“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” — Blaise Pascal The Buddhist word for it was upekkha. The Muslims spoke of aslama. The Hebrews, hishtavut. The second book of the Bhagavad Gita, the epic poem of the warrior Arjuna, speaks of samatvam, an “evenness of mind—a peace …
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday: Book Summary, Key Lessons and Best Quotes Read More »
Introduction Many of us don’t consider philosophy a laughing matter. After all, we turn to philosophers to understand the world around us and determine how to find meaning in it. To many, philosophy is a matter of life and death. However, that doesn’t mean philosophers take their own lives so seriously. The death of Chrysippus …
Who Is Chrysippus? The ‘Second Founder of Stoicism’ Who Died Laughing Read More »
Summum Bonum was the expression from Cicero, Rome’s greatest orator. In Latin, it means “the highest good.” And what is the highest good? What is it that we are supposed to be aiming for in this life? To the Stoics, the answer is virtue. They said that everything we face in life was an opportunity …
The Highest Good: An Introduction To The 4 Stoic Virtues Read More »
This is a guest post by Donald Robertson. Donald is a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist, trainer, and writer. Robertson has been tirelessly researching Stoicism and applying it in his work for twenty years. He is also the author of the remarkable new book on Marcus Aurelius, How To Think Like a Roman Emperor *** How do we cope when …
How To Control Your Anger (Lessons from Marcus Aurelius) Read More »
Sometime around 300 BC, Zeno of Citium founded the first school of Stoicism. Zeno taught his classes at the Stoa Poikile (“Painted Porch”) to what could have only been a few dozen promising students. The stoa (“porch’”) became a place for individuals to gather, exchange ideas, and work on becoming the best version of themselves. There they were challenged, provoked, inspired—holding …
This is a guest post by Donald Robertson. Donald is a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist, trainer, and writer. Robertson has been tirelessly researching Stoicism and applying it in his work for twenty years. He is also the author of the remarkable new book on Marcus Aurelius, How To Think Like a Roman Emperor *** The Roman emperor …
Stoicism and Pain Management: 4 Techniques Practiced By Marcus Aurelius Read More »
We should never forget the truly tremendous fact that Meditations carries the private thoughts of a man, Marcus Aurelius, during his reign as a virtual god, as the emperor of Rome. If ever there were a man qualified to think himself the center of the universe, Marcus Aurelius was it. And yet, the most powerful …
We Were Made For Each Other: 32 Reminders From One Of History’s Most Powerful Figures Read More »
Something may happen today that upsets you. Someone might be rude, your car could break down, an employee might mess something up despite your very careful instructions. Your instinct may be to yell and get angry. It’s natural. But just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Remember Marcus Aurelius’ observation, “how much …
Keeping Your Cool: 40 Stoic Quotes On Taming Anger Read More »
Marcus Aurelius was born to a prominent and established family, but nobody at the time would have predicted that he would one day be Emperor of the Roman Empire. The emperor Hadrian was nearing death and chose Antoninus as his successor, with the condition that he adopt Marcus. And in 161, Marcus became the Emperor …
12 Lessons On Leadership From The Last Great Emperor Read More »
