In Seneca’s 69th letter, he writes to Lucilius that he should avoid “frequent . . . flitting [and] scurry[ing] about from one place to another.” Where the body goes, the spirit follows, says Seneca, so “To be able to hold your spirit in check, you must first stop the runaway flight of the body.” The…
Daily Stoic exercises for beginners
From reading the Stoics we notice their emphasis on spiritual "training" to strengthen the character and enable one to endure difficulties with equanimity. What exactly did they mean by this training, also referred to as spiritual exercises? Is it enough to read the Stoics and apply what we learn there to situations as they arise? Or…
Back to basics: Reviving (or starting) a Stoic practice
Reflecting on basic Stoic precepts as I prepare to develop my practice.
Seneca on misfortune’s bright side
Seneca’s “On Providence” attempts to address the question of why bad things happen to brave, virtuous people. While some aspects of the essay are problematic, he does make a strong case for turning to philosophy now to learn to withstand adversity when it inevitably comes. Seneca highlights the basic Stoic precept that external events are indifferent,…
