Letters From a Stoic - Letter 1: On Saving Time Audio Preview ... and that he was soon attracted by the Stoic philosophy, the stern nurse of heroes during the first century of the Empire. I keep this book on my nightstand and read it just one letter at a time, and sometimes weeks go by before I read another. Letters from a Stoic. It does not make any difference what a man says; what matters is how he feels, and not how he feels on one particular day but how he feels at all times…Only the wise man is content with what is his. In basic terms, Stoicism teaches us that if we have the essentials and a strong inner spirit, we can radically accept and endure whatever circumstances the universe throws at us. These are Seneca’s lessons on friendship – from how they begin to their very ends. Seneca advises us to spend time living without these extras of our own free will. Letters From A Stoic 42 minute read A little while ago, I read Letters from a Stoic by Seneca (translated and edited by Robin Campbell). How does this compare to Meditations, is it similar to the Meditations in writing where there are statements rather than arguments or the opposite? The main characters of this philosophy, non fiction story are,. Seneca says that we should eat nutritious, nourishing food, but only enough to keep our bodies in good health and our stomachs full – we shouldn’t stuff ourselves nor eat extravagant meals just because we can. We should have comfortable homes, but shouldn’t concern ourselves with ornamentation that serves no functional purpose – it’s a waste of resources and energy. “But when you are looking on anyone as a friend when you do not trust him as you trust yourself, you are making a grave mistake, and have failed to grasp sufficiently the full force of true friendship.”. It doesn’t matter if we are surrounded by tons of friends if we don’t have a deep understanding of any. Perhaps you will be cajoled, made fun of, or otherwise judged – peer pressured — by those who want to bring you to their level. The Stoic philosophy which Seneca professed in his writings, later supported by Marcus Aurelius, provided Rome with a passable bridge to Christianity. This is because once that usefulness has dried up, the friendship will likely fall apart. This Letters from a Stoic summary has taken a brief look at an important work of philosophy. Seneca defines philosophy not as a system of logical rules for old men to argue about and rearrange, but as a means to prescribe a way of life. How many of us have put off, because we “don’t have time” or find the thought of, when we’re busy more stressful than useful? The best thing we can do is fortify ourselves and know that we will overcome our misfortunes, but dread does not serve us. If there were anything substantial in them they would sooner or later bring a sense of fullness; as it is they simply aggravate the thirst of those who swallow them.”. Learn more about the meaning behind Daily Stoic's most popular medallion. I won't talk about the quality of the principles here, since that's very subjective. Apparently I'm a Stoic always was one. How many of us have put off mental health practices because we “don’t have time” or find the thought of meditating when we’re busy more stressful than useful? As an aside, Seneca does not suggest that physical health is unimportant –, for both ourselves and those who care about us — but does say that more energy should be put into. He also emphasizes the importance of being your own friend; that the person who befriends themselves will never be alone and will be a friend of all. like they might betray us, then we may bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy. Selected from the Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium, Seneca's Letters from a Stoic are a set of 'essays in disguise' from one of the most insightful philosophers of the Silver Age of Roman literature. Being content with enough as discussed above is an important piece. Gregory Hays once said about Marcus Aurelius that "not being a tyrant was something he had to work at one day at a time" and often, Seneca lost that battle. Stoicism, as expressed in the Letters, helped ease pagan Rome's transition to Christianity, for it upholds upright ethical ideals and extols virtuous living, as well as expressing disgust for the harsh treatment of slaves and the inhumane slaughters witnessed in the Roman arenas. This mob mentality is not only dangerous to others, but to our own character. In letters from a stoic 53, Seneca narrated a story when he was traveling to a place called Parthenope in unfavorable weather. It's inherent in the structure. This also goes for when we make positive progress — when we are further along on our journey, we should also not “show off” our commitment to Stoicism. It doesn’t matter if we are surrounded by tons of friends if we don’t have a deep understanding of any. Regardless of how Seneca and Lucilius actually corresponded, it is clear that Seneca crafted the letter… A few of my favorite highlights: tl;dr: Classic philosophy, mixed with old-people-opinions. What about losing a friend? He says we should cultivate a relationship with poverty. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Once we’ve determined that we have a friend that is a good influence, and that our connection goes beyond utility, we must trust our friend absolutely. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. I was saying goodbye to a very dear friend who I not only felt that I had come to know intimately over the past weeks, but to someone whose philosophies resonated with my own on various topics, and also at the most fundamental levels. Sometimes it's all to obvious and he doesn't need to go on and on. Redeemer of humanity, slaughterer of comfortable existences; it can either save or destroy a man, but it can hardly leave him untouched. We must also eliminate the fear of living without “the extras.” Many of us are afraid of losing our possessions – our phones, our jackets, our cars. I got a lot out of reading Letters and wanted to encourage others to read it and thought that sharing some of the key ideas from the book might convince them to do so.. Just a head’s up: this blog is a long read. For now, we’ll leave you with a collection of other prominent quotes from Letters from a Stoic. It’s a book about philosophy but in the end it’s a teacher about life. 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