Overview
The core of Stoicism as a philosophy is to live a good life (where peace of mind is deemed the highest good) by learning how to manage negative thoughts like:
- anger
- anxiety
- fear
- grief
- envy
Techniques
This is done through the employment of these two techniques
Negative visualization techniques
- Managing against hedonic adaptation by learning to desire what we already have. To do so, we must constantly remind ourselves the transient nature of things.
Focus of attention on what is within our loci of control
- Totally within our control – focus our attention of these things
- Partially within our control – internalize goals around parts where we have control
- Totally out of our control – learn to be at peace with whatever outcome
Deliberate self denial
By deliberately depriving self the luxuries, one builds courage and self-control
Manage needs and desires
- natural and necessary
- Food and shelter
- to fulfill
- natural and unnecessary
- Fine wine and luxurious food
- to fulfill if not too much hassle
- unnatural and unnecessary
- fame and social status
- to shun
- unnatural and necessary
- nothing exist in this category
Attitude towards time
- The past and the immediate present is beyond change – be grateful for all that has came to pass and accept it with equanimity
- The immediate future is where our loci of control falls – this is where we should channel our attention
Eras of stoiscism
- Greek Stoics
- Roman Stoics
The roman empire eventually adopted Christian religion as a the philosophical framework for state craft. This eventually displaced stoicism and other greek schools of philosophy.
Prominent stoic practitioners
- Socrates
- Marcus Aurelius
- Xeno
- Seneca
Related schools of philosophy
- The Cynics – see Diogenes
- Enlightened hedonism – see Epicurus
Related references
- Meditations, Marcus Aurelius