JOURNAL OF THE STOIC GYM

STOIC RESPONSES
TO THE PANDEMIC
Greg Sadler
Kai Whiting
Sharon Lebell
Flora Bernard
Jonas Salzgeber
Chuck Chakrapani PLUS
Donald Robertson
Ron Pies

VOLUME 2 . ISSUE 4. APRIL 2020

Page 2 THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4

BETWEEN US

Being Stoic at times like these

Stoicism in the Time of a Pandemic Would a Stoic care?
Since the time of Hierocles, the Stoics Most Stoics would consider being alive
suggested that we are a part of a larger and healthy as preferred indifferents to
community. Steeped in our self- being sick.
centered everyday concerns, we ignore
Is death to be preferred or life? I answer life.
others and devote our lives to our
selfish pursuits. Epictetus (attributing to Agrippinus),
Discourses, 1.2.15
When something like the coronavirus
Therefore, even though no one can
strikes, we suddenly realize that we are
guarantee that the pandemic will not
not alone. What happens in China today
touch us, as Stoics will take all
could potentially affect our future even
precautions necessary—such as washing
if we are in a different country,
our hands, or not touching our faces.
thousands of miles away. It causes
We will not panic but will take measures
Dr. Chuck Chakrapani people who work in the travel industry
suggested by health professionals. We
Editor-in-Chief to lose their jobs, investors to lose their
will do all that which is within our
money, and some to lose even their
control and not worry about the rest,
lives.
because it is not up to us.
Now that is this Covid-19 pandemic is
Handling fear
upon us, what should we do as
practicing Stoics? For most of us, the fear of contracting
coronavirus is more real than the
What would a Stoic do?
disease itself. We panic. We emulate
The first question the Stoic would ask is others and empty the toilet paper
Is what is happening around me under my shelves of Costco and other stores,
THE STOIC
control? without asking ourselves the
Journal of The Stoic Gym significance of toilet paper hoarding. It
Clearly, the existence or non-existence
Volume 2 Issue 4 is rational to protect ourselves and
of the disease is not under our control.
prudent to have enough supplies, but
April 2020 Whether we or our loved ones will
overly panicking and emptying the
Published by contract it or not is not under our
shelves simply spreads panic and makes
TheStoicGym.com control. If we contract it, how severely
things unavailable to others.
Issued free online.
we will be affected by it is not under our
control. Whether we will live or die if But, in any case, we should continue to move
To subscribe
we contract it is not under our control. and not become frozen by fear. No, the best
https://www.thestoicgym.com/ person is one who, though danger threatens
What we don’t control is nothing to us.
the-stoic-subscribe/ on every side and weapons and chains rattle
A Stoic would stop worrying in
the path, will not damage or conceal their
anticipation of the worst possible
virtue. To keep oneself safe does not mean to
Follow us on outcome.
bury oneself.
www.TheStoicGym.com I should be indifferent to things beyond my
Seneca, On the Tranquility of Mind, 5
control. They are nothing to me.
twitter @thestoicgym.com (Chuck Chakrapani, Stoic Tranquility, Ch. 5)
Epictetus, Discourses 1.29.24 A Stoic looks at fear and knows that there
Facebook: The Stoic Gym
THE STOIC
BETWEEN US (CONTD.)
Being a Stoic at times like these
are only three possibilities:
1.Never contracting the disease
2.Contracting the disease but recovering
3.Contracting the disease and perhaps
dying.
The Stoic hopes for the first possibility
and takes necessary precautions. If that
doesn’t work there is the second
possibility—getting the disease and
recovering. We have done this many
times in our lives. But there is also an
outside chance that the outcome is the
third possibility. Stoic courage prepares
us even for this possibility.
Remind yourself what is in your power and
what is not. I should die; should I die
groaning too? … what keeps me from going
with a smile on my face?”
Epictetus, Discourses 1.1.22 (Chuck
Chakrapani, Stoic Foundations, Ch. 1)
Handling loss
What if someone who we know is
affected or even dies? While the Stoic
may grieve like everyone else, she knows
that everything—including our own
life—is on loan to us. Everything we
think we have is on loan to us and can be
called back at any time. There is no point
complaining about it. (Jonas Salzgeber,
p. 10.)
It is a sorry debtor who abuses his creditor.
Seneca, Consolation to Marcia
Caring for others
But what we do or don’t do has
consequences for others too. Sometimes
what we do may affect not us but others
around us. For example, washing your
hands frequently may help you as well as
others. Suppose you don’t care that
much about the disease, should you still
Volume 2, Issue 4
wash your hands? A Stoic would think
so. Similarly, if you even suspect that you
might have been infected, you’d take
measures to minimize the chances of
transmitting the disease to anyone. Our
good comes from not just what is
personally good for us but also what is
good for the society as a whole as well.
(Sharon Lebell, p. 7)
What is not good for the hive is not good for
the bee.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.54
Finding something positive
Stoicism as a philosophy arose out of a
sequence of events following a
shipwreck 2,300 years ago. A Stoic
might ponder about the good they
might create as a result of this
pandemic. Here are some thoughts:
•Use this crisis as an opportunity to
practice Stoic virutes, which will help
you all your life. (Greg Sadler, p. 6)
•Use the enforced leisure as an
opportunity to examine how we spend
our time, thus our lives. (Flora Bernard,
p. 8)
•Use this time to examine what you
focus on. Are you focusing on the
things you don’t have or are you feeling
grateful for the things we do? (Kai
Whiting, p. 9)
Facing our imperfections
We may find all this idealistic. Maybe
so. But remember that no one is
perfect except a sage. However, that
doesn’t have to stop us from practicing
the principles even though our practice
may not be perfect. We can treat
Stoicism as a journey rather than a
destination.
Page 3
I am not speaking about an ideal wise man
to whom every duty is a pleasure, and who
rules over his own spirit … I am talking
about anyone who, with all their
imperfections, desires to follow the perfect
path and yet has passions that often are
reluctant to obey.
Seneca, Moral Letters III.87
It doesn’t matter if we can’t follow all
the principles that will lead us to peace
and tranquility. We can try. Traveling
half-way is better than never starting.
Coronavirus: The Stoic response
•The Stoic appreciates that being healthy is
a preferred indifferent and therefore will take
precautions against contracting it and will
not expose himself to unnecessary risks.
•The Stoic is aware that her natural fear
and panic response can be as destructive as
the disease itself and calls upon the virtue of
courage. She knows that, once she has taken
all precautions, being fearful serves no
purpose.
•The Stoic considers the community as a
whole and acts in such a way as to minimize
the effects of the disease on himself and on
others. He may buy enough supplies in case
he needs it, but would not panic and hoard
things.
•The Stoic uses the crisis as a learning
opportunity and an opportunity to practice
Stoic virtues.
•Once the Stoic has done everything under
her control, she is clear that contracting or
not contracting the virus is not under her
control and, therefore stops worrying about
what might happen in the future. She knows
that she will have sufficient resources to cope
with whatever might happen.
 In this issue: BEING A STOIC NOW
Being Stoic at times like these 2

CHUCK CHAKRAPANI

A time to practice Stoic virtues 6

GREG SADLER

A time to start doing small “sensible human things” 7

SHARON LEBELL

A time to examine the way we spend our lives 8

FLORA BERNARD

A time to turn crisis into an opportunity 9

KAI WHITING

A time to evaluate the nature of what we have 10

JONAS SALZGEBER

Wisdom vs. Glory 11

DONALD ROBERTSON

The Stoic approach to ingratitude. Part iI. The Stoic Advice 16

RON PIES
 In this issue

Be free of desires 14

STOIC HAPPINESS

Natural desires and desires of opinion 15

HOW TO BE A STOIC WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW HOW

PLUS ...

CONTENTS 4

STOIC EVERY DAY: Stoic thoughts for every day 12

STOIC FELLOWSHIP AROUND THE WORLD 17

THE STOIC GYM PUBLICATIONS 19

OUR ADVISORY BOARD 24

Page 6 THE STOIC
A time to practice Stoic virtues
Widespread shutdowns
At the time that I write this, midway
through March, responses to COVID-
19 have shut down a good part of Mil-
waukee. As in many other places, stu-
dents have been sent home from
schools, colleges, and universities and
classes have shifted online. Concerts
and sporting events have been can-
celled. Libraries, community centers,
health clubs, even courthouses have
been closed. Many office buildings have
emptied, allowing employees to work
from home.
Stores sold out of foodstuffs, cleaning
items, and toilet paper, and reduced
their hours. Bars, restaurants, and cafes
began to close. We hosted the last show
of our community radio station,
WXRW, which then closed until the
crisis ends. Social distancing and self-
quarantining have become the order of
the day for many
Stoic guidance
One of Stoicism’s benefits for its prac-
titioners is providing a systematic and
consistent approach to changing condi-
tions and challenges of life. So in times
marked by illness, fear, and uncertainty,
it provides us with a host of useful re-
sponses and reminders.
Epictetus articulated one of those in
telling us in Enchiridion 10 that whatever
we encounter, we can ask ourselves
what capacities we have to deal with it,
and we can employ those capacities in
order not to simply respond to appear-
ances or impressions, but to behave in
a more rational way.
Among the capacities that Epictetus
names are self-control, fortitude, and
patience, each of which is among the
virtues. We should ask ourselves: what ca-
pacities do we need in our own present situa-
tion? During this COVID-19 crisis, each
of the four cardinal virtues of Stoicism
is needed in specific ways, helping us
deal properly with the challenges the
virus poses. And not just the virus it-
self, but also the unusual conditions it
imposes upon us, the reactions of other
people, and our own emotional re-
sponses to all of these.
We ought to remind our-
selves about the need for
these virtues not just during
this crisis, but after it ends,
for the rest of our lives.
Wisdom
Wisdom or prudence indicates to us
what we ought or ought not do, in-
forms our decision-making, and helps
us maintain a sense of proportion. Be-
ing prudent in the time of COVID-19
means maintaining “information hy-
giene,” acquiring genuine and reliable
information and sticking with it, draw-
ing the right inferences from it, and
resisting temptations to spread misin-
formation.
Justice
Justice is another needed virtue. For the
Stoics, justice is not just a matter of
following the right rules, fulfilling com-
mitments, or treating people fairly—for
instance not engaging in hoarding re-
sources, whether out of fear or greed. It
equally includes kindness towards oth-
Volume 2, Issue 4
ers, going beyond merely what is ex-
pected of one to actively help others in
need. Looking in on one’s neighbors,
while maintaining requisite distance, for
example.
Temperance
Temperance is needed as well. Living
on one’s own, in voluntary quarantine,
pulled out of the fabric of one’s rou-
tines and interactions requires exercis-
ing some self-control, moderation, not
just frittering one’s time away, or emo-
tionally eating through one’s stocks.
Fortitude
And that leads us to fortitude. As Cice-
ro points out in On Duties, while forti-
tude does involve choosing to do what
is right, needed, or noble in the face of
fear, it applies to other emotions like
anger, sadness, disgust, or desire as
well.
Virtue is not just a temporary fix
We ought to remind ourselves about
the need for these virtues not just dur-
ing this crisis, but after it ends, for the
rest of our lives.
Greg Sadler,
PhD
Greg Sadler is editor of Stoicism Today,
a member of the Modern Stoicism
team, and co-founder of the Milwaukee
Stoic Fellowship. You can listen to
WXRW last show aired live wherein
he discusses the topic in detail.
THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 7

A time to start doing small, “sensible human things”

The meaning of life our fundamental Stoic principles to root right there to embrace and enjoy if we
“What is the meaning of life?” I asked ourselves in clearsighted effectiveness pay attention.
my friend Jan. for the benefit of our own serenity and Present concerns
to spur a positive “contagion” of the
“Oh, that’s easy,” she shot back. “We’re same for those around us? In the late 1940s, the great British writer
here to love God, love each other, and and theologian C.S. Lewis wrote an es-
eat pie.” Nature flourishers despite COVID-19 say called “On living in an Atomic Age”
Jan’s words carry weight because she I take living in accordance with nature found in the collection Present Concerns.
knows a thing or two about adversity— as an injunction to remember and return It couldn’t be more apt today. “This is
having been rendered blind by a to wonder, to which we always have the first point to be made: and the first
botched childhood surgery, going on to access. To reduce panic, get outside in action to be taken is to pull ourselves
earn a masters in psychology from a nature itself. Nature abides, regenerates, together. If we are all going to be de-
world class university, and practicing as and flourishes despite plagues, cancer, stroyed by an atomic bomb, let that
a sought-after therapist. She was a pio- war, or COVID-19. And it irrepressibly bomb when it comes find us doing sen-
neer activist for disability rights, and her conjures “senseless” beauty, order, sym- sible and human things—praying, work-
work continues to support accessibility metry, and grace. All of these things are ing, teaching, reading, listening to music,
and inclusion for all. Oh, and she is enduring and true. They are just as, if bathing the children, playing tennis,
married to a man who is deaf and blind. not more, real and important than the chatting to our friends over a pint and a
panic that has overtaken so many. Re- game of darts—not huddled together
What do the Stoics say? member, panic is more contagious and like frightened sheep and thinking about
The Stoic analog to her pithy summa- more virulent than any physical virus. bombs. They may break our bodies (a
tion is “Live in accordance with nature, Support everyone’s welfare microbe can do that) but they need not
be a citizen of the world, and love or dominate our minds.”
positively engage with everything that Being a citizen of the world is an invita-
happens “(amor fati). Right now is the tion to direct our actions in support of Pull together, stay connected, enjoy
time for us to practice this mental hy- everyone’s welfare over trying to merely the pie!
giene. protect ourselves and our immediate So, my Stoic friends, let’s “pull ourselves
loved ones. Epictetus declares together,” stay connected to one anoth-
Feeding our anxiety er even while we practice social distanc-
Difficulties are things that show what (who)
Do I even have to say what we are all men are. ing, and stay safe. And why not enjoy
scared about? Like a Skinnerian rat I Epictetus, Discourses 1.24 some pie!
now read the New York Times front page
This is our time to show who we are,
countless times a day amplifying the
and in so doing we restore a measure of
dread and worst-case scenarios that are
calm and dignity to all.
playing on an endless loop in my head. I
went to Trader Joes to stock up on Engaging positively with life
canned goods and other non- How do we positively engage with what
perishables. All I could find among the life is giving us right now? Jan says it
empty shelves were a can of corn, some best: “eat pie.” In other words, despite
weird flavor of hummus, and tons of what is going on around us, or even if
cheese. we are sick ourselves, there is always Sharon Lebell is the author of The
At this unique moment when uncertain- sweetness to enjoy right at hand. It as- Art of Living and is a member of our
ty is the norm, how might we practice sumes many forms, but sweetness is Advisory Board.
Page 8 THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4

A time to examine the way we spend our lives

Compulsory shut downs and economic consequences, this confine-
Within the past few days, the French gov- ment raises a big challenge for busy peo-
ernment announced the closing of all ple such as I: dealing with ourselves.
schools, restaurants, and all places of so- With no work to go to, no external leisure
cial and cultural gathering, as well as full to fill our lives, the requirement to mini-
isolation at home for the population. mize short- and long-distance travelling,
Companies that can are implementing we will have to re-discover how to feel
distance working, and those who can’t are content with a situation we have not cho-
exploring temporary unemployment sen but against which we can do nothing.
measures. We waste so much of our time
Reading Seneca’s On the Shortness of Life
We didn’t create the proved the most helpful thing to do. Sene-
opportunity, but here it is. ca explains:
It is not that we have a short space of time, but
that we waste much of it. (…) when it is squan-
Easy to give in to fear and panic dered in luxury and carelessness, when it is
With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading devoted to no good end, forced at last by the
and governments taking drastic measures ultimate necessity we perceive that it has
to contain it, it is tempting to give in to passed away before we are aware that it is
fear, panic, and paranoia. Now is the time passing. So it is—the life we receive is not short,
but we make it so.
to make good use of our philosophy and
Seneca, On the Shortness of Life,
of our ruling capacity: our judgement.
The pandemic as a wakeup call
Sound judgment is not easy
The pandemic should be a wakeup call for
But exercising sound judgment is not easy. all of us, on an individual and collective
A few days back, I was taking the crisis basis. I understood that I could take the
lightly, thinking the media was blowing next five (maybe ten?) weeks as a great
things out of proportion. I even felt proud opportunity to prolong my life by not wast-
to say I wasn’t over-reacting. But Presi- ing it.
dent Macron’s announcement of schools
closing down came as a shock. It’s certainly about what I do—how I de-
cide to use my time—as much as about
After a day of panic—between fear of the how I do it—the attention I give to each
virus itself, feeling anxious at having the moment, however small it may be, the
children at home for 5 weeks and wonder- love and care I put into what I say. On a
ing how long we could survive with no Flora Bernard co-founded
collective level, in the light of climate
incoming money from clients—I decided change and overconsumption concerns, the Paris-based philoso-
this was perfect Stoic training. this is also the opportunity to test joyful phy agency, Thae, in
The big Stoic challenge frugality. We didn’t create the opportunity, 2013. Flora now works to
help organisations give
Apart from the legitimate concern for the but here it is. meaning to what they do.
health of the population, and the social
THE STOIC
A time to turn a crisis into an opportunity
Zeno created Stoicism out of a crisis
Stoicism is not just useful in times of
crisis; it was born out of crisis. It came
into being precisely because the Stoic
founder Zeno suffered a life-changing
crisis when a storm hit his boat and
destroyed his cargo in the process.
Just a day earlier, I can imagine him
boarding the boat laden with Royal Pur-
ple dye and setting sail for Athens. I can
imagine him dreaming of the wealth he
would obtain from its sale and all the
things he would do with it once he re-
turned home to Cyprus.
Having survived a shipwreck, and hav-
ing lost everything except the clothes
on his back, would have been nothing
short of horrific. Now, instead of being
rich, Zeno was destitute. He might
have even lost a companion. Even if he
hadn’t, he must have known his life
would never be the same again. How-
ever, it was precisely in that shipwreck
Kai Whiting is a researcher and lecturer
in sustainability and Stoicism based at
UC Louvain, Belgium. He tweets @kai-
whiting and blogs over at StoicKai.com
Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 9
that the seed for
what became Stoi-
cism was sown. It
was because his old
life was over, that he
found the courage to
turn towards not on-
ly a new life but the
“good life.”
What can we create
out of this crisis?
Coronavirus offers us
an almost unique
opportunity to sow our own seeds and hedonic treadmill, so why not think
pose a new set of questions about our about virtue instead?
values and our direction in life. If no What is our focus?
one close to us is ill, or in need of im-
In this sense, Coronavirus gives us a
mediate attention, we have fewer dis-
unique perspective on our attitude.
tractions. Many of us have seen many
When we heard that we should self-
of life’s “pleasures” evaporate over-
isolate, how did we react? Was our glass
night. Maybe we had to cancel travel
half full or half empty? Are we still busy
plans, reschedule friends or rush off to
complaining that we are losing money
the supermarket. It’s certainly not been
(which the Stoics saw as an indifferent)
easy.
or are we looking out for our vulnera-
However, if we think about it, we ble neighbours in the way that Hiero-
might have received unexpected bene- cles envisioned when he drew up the
fits too. Maybe we don’t have to spend concentric “circles of concern”? Are we
time commuting since we have been focusing on the things we don’t have or
encouraged to work from home. Maybe are we feeling grateful for the things we
we have had respite from a difficult do? Are we progressing in what Zeno
time in the office or enjoyed a breather called the “good life”?
in an exam period. Maybe we can
Living out in our decisions
spend more quality time with our chil-
dren, spouse, or parents. Perhaps, we Remember, virtue does not exist in a
have finally picked up that book that vacuum and nor is it something that we
has been collecting dust! can practice in theory. It is something
we live out in our decisions, our atti-
In any case, and although this global
tude and our relationships. In all of
epidemic is far from anything we would
these, how will we ensure that, as far as
have chosen, if we are Stoic, we recog-
we can, even amid a Coronavirus out-
nise that it gives us an opportunity to
break, we strive to make the world an
get to know ourselves. After all, the
altogether virtuous place to live?
world has temporarily jumped off the
Page 10 THE STOIC
A time to evaluate the nature of what we have
We have no grounds for self-admiration, as
though we were surrounded by our own
possessions; they have been loaned to us.
We may use and enjoy them, but the one
who allotted his gift decides how long we are
to be tenants; our duty is to keep ready the
gifts we have been given for an indefinite
time and to return them when called upon,
making no complaint:.
Seneca, Consolation to Marcia
Do you truly own anything?
Your car, laptop, cat? Your body, sta-
tus, relationships? No, because all those
things can be taken away in a second.
You may work overtime and pay the
price to “own” those things, and yet
they can be gone anytime. Fate, bad
luck, or death can dispossess you of
them without prior notice.
Car? Stolen!—Money? Lost!—Cat? Ran
away!—Wife? Died!—High status? Gone!
We’re not prepared to deal with such loss-
es. We think we own those things and only
realize we don’t once they’re gone. And now
it’s incredibly hard to deal with it. We’re
devastated, lost, and drenched in tears.
Be aware you can lose what you “own”
Seneca says we can’t handle such losses
because we’re unaware of the possibility of
losing those things in the first place. We
never think about bad events in advance
and get caught by surprise. But how can we
be so unaware?
It’s ignorance.
We see evidence everyday
In his consolation letter to Marcia, he asks
how we can see so many funeral proces-
sions passing past our houses yet not think
about death. So many funerals are sad, yet
we’re still convinced our kids will outlive
us. Many rich people lose all their posses-
sions, yet we don’t think it could happen to
Volume 2, Issue 4
us.
So many Missing Garfield flyers hang in the
streets, yet we don’t think our Tiger could
get lost, too. How can we see so much misfortune
in the world around us and not think of it happen-
ing in our own lives?
We close our eyes. We ignore it. We think
we’re invincible. We take things for grant-
ed. This ignorance will cost us dearly, we
will end up devastated and unable to cope.
When the lender calls, don’t complain
This is why Seneca advises us to think of every-
thing as borrowed from nature. You don’t own
anything. Everything you think you own
has been loaned to you temporarily. Not as
a gift, but as something you’ll need to re-
turn whenever the lender wants it back.
And as Seneca says, Jonas Salzgeber of
It is a sorry debtor who abuses his creditor. jonas@njlifehacks.com is
Seneca, Consolation to Marcia an author. At the core of
Think of all you’ve got as borrowed: your his actionable philosophy
best friend, spouse, kids, cat, health, status, lies the goal of leading a
car, and laptop. These things have been happy life even—and es-
loaned to you. Be aware of that and antici- pecially—in the face of
pate that the lender will want those things adversity. He is the au-
back at an unknown time. Then, misfor- thor of The Little Book of
tune will hit you with less force and you’ll
Stoicism.
be able to deal with it more effectively.
https://www.njlifehacks.com
In the end, we come with nothing, and go /the-little-book-of-stoicism/ )
with nothing.
THE STOIC
Wisdom vs. glory
Marcus is not impressed
Marcus lived nearly five hundred years
after Alexander died. Yet he’s still a fig-
ure who looms large for Marcus. He
mentions Alexander five times altogether
in Meditations. However, Marcus doesn’t
revere Alexander for his military achieve-
ments, but views him from the perspec-
tive of Stoic philosophy, with a greater
degree of cynicism regarding his love of
conquest. Indeed, Marcus appears to
have viewed Alexander’s legacy as short-
lived. According to Herodian, another
Roman historian:
This learned man [Marcus Aurelius] was dis-
turbed also by the memory of those who had
become sole rulers in their youth. […] The arro-
gance and violence of Alexander’s successors
against their subject peoples had brought disgrace
upon his empire.
“Go on, then, and talk to me of Alexan-
der,” and of other celebrated rulers. says
Marcus.
If they saw what universal nature wishes
and trained themselves accordingly, I will
follow them; but if they merely strutted
around like stage heroes, no one has con-
demned me to imitate them. The work of
philosophy is simple and modest; do not
seduce me into vain ostentation.
Meditations, 9.29
Marcus likes to remind himself that
there’s nothing new under the sun and
that the lives of great men like Alexander
were essentially the same as other rulers
throughout the centuries.
Constantly reflect on how all that comes
about at present came about just the
same in days gone by, and reflect that it
will continue to do so in the future; and
set before your eyes whole dramas and
scenes ever alike in their nature which you
have known from your own experience or
Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 11
the records of earlier ages…
Meditations10.27
For example, he says, think of the entire
court of Alexander, or the emperors
Marcus knew such as Hadrian or his
own adoptive father Antoninus—“in
every case the play was the same, and
only the actors were different.”
Wisdom is more important than glory
Wisdom is more important than glory.
“What are Alexander, Julius Caesar, and
Pompey when compared to Diogenes
the Cynic, Heraclitus, and Socrates?”
asks Marcus (8.3). The philosophers, he
says, were in control of their own minds.
They understood all things properly, he
says, distinguishing between “cause and
matter.” He probably means, as we
would say today, that the wise distin-
guish between concepts and the external
events to which they refer—by closely
observing their own thoughts and feel-
ings.
“As to the others,” Marcus concludes,
“consider how many cares they had and
to how many things they were enslaved!”
Although they were, in their times, the
most powerful men in the world, Alex-
ander, Caesar, and Pompey, were en-
slaved by their own passions, such as the
craving for glory. They lacked insight
into their own minds and therefore they
lacked self-control. It was a familiar par-
adox of ancient philosophy that Dioge-
nes the Cynic, a penniless exile, a beggar
who died as a slave, could look upon
Alexander the Great, the most powerful
man in the world, as his equal, if not his
inferior. Alexander had everything but
he always wanted more. Diogenes had
Donald Robertson is an author and
only what little would fit in his knapsack
Cognitive Behavior Therapist. His latest
but he needed nothing, having mastered
his own desires. Hence, the philosopher book is How to Think Like a Roman Em-
was, in Stoic terms, more powerful and peror (https://amzn.to/2SswfJ1).
more kingly even than the Lord of Asia.
STOIC EVERY DAY

Stoic thoughts
for every day of the month

1 7
If donkeys had the ability to go further and understand Each person is strengthened and preserved by actions that
how to deal with impressions, they would refuse to reflect their nature: A carpenter by the art of carpentry, a
obey us and would be our equal. And rightly so. grammar expert by grammatical studies. [Epictetus, D 2.9]
[Epictetus, D 2.7] 8
2 When it comes to working, you are well below what you
When you wake up, unwilling to get out of bed, say to could achieve. [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.1]
yourself: I am born to do the work of a human being. 9
What do I have to complain about, if this is what I was Nothing delights the mind as much as a faithful and pleasant
born for? Or did I come into this world to lie in bed, friendship. [Seneca, T 7]
covered in blankets? [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.1] 10
Acts of opposite character preserve the opposite charac-
3
ter. Shamelessness by shameless behavior, dishonesty by
You must turn to that course towards which you are
dishonest behavior, slanderousness by slander, a bad tem-
naturally inclined. [Seneca, T 7]
per by anger, and miserliness by disproportionate taking
4
compared to giving. [Epictetus, D 2.9]
I would die and bear disease godlike. This much is in
11
my power. This I can do. All other things you say are
You don’t love yourself enough. If you did, you’d love your
not in my power and I cannot do them. [Epictetus,
nature and what it asks of you. [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.1]
D 2.8]
12
5
In a time of plague, we must be careful not to sit near in-
Are you unwilling to do your job as a human being?
fected people, and in whom the disease is already burning
Do you refuse to do your part in nature’s order?
because, by so doing, we will attract danger and catch the
[Marcus Aurelius, M 5.1]
plague from their very breath. [Seneca, T 7]
6
13
No good can come of forcing one's mind to engage in
Unless we apply the correct opinions, we will just be inter-
disagreeable work. [Seneca, T 7]
preting other people’s judgments. [Epictetus, D 2.9]

Page 12 THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4

THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4
STOIC EVERY DAY
Stoic thoughts for every day of the month
14
Set aside and forget every annoyance, distraction, and
false impression. Be at peace. Totally. [Marcus Aurelius, M
5.2]
15
But these days, when there is such a shortage of good
people, you must be less choosy. However, avoid misera-
ble people who grumble and find something to complain
of in everything. [Seneca, T 7]
16
Don’t try to be a philosopher when you can barely be a
human being. [Epictetus, D 2.9]
17
Any action or saying that is in accordance with nature is
right for you. Don’t be put off by other people’s com-
ments and criticism. [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.3]
18
Your peace of mind will be destroyed by friends who are
disturbed and greet everything with a groan. [Seneca, T 7]
19
Modest acts preserve the modest man, whereas immod-
est acts destroy him; and faithful acts preserve the faithful
man while acts of the opposite character destroy him.
[Epictetus, D 2.9]
20
If something is good, don’t give up your right to it. Those
who criticize you have their own motives and impulses.
Don’t be distracted by them. [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.3]
21
When we select our friends' temperaments, we must take
care to select those who are, as far as possible, unspotted
by the world; for the way to breed disease is to mix what
is healthy with what is sick. [Seneca, T 7]
22
The two faculties—power to choose and reason—make
you a citizen of the world. You are a principal part of it,
not a subsidiary. [Epictetus, D 2.10]
Page 13
23
Keep your eyes straight ahead and follow your own na-
ture and the nature of the world. [Marcus Aurelius,
M 5.3]
24
If you compare all other ills that make us suffer—deaths,
sicknesses, fears, regrets, the endurance of pains and la-
bors—with the misery that money causes us, the latter
will far outweigh all the others. [Seneca, T 7]
25
Since we don’t know the future, we should choose things
that are preferable by nature, because we are born for
this purpose. [Epictetus, D 2.10]
26
It is this earth that gave me food and drink all these years.
It is greatly abused, but still allows me to walk on it.
[Marcus Aurelius, M 5.4]
27
You are mistaken if you believe the rich put up with loss-
es more cheerfully than the poor. A wound is equally
painful in a large body as it is in a small body. [Seneca,
T 7]
28
In your role as someone’s brother/sister, be respectful,
ready to yield, and gracious. Do not fight over material
things, things over which you have no control. [Epictetus,
D 2.10]
29
All right, you will never be known for your quick wit. Still,
there are plenty of other things left for which you can’t
claim to have no talent. [Marcus Aurelius, M 5.5]
30
It hurts bald men as much as hairy men to have their hairs
pulled out. [Seneca, T 7]
D=Discourses, M=Meditations T=On Tranquility
Page 14
In the SIXTEENTH chap-
ter of his discourse On
The Happy Life, Seneca
tells us that, to be happy,
we should stop pursuing
pleasure, and instead pur-
sue virtue. This is an ex-
cerpt from Stoic Happi-
ness, a plain English ver-
sion of Seneca’s On the
Happy Life, published by
The Stoic Gym.
https://amzn.to/2I0mbVW
The Nature of our desires
Key Takeaways (See page 15)
• •
• •
THE STOIC
STOICISM IN PLAIN ENGLISH
Be free of desires
Key ideas
• Don’t think of anything as good or bad, unless it
has something to do with virtue or vice.
• Remain unmoved by good and evil.
• Create your good out of what is good.
• Virtue promises joy.
• You will not be subject to any restraint.
• You will want nothing.
• You will be free, safe, and unharmed.
• You will fail at nothing you attempt.
• You will not be barred from anything.
• Everything will turn out the way you want it.
• You will face no misfortune.
• Nothing will happen to you except what you ex-
pect and hope for.
What virtue asks us to do
True happiness consists in virtue. And what
does this virtue ask you to do? This: Don’t
think of anything as good or bad, unless it has
something to do with virtue or vice; remain
unmoved by good and evil and create your
good out of what is good.
What virtue promises
What reward does virtue promise for all this?
A big one, equal to the ones enjoyed by the
gods. You will not be subject to any restraint.
You will want nothing. You will be free, safe,
•
•
Volume 2, Issue 4
and unharmed. You will fail at nothing you
attempt. You will not be barred from any-
thing. Everything will turn out the way you
want it. You will face no misfortune. Nothing
will happen to you except what you expect
and hope for.
“What! Is virtue alone enough to make you
happy?”
Why, of course! Complete and divine virtue
such as this is not only enough, but more than
enough. When you are beyond any desire,
what can you possibly lack? If all you need is
within yourself, how can you need anything
from outside? However, you are only on the
road to virtue and may still need some luck
while you are still struggling among your hu-
man interests, untying that knot and all the
bonds that tie you to mortality.
What, then, is the difference between them?
Isn’t it that some are tied more or less tightly
by these bonds and some have even tied
themselves? However, one who has made
progress towards the upper regions and raised
herself upwards drags a looser chain. Alt-
hough not yet free, she is as good as free.
Think about this
When you are beyond any desire, what can you possi-
bly lack? If all you need is within yourself, how can
you need anything from outside?
THE STOIC
HOW TO BE A STOIC WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW HOW
Natural desires and desires of opinion
Natural desires and desires of opin-
ion
There are two kinds of desires. Desires
that are natural such as the desire for
food when hungry or the desire for
water when thirsty. And there are de-
sires born of our opinion: we will be
happy if we have so much money, such
and such position, so many friends, so
much sex, and so on. What is the dif-
ference between the two?
Natural desires are satisfied once you
fulfil them. When you eat, you stop
being hungry. When you drink water,
you stop being thirsty. When you have
a roof over your head, you feel protect-
ed. Natural desires have limits so you
can fulfil them.
Desires born of your opinion are un-
likely to be satisfied when you fulfil
them. An expensive dress that you so
desired and bought makes you happy.
But only for a while. After a few
months, not so much. You get the pro-
motion you desired, you are happy for
a while, but soon enough you will be
looking for the next promotion. Those
who desire a million dollars and get it
will be looking for the next million, and
those who desire a billion dollars and
get it will be looking for the next bil-
lion.
Natural desires are limited; but those
that spring from false opinion have no
stopping point. The false have no lim-
its.
Seneca, Moral Letters, 16,9.
Desires and envy
Because desires of opinion have con-
stantly shifting goal posts, we compare
what we have with what others have, to
decide where the goal post should be.
Volume 2, Issue 4
You may be happy with your income
until you learn that your co-worker—
someone who you thought was half as
good as you—is paid twice as much.
You may be happy with your car until
This is the sixteenth excerpt from our
10-week course on Stoicism. The book
covering all course material, readings,
and exercises is available from
https://amzn.to/2Ck0fje.
you see the fancy car bought by your
neighbor.
Desires of opinion naturally generate
envy. We acquire more and more, de-
sire more and more when we see what
others have. We value less and less
what we have. What should make us
happy doesn’t because someone else
has more of it.
No one who views the lot of others is
content with their own.
Seneca, On Anger 3.31.1
Page 15
The skill of moderation
So, to have joy and happiness that last,
we should moderate our desires. We
see how excessive desires trap us. In-
stead of being free, we become prison-
ers of our desires. So, the third skill or
virtue we need to practice is modera-
tion. This means we pursue our desires
to the extent they don’t start control-
ling us.
In practical terms, what does that
mean? We can use the following guide-
lines to understand and moderate our
desires, so we use our desires rather
than be used by them.
• There are natural desires, such as quench-
ing thirst or hunger. It is rational to fulfil
such desires.
• There are desires compatible with wisdom
and justice, such as the desire to earn a
living to provide for oneself and others. It is
also rational to fulfil such desires.
• Then there are desires that are neither nat-
ural nor related to wisdom or justice, such
as the desire for gourmet food or drink, or
good clothes, or a nice house. These desires,
by themselves, are neither good nor bad.
You can pursue such desires provided (a)
you don’t believe that they are needed for
your happiness; (b) you are not driven by
what others have; and (c) you are not both-
ered if you don’t attain them or, after hav-
ing attained them, they are taken away
from you.
This is the skill of moderation.
You indulge in pleasure, I use it. You
think it is the highest good, I do not even
think it to be good. For the sake of
pleasure I do nothing, you do everything.
Seneca, On the Happy Life, 10 (Chuck
Chakrapani, Stoic Happiness, Ch 10)
Page 16 THE STOIC
The Stoic approach to ingratitude Part I1. Stoic advice
You have more than you need
As we saw Izzy’s near total lack of grati-
tude has left him a very “unhappy man”
Any man who does not think that what he
has is more than ample is an unhappy
man, even if he is master of the whole
world.
Epicurus
Epicurus was not a Stoic. Epicureanism
and Stoicism had many beliefs in com-
mon, but held different views toward our
participation in the larger community.
Whereas Epicureanism recommended
...a retirement into the garden, in order to
gain that peace,
the Stoics maintained
...that the peace must be found in the
midst of the world's confusions for, after
all, all men are brothers.
The Stoic and Epicurean Philosophers,
Modern Library edition, p. xxiv
In this sense, the Stoics have something
in common with Judaism’s Hasidim, who
believe that one can worship God in eve-
ryday life, even amidst the hurly-burly of
the market place.
Ron Pies MD, psychiatrist and
educator, compares the Stoic
thought with Buddhism and
Judaism (juBuSto), and finds
parallels. This article is based
on his book Three Petalled
Rose.
Gratitude is a key Stoic value
Gratitude is one of the most important
values in Stoic philosophy, though it is
often given short shrift in discussions of
Stoicism. Gratitude may be the deepest
wisdom.
We see the importance of gratitude when
Marcus Aurelius begins his Meditations
with a litany of “thank you” notes.
Courtesy and serenity of temper I first
learnt to know from my grandfather
Verus...Manliness without ostentation I
learnt from what I have heard and re-
member of my father...My mother set me
an example of piety and generosity…
Meditations, Book 1
We have a lot to be grateful about
It is in no man’s power to have whatever
he wants; but he has it in his power not to
wish for what he hasn’t got, and cheerfully
make the most of the things that do come
his way.
Seneca, Epistulae Morales, Letter 123
Seneca notes that,
I’m in bed, recovering from my fatigue,
and making the best of [the] slowness on
the part of the cook...whatever kind of
meal is on the way is going to beat an
inaugural banquet for enjoyment.
Seneca here shows that our sense of sat-
isfaction is largely a matter of our per-
spective. We can be grateful even when
life is not providing us with banquets.
The greedy lack everything
In another letter, Seneca quotes the mor-
alist, Publilius Syrus (1st century BCE):
The poor lack much, the greedy everything.
This is a synopsis of the Stoic view of
gratitude, and a sad commentary on peo-
ple like Izzy. Izzy petulantly complains
that he can no longer play racquetball the
way he did when he was 20 years young-
Volume 2, Issue 4
er!. It may be so, but there are compensa-
tions:
When its campaigns of sex, ambition, rival-
ry, quarrelling, and all the other passions
are ended, the human spirit returns to live
within itself—and is well off. There is su-
preme satisfaction to be derived from an
old age which has knowledge and learning
to feed upon....surely the satisfactions of
the mind are greater than all the rest!
Cicero, “On Old Age”
Izzy’s grumbling that he hasn’t had a
vacation in two years would strike many
hard-working, or unemployed people as
laughable self-pity. The Buddhist sages
would call Izzy’s gripe a form of a
“grasping onto things.” The Stoics would
regard it as weak-kneed, self-indulgence.
The Rabbis of the Talmud would simply
be mystified (as in, “What is this vacation
thing?”)
We can summarize the Stoic “flourishing
life” this way : We live best when we strive to
gather knowledge; live in harmony with Nature;
act in an ethical manner; and experience grati-
tude for whatever blessings life has given us.
Fear drives complaints
There is an underlying fear in Izzy’s litany
of complaints. Constant complaining
about what one lacks may also serve a
defensive function—it fends off anxiety
about one’s own mortality, and focuses
one’s ire and energy on “those other peo-
ple”, who have “everything.” In Izzy’s
case, complaining also fends off the ques-
tion, “Why is it that I can’t seem to find real
happiness?” by laying the blame on “those
other people” such as Izzy’s parents.
Ironically, the cause of Izzy’s inability to
find happiness is...Izzy!
The medieval philosopher, Solomon ibn
Gabirol, sums up Izzy’s predicament:
[He] who seeks more than he needs, hin-
ders himself from enjoying what he has.
THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 17

STOIC FELLOWSHIP
Stoic Groups
Around the World
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Page 18 THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4

The Stoic Gym publications
Available now!
SENECA ON PEACE OF MIND
This book is a modern rendition of Sen-
eca’s On the Tranquility of Mind (De Tran-
quillitsate Animi). This a dialog between
Seneca and his friend Serenus.
Serenus starts the dialog by saying that
although he achieves tranquility of mind
from time to time, it does not last. He
requests Seneca to tell him how he may
achieve tranquility of mind that is stable.
In the rest of the book, Seneca outlines
specific strategies to achieve tranquility.
Contents
Why We Are Restless
Become Active in Your Profession
Be Alive Until You Die
Match Your Tasks With Your Ability
Be Careful in Choosing a Friend
Don’t Go After Possessions
Avoid Excess
Handle Life With Skill
Foresee Adversity
Avoid Useless Activity
Be Prepared for Disappointments
Avoid Stubbornness and Indecision
Take a Lighter View of Things
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Relax, Practice Moderation, and Be Vigilant
LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA or Sen-
eca the Younger (c. 4 BC-AD 65) was a
Roman Stoic philosopher and a prolific
writer.
This book is the eleventh in the series
Stoicism in Plain English published by The
Stoic Gym.

THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 19

Learn the fundamentals of Stoicism
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THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 21

HOW TO BE FREE
NO MATTER WHAT

UNSHAKABLE FREEDOM
How can we achieve total personal
freedom when we have so many obli-
gations and so many demands on our
time? Is personal freedom even possi-
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brings their teachings to the digital era.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
You’ll “probably get through it in a few
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with an accurate and workable idea of Stoic
philosophy. So please do just go and read
it.”
DONALD ROBERTSON, Book
Reviews—Stoicism
If you want to apply [the Stoic principles]
right away, it is a wonderful book for that.
This will help a lot of people. This is a
gateway book.
Dr. GREGORY SADLER, Sad-
ler’s Honest Book Reviews.
Dr. Chakrapani has written a superbly
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BROGA, Amazon (UK)
The absolute best book by far … is
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ILLEGALUTURN, red-
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Available on all online bookstores
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Page 22 THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4

STOICISM IN PLAIN ENGLISH

MODERN PLAIN ENGLISH VERSIONS OF STOIC CLASSICS WITH OUTLINES, SUMMARIES, SUBHEADS, AND MORE

THE COMPLETE WORKS knowledge but held it as critical that we practice what we
learned.
Stoic Freedom (Discourses Book 4) focuses on freedom. Per-
OF EPICTETUS sonal freedom is close to Epictetus’ heart, and his rhetoric
shines when he talks about it. But, what does a free person
Stoic Foundations (Discourses Book 1) explains the basic look like?
tenets of Stoicism. If you are interested in Epictetus’ teach- Stoic Inspirations includes a summary (or extracts) from
ings, this is where you should start. the above four books by Arrian (Enchirdion) and The Golden
Stoic Choices is the plain English version of Discourses Book Sayings of Epictetus. It also includes “fragments” (quotes) as
2. It discusses what our choices are in life and how to make well as a biography.
better choices.
Stoic Training is the third book of the Discourses of Epicte- Available in print and digital editions from Amazon at
tus in plain English. Stoics did not only believe in theoretical https://amzn.to/2CGY3lk

THE GOOD LIFE
HANDBOOK
The Good Life Handbook is a rendering of
Epictetus' Enchiridion in plain English. It is a
concise summary of the teachings of Epicte-
tus, as transcribed and later summarized by
his student Flavius Arrian.
The Handbook is a guide to the good life. It
answers the question, “How can we be good
and live free and happy, no matter what else
is happening around us?”
Ancient Stoics lived in a time of turmoil un-
der difficult conditions. So, the solutions they
found to living free were tested under very strin-
gent conditions. For example, Epictetus was a
lame slave who made himself free and happy later
in life by following the principles set out in this
book.
Ebook is available FREE at online books stores
like Amazon.
https://amzn.to/2IW90mi
OTHER EDITIONS
Audio Book. Paperback edition and Gift Edition
(with 10 color photographs).
O Manuel da Vida Boa (Portuguese)
THE STOIC Volume 2, Issue 4 Page 23

YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING STOIC

This short volume is an indispensable reference for modern Stoics. It covers the
following topics:
The Geography of Ancient Stoicism * The Geography of Modern Stoicism
The Timeline of Ancient Stoicism * The Timeline of Modern Stoicism
Stoicism in Words, Pictures, and Numbers
The History of Ancient Stoicism * The History of Modern Stoicism
An Outline of Ancient Stoicism * An Outline of Modern Stoicism with pictures of
Stoic sites (both ancient and modern) and photographs of the Modern Stoic move-
ment.
Both the online and the print editions are in full color, beautifully produced.
Get your copy now! https://amzn.to/2Wd8s1O

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF MARCUS AURELIUS IN TWO VOLUMES

This is the personal journal kept by the
beloved Roman Emperor Marcus Aureli-
us. It was never meant for publication
and yet, after his death, it has become
probably the most widely read book on
Stoic philosophy.
Meditations is a deeply moving personal
journal which is uplifting and invigorat-
ing.
https://amzn.to/2DqLLiT
While Meditations is one of the best-read
Stoic books, not many of us know about
Marcus’ other writings: his personal let-
ters and speeches. For the first time ever
Aurelius, the Unknown presents all his let-
ters and speeches in a single volume.
Also includes a biographic sketch and
several anecdotes from his life. A must-
read for all fans of Marcus Aurelius.
https://amzn.to/2DqLLiT

THE COMPLETE WORKS STOIC

OF MUSONIUS RUFUS
IN A SINGLE VOLUME HAPPINESS

Musonius Rufus, the man who In this discourse, Seneca warns

taught Epictetus, has something to us that following the crowd is
say on everything. no way to be happy.
A man far ahead of his time, he
He tells us that happiness is
was a minimalist, vegetarian, proto
close at hand, by what means
-feminist, and more.
we can achieve it, and how to
All rendered in modern, plain go about finding it.
English.
https://amzn.to/2WbWwN1 https://amzn.to/2I0mbVW
Alkistis Agio, Greece Elizabeth Azide, USA Flora Bernard, France Elen Buzare, France

Chris Gill, UK Liz Gloyn, UK Meredith Kunz, USA Sharon Labell, USA

Tim LeBon, UK Anthony Long, USA Gregory Lopez, USA Antonia Macaro, USA

Ron Pies, USA Massimo Pigliucci, USA Donald Robertson, Canada Greg Sadler, USA

THE STOIC
ADVISORY
BOARD

Andi Sciacca, USA John Sellars, UK Editor-in-Chief Chuck Chakrapani