep on the proper path.

Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In is a necessary and essential addition to our modern Stoic discourse. The authors, Kai Whiting and Leonidas Konstantakos, masterfully express the heart of Stoic philosophy; a philosophy that is humane, community focused, and action oriented. The book challenges us to examine our moral principles and to allow that examination to reshape our approach to others and to the world as a whole. I see Being Better as an antidote to a variety of misguided approaches to Stoicism, but to be clear, the book is not written as a polemic against anything. It is a positive presentation of a life philosophy that is concerned with life; your individual life, the life of your community, and the lives of every being that inhabits this earth. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and it is my hope that it becomes one of the first books to which new Stoics are exposed.

I preordered Being Better after watching a talk that Kai Whiting gave during one of the many online Stoicon-X events that happened during 2020. I can't recall the talk in perfect detail, but I remember that the lens through which Kai expressed his thoughts on Stoicism was one that aligns closely with what I also value in the philosophy. I have been concerned about a variety of issues within the modern Stoic movement. First, a focus on Stoic exercises and techniques that obscures the underlying reasons for undertaking such practices. Second, the rise of various caricatures of Stoicism, which either inflate certain aspects of the philosophy without acknowledging the whole, or misinterpret the philosophy in ways that lead to harm. Massimo Pigliucci has a multipart series on these issues titled $toicism, Broicism, and StoicisM, if you're interested. It sounded like Whiting and Konstantakos's book would explicitly address areas of our philosophy that I consider essential, but that are often sidelined in daily discourse. Upon receiving Being Better, I was pleased to find that my hopes for the book were met and exceeded. The authors show us a Stoicism built on guiding principles, not rules and checklists. It is not a how-to guide in the standard sense. The authors present a series of meditations on the Stoic view of life and wrestle with the implications of accepting that view. The chapters are framed around a core principle that is explored through both the life of an ancient Stoic, as well as the example of a contemporary individual who has taken actions that align with the principle in question. The chapters end with some questions to ask ourselves as we engage with what was presented. I read Being Better at a quicker pace than my usual as I hoped to review it as soon as possible. I am looking forward to a second, more leisurely read, so as to allow the book to really challenge my own practice. To quote my favorite admonition from Plotinus, "never stop sculpting your own statue."

I highly recommend Being Better to anyone who is interested in Stoicism. In particular, if you are moving beyond life hacks towards the richness of a philosophy of life, if you are seeking to flourish and to help others flourish as well, Being Better is worth your time and attention.

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The early Stoics believed in divination. They thought that signs from the universe could be interpreted in order to inform us of future events. I do not believe in divination, but I think that the Stoic view of the practice holds lessons that we can all apply to our lives. The most important of those lessons is this, knowledge of the future never releases us from the obligation to take virtuous actions in the present.

In the second book of Epictetus's Discourses, Chapter Seven is titled, "How should one employ Divination?" Epictetus begins this talk by saying that people tend to use divination when there's no good reason for it. The outcome of this is that, "many of us neglect many of the duties of life." He gives the example of a diviner saying that in the future you must risk your life, perhaps give your life, for a friend. Epictetus says that once you hear that, you have all the information you need. Later in his talk, Epictetus says that many people would fret about this information, or even beg the diviner to find some new signs, to change that future. He points out that all of that is both a waste of effort and a deeply unStoic response.

In Stoicism your death is indifferent, the fact of death, or life for that matter, holds no moral weight in itself. It's how you use your life, or the moment of your death, that makes it good or bad. Epictetus says that when it comes to moral actions, you don't need a prophet, you have yourself. "Have I not within me the diviner that has told me the true nature of good and evil, that has set forth the signs characteristic to both of them? What further use have I, then, of entrails, or of birds?" The diviner's art informs you of indifferent things; will the harvest be good, will you recover from sickness, will war come, or will peace remain? Morality lies in your reaction to or use of these things, and those choices are made by you alone. Epictetus gives us an aspirational example in this regard. "Wherefore, that was an admirable answer which the woman gave who wished to send a boatload of supplies to Gratilla after she had been exiled. To a man who said, 'Domitian will confiscate them,' she replies, 'I should rather have him confiscate them than myself fail to send them."

I may not believe in divination, but I do make forecasts. I have thoughts about the likely outcomes of things that I and others do, and make decisions based on those forecasts. You do as well. It is a matter of considerable importance that we do not avoid virtuous actions because we're concerned that they will be a wasted effort. Virtue is never wasted. Doing right is always right, whether or not our supplies are confiscated.

I found myself dwelling on Stoicism and Divination a bit over a week ago. I was thinking about Riot Ribs as well as the street medics that have been part of the protests here in Portland, Oregon. Riot Ribs was a mutual aid effort that provided free food to the local houseless as well as to protesters. At the same time various street medic groups have been keeping people safe by bandaging our wounds, flushing our eyes, even driving us to hospitals if necessary. I'd watch people bring donations of food, ice and such to Riot Ribs or drop of medical supplies at the first aid tents. On so many nights, the park would be overrun by Portland Police and now Federal Agents, and the cops would destroy the food and first aid equipment. They raid the tents and break things or spray chemical agents over everything; it's a common and continuing occurrence. And yet people continue to bring supplies. Just like the woman in Epictetus's discourse, Portlanders have an "admirable answer" to the whims of fortune. To add to this, Riot Ribs is no more. Some rather horrible people have made the whole effort dangerous to those who served in good conscience, so they had to shut down the project and reenvision it. Still, the kindhearted efforts of the cooks and those that donated remain the right thing to do. The end of a project does not retroactively stain their virtuous efforts.

Good planning is important. We have to have some vision of the future to guide our present actions. But no vision of tomorrow should cause us to do less good today. Virtue is, in actuality, its own reward. Epictetus had a name for those who kept asking question after question about the future, he labeled them cowards. He said they feared consequences. He pointed out that if you came to a fork in the road and asked someone which one to take, you shouldn't wish for an answer of right or left, but for the one that gets you to your destination. The Stoic destination is to do good, to be a virtuous person. There is no circumstance in which we can not enact virtue. And we must enact virtue whenever the opportunity arises. Whether we truly know the future, or only hazard a guess, our present should be focused on doing the right thing.

Take a view from above — look at the thousands of flocks and herds, the thousands of human ceremonies, every sort of voyage in storm or calm, the range of creation, combination, and extinction. Consider too the lives once lived by others long before you, the lives that will be lived after you, the lives lived now among foreign tribes; and how many have never even heard your name, how many will soon forget it, how many may praise you now but quickly turn to blame. Reflect that neither memory nor fame, nor anything else at all, has any importance worth thinking of. — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.28

To say that there is a lot going on right now is a wild understatement. I know that life is throwing everything at me in this moment, and you might be having a similar experience. Most of the issues of the day are outside of my control, but there are some that I choose to engage with. That involvement can become stressful. When we engage with life skillfully, we may get tired, but also find satisfaction; like the relaxed soreness we might feel at the end of a good workout. But it’s easy to misalign ourselves with life, which can build up a deep stress that causes harm and makes us useless to ourselves and others.

A technique that helps me remain in the good flow of life is the view from above. You can see it laid out in Marcus Aurelius’ quote at the beginning of this post. It’s a practice that helps put our personal problems, and the world’s problems, into a wider, cosmic perspective. I’ve discussed this practice here: Good Fortune, Ep 2: A Stoic Start to the Day. If the stuff of life is burdening you now, I suggest taking some time to practice the view from above. Expand your view until your troubles seem small, and let the stress wash away.

Of course you need to come back. You must choose your path, and walk it. Life is still here, requiring your participation. But how lovely it is to reengage refreshed and renewed. It’s good for you and for those that you meet.

Last night my city was roiling. Cries for justice were met with all the more injustice. Hope. Fear. Love. Hate. All clashing. And in this modern world I could see not just my home but so many other peoples homes. So much was happening that it blurred the eyes. Above all this the sky was beautiful. Sometimes we have to step back and take in that sky before we can refocus on the earth with clear eyes. Don’t neglect to do just that.

Good Fortune episode 19 is out now. Virtue is the first in a series; to be followed by Wisdom, Justice, Temperance, and Courage. As always, a transcript is available for anyone who prefers reading.

I wanted to tackle Virtue because it’s so central to Stoic practice but so hard to pin down. What is it? How do we do virtue? Why bother? This first episode lays a foundation and later episodes will let us focus on applied virtue. I’m really looking forward to creating this series and I certainly hope you get something from it as well.

There is a way to exercise as a Stoic. There is a way to eat as a Stoic. Literally every chosen action can be done, and is done, either in a Stoic way or in some other way. I bring this up because whenever a person enters an online Stoic forum and asks how Stoics exercise, or eat, or drive to work, it seems inevitable that mocking comments will soon follow. Unfortunately it is those who say, “this has nothing to do with Stoicism!” that are showing their ignorance of the philosophy.

Take our food choices. We know that the teacher Musonius Rufus, “often talked in a very forceful manner about food, on the grounds that food was not an insignificant topic and that what one eats has significant consequences. In particular, he thought that mastering one’s appetites for food and drink was the beginning of and basis for self-control.” That quote comes from notes on a lecture specifically about the Stoic diet. In that lecture the Stoic teacher proclaims that philosophers shouldn’t eat meat and that our food should take as little preparation as possible. He basically advocated for a lacto-vegetarian diet with a bit of raw food sympathy thrown in. The lecture is very interesting and through it, even within the quote I just gave, we can see that he focused on diet because our virtue is made manifest through our choices.

We also have thoughts from Musonius concerning physical exercise. That subject is found in a lecture we title, On Practicing Philosophy. Addressing new philosophers, he says, “how then and in what way must they be trained? Since a human being happens to be neither soul nor body alone but a composite of these two things, someone in training must pay attention to both. They should rightly pay more attention to the better part, namely the soul, but they should also take care of the other part, or part of them will become defective. The philosopher's body also must be well prepared for work because often virtues use it as a necessary tool for the activities of life.” We do not have a list of exercises that Musonius prescribed for his students. But we know that Stoic schools assumed philosophical training would include physical training.

I’ve covered all this before: food in You Shouldn’t Eat That: On Stoic Authority, and exercise in Good Fortune Ep 10: Physical Exercises. Running across yet another forum post that was met by some with dismissal rather than education stimulated me to address it again. Stoicism is found in our choices, all of which matter. Additionally, Stoicism is not separate from our bodies. Our choices may be generated in our brain but they are enacted through our muscles and sinew. If people are missing this, perhaps modern Stoic writings are doing us a disservice. Growth in Stoicism should make us more connected to the world, and to ourselves. If practitioners can’t see that connection, something is wrong. There is no Stoic way to deadlift, but there are Stoic reasons to deadlift. There are no Stoic recipes but our food choices matter. There is also, to be clear, no Stoic body-type nor Stoic level of health. But every choice we make is a philosophical practice. Virtue is enacted only in the moment at hand. So if a person asks you how Stoics exercise, you can make clear that our exercise goals are focused on virtue and not on body-fat percentages, but do not dismiss the question.

I’m kicking off 2020 with a new Good Fortune episode. Episode 18: Conflict addresses the radical approach Stoicism recommends for personal conflict. The podcast is available here, and the transcript is available here. This should be the first of many episodes this year.

I decided to begin this year by examining my values through the writing prompts of The 5-minute Stoicism Journal. This journal is the second book I wrote in 2019, it was released in November, just a month after The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism. I developed the journal with the hope that Stoics both novice and well practiced would put aside just five minutes a day for sustained reflection on their values. Even this short amount of time can help the writer orient their day in a way that promotes personal growth. I built the writing prompts around the three Stoic Disciplines and their corresponding Virtues. There are brief descriptions of these themes, but the journal does assume prior knowledge of Stoicism as a life philosophy.

Journaling is a longstanding philosophical practice. Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, one of Stoicism’s most famous works, is a personal journal in which the Emperor expressed his highest ideals and challenged himself to improve his character. The 5-minute Stoicism Journal provides prompts that focus the writer on their own ideals. In just this first week of writing I’ve been challenged to examine my willpower, to write about successes and failures, and to think about my reaction to personal loss. It’s been instructive. I have already found value in adding these few minutes to my morning routine.

My standard morning practice consists in daily recalling the premeditations of either Marcus or Seneca, which I wrote about in How to Meet the Morning, and then to go outside (usually standing in my backyard before going to work) and performing the View from Above. The premeditations prepare me to interact with people as well as the inevitable ups and downs of the day, while the View helps center me by placing my life in a larger context. At their best these practices do help me find the good flow of life, but too often they become overly rote and habitual and lack that certain spark that impacts me in the moment. What I have enjoyed about five minute journaling is that each day is a fresh take on my life. Each day is a new prompt that demands I examine unexpected aspects of my life. I’ve found that the thoughts that accompany those five minutes persist throughout my day. I recall my morning musings as I carry out my tasks and I am challenged to live up to what I put on the page.

Right now my main complaint is that there should be more lines provided per prompt. This is something I noticed as I started seeing the final designs, but I’d never created a book like this so I left those decisions up to the design team. I also wonder if the first week’s prompts are off-putting in how self-critical they ask the writer to be. I wrote the journal while I was finishing up The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism and I wonder if the old Stoic teachers rubbed off on me? Maybe I was more gruff than necessary? The tone is something I’ll definitely be paying attention to as I spend the next few months in the journal.

This first week in the journal has been personally enriching and has made me happy that I took on the project when it was offered. If you are looking for a way to build up the beneficial habit of examining your values and aligning your thoughts and actions with your best self, I believe the short but potent exercises in The 5-minute Stoicism Journal would be a valuable part of your day.

The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism had a successful launch and can now be found where books are sold. The 5-Minute Stoicism Journal is coming November 5th and is available for pre-order. Both can be ordered here, or through your favorite bookstore.

A recent review said that, “The Beginner’s Guide To Stoicism feels a bit like stoic philosophy itself, seemingly simple, yet profoundly powerful. This book contains a solid overview of stoicism, techniques for implementing the stoic teachings within your life, and resources for more in-depth study. Depending upon your aim, after completing the book you will have either a brief overview and solid understanding of stoicism, or a solid foundation upon which to further pursue the work of a stoic. “ Concerning The 5-Minute Stoicism Journal, my publisher says it can help you, “remain focused, content, confident―even joyful―no matter what challenges life throws your way.”

By the way, Good Fortune episodes are back! Episode 17 is out and I’m working on the next one now. Listen to it here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks!

Available for pre-order and releasing October 8th, The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism is my introduction to the philosophy. As my publisher puts it, “This easy-to-navigate stoicism guide gives you the emotional tools needed to let go of the things you can’t control and find joy in what you have. Through thought-provoking strategies and exercises, this book helps you find contentment so you can build closer relationships and become an active member of society.” My aim was to create an accessible guide to the philosophy that will lay a solid foundation on which anyone can continue to build. The book is packed with practical exercises and succinct explanations of Stoic concepts.

Ordering now is a great way to help the book and assure that you get it on day one. Thanks!

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Donald Robertson's latest book, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, is a worthwhile addition to any practicing Stoic's library. Within it, Donald builds a case for the efficacy of Stoic practice and also provides a rich variety of tools for direct engagement with the philosophy. He does this through the lens of Marcus Aurelius's life. Drawing from the historical record and, of course, from Marcus's own writings, Donald weaves a tale that presents a living man; a real person who had to work hard to better himself and who sought to live up to the high ideals of his life philosophy. The reader is invited to watch the Emperor struggle, learn, and progress. We see a Stoic living life, and this example allows opportunity for personal reflection as to how we ourselves can apply Stoicism in life.

When I began the book, I was a bit concerned that the material would prove too familiar. I read The Meditations regularly and also understand the basic outline of Emperor Aurelius's life. I was happy to find instead that I was engaged throughout the experience. I was well acquainted with much of the material but, even so, Donald's storytelling made everything feel fresh. The reader is presented with a biography of an emperor and a Stoic but the emphasis is not specifically on the great losses and victories of his life and reign, but on how such moments in the man's life shaped his philosophy and spurred his progress during his Stoic journey. My time with the book was a meditative experience. I was able to watch Marcus wield the very same Stoic practices, tools, and viewpoints that I apply in the day to day. Walking alongside this representation of a fellow Stoic's life allowed for reflection on my own journey.

I'm excited for those who will be introduced to Stoicism through this book. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, presents a Stoicism that is well-rounded, practical, and healthy. The reader will gain an understanding of the shape of our philosophy while also finding ways to apply it to their lives. More importantly, Donald presents a philosophy that is worth wrestling with. He shows us that Stoicism is a loving and joyful thing. That's an important aspect of any Stoic introduction. My personal introduction to Stoic philosophy was Bill Irvine's , A Guide to the Good Life. Other's have recently been finding their way through Massimo Pigliucci's, How to Be a Stoic. Both of these books succeed because they present not just a life philosophy but a lived-in philosophy. We see that Stoicism can become part of a real life. Like these books, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, presents not just the facts of the philosophy but its vibrant spirit. Anyone who starts on the Stoic path through this book will be well provisioned for their journey. I also enjoy knowing that if any of these new practitioners ask me, "what's the next book for me, I'd like to know more," I could simply point them to one of Donald Robertson's earlier books, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness. If they weren't from different publishing houses, I'd suggest the books be bundled as a modern Stoic starter pack. Taken together, a person will gain a robust understanding of Stoicism along with ample instruction as to practical application.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, is beneficial for both the practicing Stoic and those who are curious about the philosophical life. We are fortunate to have access, through Marcus Aurelius, to the private thoughts of an ancient Stoic practitioner. In political position and in time, Marcus is far removed from us and yet in practice he was simply a person trying his best to live up to his own ideals. I can certainly relate. I'm pleased to have had the chance to read this book. Donald Robertson has added something unique to the Stoic corpus. I enthusiastically recommend it to you.

Available now for pre-order. Scheduled for release in April 2019

I was on a Stoic forum today and someone posted that they are, "thinking about how to combine stoicism with feminism."  I made the mistake of scanning the comments and saw far too many people scoffing at the idea. Now, I do not know what "combining" these two ideologies means. Feminism and Stoicism both offer ways to view, interact with, and critique the world and they are both adequate to the task on their own. I'm not certain why mixing is required rather than simply wielding these two different tools at the appropriate time? One can put forth a feminist critique as a Stoic. One can take Stoic actions as a feminist.  What I do know is that anyone claiming that Stoicism and feminism are incompatible with one other is objectively wrong. Stoicism is often viewed historically as a proto-feminist philosophy. Feminism, in its insistence that woman should have equal access to society's power and resources, and that a woman's personal autonomy should be viewed as equal to a man's, also comports with Stoicism (when Stoicism is at it's best). Simply stated, Stoicism not only demands that practitioners view all rational/social beings as equals in virtue, but it also expects practitioners to change the world around them until it embodies that truth.

The clearest examples of Stoic "proto-feminism" are found in two talks given by Musonius Rufus, the teacher of the better known Stoic, Epictetus. These talks are titled, from the lecture showing that women also should study philosophy, and, from the lecture on whether daughters should get the same education as sons.  The basic argument in each of these lectures is the same; women and men are equal in reason, in their senses, in their bodies, and in their need to properly express human nature; therefore equal education is necessary. The daughters lecture contains the strong Stoic truth that, "it is obvious that there is not one type of virtue for a man and another for a woman." The women lecture ends with a dramatic statement. "The doctrine of the philosophers encourages a woman to be happy and to rely on herself."

Now these same lectures contain views that also show the inadequacy of Roman Stoic thought. There's a reason that they are, at best, proto-feminists or even just inadequate feminists. The Roman Stoics were very married to the idea that people had natural roles to play in life. Their implementation of those roles was rather conservative and lends itself easily to a feminist critique. However, even within that conservative Stoic framework, there are seeds for more expansive thinking. In the fifth paragraph of Musonius' daughters talk, he addresses work. He makes the claim that certain jobs are naturally suited for men or women due to conditions like physical strength, etc. Even within that argument, Musonius says, "but sometimes, when a health condition or circumstance requires it, or when opportunity allows it, some men could reasonably undertake some of the lighter tasks...and women in turn could perform some of the harder ones."  Already in 50 CE a Stoic teacher could easily see that work should be done by those who can do it. Broad categories like men's work/women's work might be used as general descriptors but become ridiculous if used to create barriers to simply getting things done. The person who should fill a role is the person who can fulfill the work of that role. The next generation's Stoic teacher, Epictetus, would also point out that the Roman view of women does not stem from a woman’s real potential but from what a woman is constrained to be. In his own talks about women and philosophy Epictetus says that young women primarily concern themselves with beauty and attracting mates specifically because that is the only way they are valued by society. It's a rational choice for them to take up supposedly "frivolous" things. He argues that if women had access to a philosophical education then they would display a philosophical mind.

We do not have any evidence that ancient Stoics did a good job advocating for changes that would have allowed women more access. We do know that their philosophy had room for such change if the possibility had been made clear. The Roman philosophers were not used to structural critiques of power, but the examples of Stoic thought I've given already make it clear that they could have taken in such an analysis and adjusted accordingly. Furthermore we can state with certainty that any belief that holds women as lesser than, or rightfully subject to, men stands fully outside of Stoicism. Human moral and ethical equality is fundamental to Stoic thought. Feminism and Stoicism are compatible. In fact, feminist thought can not only be wielded by the Stoic, but it should also be turned on Stoicism as a lens to show where the philosophy is less than it's best. The critique can only make Stoicism healthier. The whole philosophy was relatively dormant for two thousand years. There's a lot of dust and grime to clean off if it's to become vibrant in the present.

One of the more common questions in Stoic forums is, “what sort of exercises/practices should I actually do day to day?” The new app, Daily Stoic Exercises, should help answer that question, at least for those who have Android based devices.

At present, the app provides 24 exercises that a Stoic can apply to their life on a daily basis. The lessons are derived from Stoic literature, with short explanations provided by Professor Massimo Pigliucci. The app is a sparse as can be, each exercise has it’s own page which can be flipped through like reading an e-book. It could definitely use a table of contents, but it does the job. If you would like a simple daily reminder of how to think like a Stoic, Daily Stoic Exercises might be for you.

Those who pioneered the old paths are guides, they are not our masters. Truth lies open to all, for there is no monopoly on the truth. And there is plenty of it for future generations to uncover. -Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilius, Letter 33

I've been thinking a lot about Stoic progress. It's been on my mind since I started creating Episode 16 of the podcast and I finished that in April of 2018 so, as I said, it's been a while. Primarily I want to know that I am growing. Because if I'm not, what's the point? But I also think about the Stoic community. What helps advance the philosophy? What moves practitioners further towards flourishing and what, conversely, creates roadblocks?  While thinking on such things, I have been rereading Seneca's letters to Lucilius. A few days ago Letter 33 drew me in, because the theme overlaps with my present fixation. In it, Seneca shoots down "soundbite Stoicism," pooh-poohs veneration of the early Stoics, and advocates for a lived, embodied Stoicism.

Seneca did not use the term soundbite, of course. Instead He speaks against the use of quotes and aphorisms. First, he claims that pithy quotes are the sign of an uneven philosophy. Apparently good quotes stand out because the writing around them is subpar? He goes on to say that memorizing such sayings is immature. In the modern context this is quite a statement. Today's Stoics certainly enjoy a good ancient quote. One of the easier ways to gather likes on social-media is to post a simple quote from one of the Stoics. "I needed to hear that today," and, "wow," will soon flood the comments. Even in Seneca's own time, Stoic students were definitely using memorization as a tool for growth. I mean, what's pithier than the famous, "Bear and forebear?" And yet, Seneca didn't trust memorization. This is because he believed there was a wide divide between remembering something and knowing something. As he said about memorizers, "they never venture to do for themselves the things they have spent such a long time learning." Here is Seneca's real issue with quotes. He saw a danger in believing that memorizing philosophy was as good as wise action. The teacher, Musonius Rufus, would have agreed. As he said, "practicing each virtue always must follow learning the lessons appropriate to it, or it is pointless for us to learn about it." It doesn't matter if we can recall philosophy, it matters that we embody philosophy. It's this idea of embodied Stoicism that I tried to speak on in Episode 16:Progress, and that has remained with me for nearly a year.

On the theme of living out our philosophy, Seneca finds reason to deride the veneration of earlier thinkers. "But in the case of an adult who has made incontestable progress it is disgraceful to go hunting after gems of wisdom, and prop themself up with the briefest of the best-known sayings, and be dependent on memory as well; it is time they stand on their own two feet. They should be creating such maxims, not memorizing them. It is disgraceful that one who is old or in sight of old age should have a wisdom deriving solely from their notebook. 'Zeno said this.’ And what have you said? 'Cleanthes said that.’ What have you said? How much longer are you going to serve under other's orders? Assume authority yourself and utter something that may be handed down to posterity. Produce something from your own resources." What does it matter what Zeno once said if we don't have thoughts of our own? Seneca saw such “notebook philosophy” as not only dangerous for the individual but for the philosophy. First, Zeno-said, or Epictetus-said Stoicism calcifies the philosophy. As he put it, "these people who never attain independence follow the views of their predecessors even in matters in which everyone else without exception has abandoned the older authority." Second, those who simply parrot the philosophy can never expand it. "No new findings will ever be made if we rest in the findings of the past."

It's Stoicism's capacity for growth that excites me; whether it's an expansion of practices that help individuals flourish, or the expansion of our ethics as we apply Stoicism to modern social issues. Seneca had a similar wish for a vital Stoicism. We also share a concern that the world marks progress incorrectly and, therefore, leads people to a pallid stoicism that can not fulfill the full promise of philosophy. Letter 33 is certainly worth a read. After that though, it’s fine to forget the words if, instead, we act with the freedom we have to be our own guides.

It's fundamental to Stoicism that the only moment we ever have access to is the present moment. The past is out of our reach and can never be changed, the future simply isn't, and there's frankly no guarantee that it ever will be. As Seneca put it, "These two things must be cut away: fear of the future, and the memory of past sufferings. The latter no longer concern me, and the future does not concern me yet."  When we Stoics think about what we can and can't control, it should be obvious that we can only use our energy in the here and now. And yet it can be so very difficult to keep our thoughts in the present.

I find it interesting that Seneca uses, "cutting away," when addressing the past and future because another Stoic, Marcus Aurelius, would speak similarly over a hundred years later. In Meditations 12:3 he writes, “If you can cut yourself - your mind - free of what other people do and say, of what you've said and done, of the things that you're afraid will happen...” Again we are advised to cut ourselves free from past regrets and future worries. The effort, even violence, of the imagery speaks to me right now. I definitely feel the entanglement that comes with a focus on either the past or the future. I would love to gain some tranquility in the present moment, but cutting away the thoughts I’m wrapped up in will take real effort.

Stoicism is present-oriented, and yet it doesn't ask us to live only for the moment. We all have projects, we are part of things that continue on (hopefully). We have to expend effort towards future events if we're going to flourish in our lives. But there's a way to do this that focuses on what we control rather than on what we don't. In my job hunt, I can't get someone to pick up my resume and call me for an interview, but I can send out that resume. I can't make my wife's work load any less, but I can take on tasks that ease the work at home and also make myself available for any other support she needs. And why wouldn't I do these things? After all, the things Stoicism asks us to cut away are wastes of our time and attention. They are things that we can never control. They are what Stoicism refers to as impressions and, in the case of imagined future events, these impressions can only be wrong ones. Latter in the same passage, Marcus also writes, "If you can cut free of impressions that cling to the mind, free of the future and the past...and concentrate on living what can be lived (which means the present)...then you can spend the time you have left in tranquility. And in kindness. And at peace with the spirit within you." Concentrate on living what can be lived. It's tremendous advice, if also difficult. I've known the tranquility, and peace, and also kindness, that comes from concentrating on the present. It's something I want and need to get back to.

Hopefully soon.

Perhaps right now?

Stoicism, by Brad Inwood, is a succinct introduction to the philosophy that would well serve anyone looking to build up their knowledge of Stoicism beyond its ethical aspects. It is not a guide to the application of Stoicism in life. Instead, Stoicism tracks the history of the philosophy, the individuals who shaped it, and the theory that blossomed from Zeno’s initial insights. If your reading has consisted of a few ancient Stoics along with a modern guide to Stoic application or two, this single book would really flesh out your understanding of the philosophy. It really packs quite a punch for such A Very Short Introduction.

Hang out in Stoic online forums long enough and the question of Stoic/Buddhist overlap will inevitably come up. Someone might ask directly if a certain Stoic concept is equivalent to a Buddhist idea. Others will share Buddhist quotes as if the "stoicness" of what's said is undeniable. It's undeniable that, at least superficially, modern Stoicism and popular Buddhism seem to cover similar ground.

In Stoicism & Western Buddhism: A Reflection on Two Philosophical Ways of Life, Patrick Ussher illuminates the many ways that modern Stoicism and the Western development of Buddhism have come to an agreement concerning the well lived life. This book should answer many of the questions posed by those interested in the interaction of these two philosophies. If all Ussher did was guide the reader through the interplay of Stoicism and Western Buddhism, the book would be worth reading. However, the Stoic reader gets more.

For the Stoic practitioner Stoicism & Western Buddhism provides a necessary reflection on the loving heart of Stoic philosophy. Stoicism's deep concern for humanity comes to life when our philosophy is mirrored back at us through the better known compassion of Western Buddhism. I found reading this book to be a meditation in itself; a call to remember Stoicism's acceptance of all people, its insistence that all of us can grow in virtue and that that growth will lead us to actions that benefit everyone. This reminder of the humane soul of Stoicism shows how well Ussher knows his subject.

When I first picked up this book I assumed it would scratch an academic itch; that I'd finally have a single place to point when anyone asked about Stoicism v Buddhism. Instead I found a book that I recommend to any Stoic who wants to focus on the best aspects of our philosophy, and who can appreciate a reminder that Stoicism is not alone in its desire to create a compassionate world.

In the coming weeks, I will begin a three part Good Fortune podcast series based on the Tablet of Cebes. I was first introduced to the Tablet's story through Keith Seddon's wonderful book, Epictetus’ Handbook and the Tablet of Cebes: Guides to Stoic Living. It's my hope that the imagery found in this ancient story will help us picture the Stoic life and live it out more fully.