The What Is Stoicism? Podcast

☀️ Micro Morning Meditations: https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/subscribe----"For the morning is the youth of the day, when everything is bright, fresh, and easy of attainment; we feel strong then, and all our faculties are completely at our disposal.Do not shorten the morning by getting up late, or waste it in unworthy occupations or in talk; look upon it as the quintessence of life, as to a certain extent sacred."—Schopenhauer, Our Relation to Ourselves Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This explainer episode will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what the Stoic motto of living according to Nature means and how you can use it in everyday life.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desire has a reliable way of making us view our lives through the lens of what we don’t have.This lens obscures from our sight the many blessings we already have and puts us into a discontented state of ungratefulness.Thankfully, Stoicism helps us find a better perspective.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer episode will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what the Stoic sage is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A reading of the third book of Marcus Aurelius's twelve-book work.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer episode will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what the Stoic reserve clause is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a guided Stoic meditation that aims to help bring you back to the present moment. It’s something you’ll hopefully find valuable to return to when thoughts about the past and future get a little overwhelming.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer episode will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what the dichotomy of control is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It’s typically human to feel affection even for people who make mistakes. The feeling is a response to the thoughts that they’re your kin, that they’re led astray against their will by their ignorance, that shortly both of you will be dead, and especially that he did you no harm, because he didn’t make your command center worse than it was before."— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.22📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A short exploration of Seneca's advice to his friend Lucilius and the following related sentiment from the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer:"Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death."📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer episode will provide you with a straightforward understanding of one of the elements of Stoicism that can sometimes be confusing - what the philosophy considers to be good, what it considers to be bad, and what it considers to be indifferent.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview with Jon Brooks, I share my journey into Stoicism and how it has helped me find meaning and purpose in life. I discuss how I was introduced to Stoicism through the Tim Ferriss podcast and William B Irvine's book "A Guide to the Good Life". I also explain how Stoicism's focus on personal responsibility and practical philosophy resonated with me and led me to start creating content on the topic early on in my philosophical journey.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What keeps people coming back to a Roman Emperor’s 2000-year-old journal?To help answer that question, in this episode I share one short lesson from each of the twelve books of the Meditations.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what negative visualization is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A reading of the second book of Marcus Aurelius's twelve-book work.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what Amor Fati is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Plato is a fantastic documentary about a headmaster embarking on a quest to teach children to use philosophy to examine their own thoughts and question the world around them. There are certainly plenty of lessons that older generations can learn too.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This short explainer will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what Memento Mori (Latin for “remember you must die”) is and how you can use it in your Stoic practice.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plato’s Academy Centre is a non-profit organization raising funds through a variety of means with the ultimate goal of opening an international conference venue overlooking Plato’s Academy Park, the original site of Plato’s school of philosophy.In addition to their fundraising, the group also publishes articles and holds events about Stoicism and other philosophical topics. I was happy to take part in a short interview for PAC’s Substack page recently which you can listen to in this episode.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The more consistently you journal,” writes Brittany Polat in her book Journal Like a Stoic. “The more impact you’ll see in your daily life.”If you’re interested in starting a journaling habit or are seeking some new approaches to your existing practice, Journal Like a Stoic is an excellent resource.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By studying them, by practicing them, and by writing about them, we can ensure that the fundamental principles of Stoicism will always remain “at hand” to us and that our philosophy is very much a lived one.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I don’t know” is the key that unlocks the gate to learning. Without that admission, the journey ends. No one can be taught what they think they already know.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ayo Disu is the co-founder of Octillion Capital Partners, a company that seeks to acquire clean and sustainable brands in the health, beauty, food and beverage industries.In this interview, I talk to Ayo about his work with Octillion and how he applies Stoicism in his personal and professional life.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A simple approach to daily Stoic journaling.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 short Stoic life lessons that initially sound difficult to believe.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to use Stoicism to prepare for each and every day.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we can learn from Jose Mujica's rejection of riches.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Stoic lesson in gratitude from the Philosopher-King, Marcus Aurelius.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How memento mori practices can help you appreciate the gift of each new day.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How you can apply Leonardo’s learning process to your practice of Stoicism.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Follow in the footsteps of Marcus Aurelius with this fun but useful Stoic exercise.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The good news is that an evening routine doesn’t need to be mentally taxing.Done the right way, it can gently draw a line under the day that has just passed, and put the mind at rest, ready for satisfied slumber.If your morning routine is your start-up cycle, your evening routine is your shut-down sequence.Here is a short Stoic evening routine you can try that will help you happily put the finishing touches on your day.You can find the mentioned longer guided meditation here.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having been a fan of Massimo Pigliucci’s work for several years, I was grateful to receive a review copy of his latest book, The Quest for Character.While this book isn’t solely focused on Stoicism, the philosophy and its main figures are referenced many times throughout as Pigliucci tries to determine whether good character is something that can be taught.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode looks at the interesting story of why Stoicism is indebted to what might just be your new favorite color - Tyrian purple.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode features 11 short Stoic rules for life that aren’t rules at all.Rather, they’re important questions that Stoicism gives us the ability to ask ourselves so that we might keep building our own excellent character.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An explanation from Donald Robertson's How to Think Like a Roman Emperor of a six-step worry postponement process you can try today.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are 30 short ways to be more Stoic today.Maybe one will be enough to refocus you today, or maybe you’ll decide to try one a day for the next month to get back into a Stoic rhythm.Whatever you take from this, remember to keep practicing!📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It can ruin your life only if it ruins your character. Otherwise it cannot harm you — inside or out."— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4.8📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"You have to submit to discipline, maintain a strict diet, abstain from rich foods, exercise under compulsion at set times in weather hot and cold, refrain from drinking water or wine whenever you want — in short, you have to hand yourself over to your trainer as if he were your doctor."— Epictetus, Enchiridion 29📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode unpacks the specific guidelines Marcus Aurelius reminded himself of when feeling anger and resentment toward others for their actions.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to look beyond isolated quotes, find the deeper meaning, and benefit by applying the principle.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For today's episode, I welcome 8 guests who kindly submitted their own answers to the question: "What does Stoicism mean to you?"Their considered responses give great insight into how practitioners of Stoicism view the philosophy.Many thanks to Enda Harte, Brittany Polat, Michael McGill, Ranjini George, Kasey Pierce, Jamie Ryder, Lydia Scratch, Brandon Tumblin, and Henry Manampiring!📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we are and what we think we are can sometimes be very different things.When we get overwhelmed, it can help to look for an alternative perspective.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special interview to mark episode 50 of The What Is Stoicism? Podcast!Today's guest is Jon Brooks, creator of The Stoic Handbook and HighExistence. As a big fan of Jon's work, it was a pleasure for me to have him on the podcast.In this episode, we discuss using Stoicism to cope with anxiety and talk about Jon's flagship course Stoic Anxiety Mastery.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Wanting to get out of pain is the pain; it is not the “reaction” of an “I” distinct from the pain. When you discover this, the desire to escape “merges” into the pain itself and vanishes.” —Alan Watts📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔗 Cheat sheetWhat is and isn't within your control: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-resources/what-is-and-isnt-within-your-control-a-cheatsheet/📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔗 Show links:Amor Fati: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-definition/what-is-amor-fati/Negative Visualisation: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-definition/what-is-negative-visualisation/📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to stay Stoic in a noisy world.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Waste no more time arguing what a good person should be. Be one.💪 Exercise linksAnonymous acts of kindness: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-resources/exercise-do-an-anonymous-act-of-kindness/Define your principles: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-resources/exercise-define-your-epithets-for-the-self/View from above: https://whatisstoicism.com/stoicism-resources/exercise-experience-the-view-from-above/---📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Without a story, without an imagined reality, everything can be seen for what it is.📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO + EMAIL CONTENTCheck out What Is Stoicism? on Substack:https://whatisstoicism.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.