The story of Stoicism starts with a shipwreck. A wealthy Phoenician merchant, Zeno of Citium was transporting a cargo of purple die across the Mediterranean, sometime in the third century BCE. The cargo was extremely valuable; thousands of shellfish had to be fermented and then dissected by hand to extract the precious die. Caught in a violent storm, Zeno barely escaped with his life and watched his entire fortune sink to the bottom of the sea.
Now this was two and a half thousand years ago, so the fog of time casts some doubt over the truth of what happened. Some accounts have him still wealthy after the mishap, and others say that he had already sold the cargo before arriving in Athens.
Whatever the true account is, they all agree that he wound up in Athens somehow and, despondent at his bad luck, found himself at a bookshop and, perhaps influenced by his having consulted an Oracle that told him that, “to live the best life you should have a conversation with the dead”, he found himself drawn to the teachings of the long-dead Socrates set out in Xenophon’s Memorabilia.
“Where can I find a philosopher like Socrates today”, he asked the bookseller. In a pivotal moment in history, the philosopher Crates of Thebes happened to be passing by and the bookseller, it is said, wordlessly pointed at him.
Zeno became a follower of Crates, a Cynic philosopher, and later created Stoicism, a new philosophy built out of the foundations of Cynicism and incorporating aspects of other philosophies popular at the time.
Zeno's teachings were centred around the idea that individuals could attain happiness and tranquillity by aligning their lives with nature and reason. His students gathered at the Stoa Poikile, or the Painted Porch, a public space in Athens where philosophical discussions took place. It is from this location that the name "Stoicism" originated.
Zeno laid the groundwork, but it was the subsequent Stoic philosophers who refined and expanded the philosophy.
The Stoic Worldview
Stoicism offered a comprehensive worldview that addressed various aspects of human existence, including ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
At the core of Stoic ethics is the concept of virtue (arete), which involves living in harmony with reason and nature. The Stoics identified four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, justice and temperance. Cultivating these virtues was believed to lead to eudaimonia, a state of flourishing and fulfilment.
Stoics emphasized the capacity of human reason and the pursuit of wisdom. They believed that through reason, individuals could attain knowledge and understanding of the natural order. The Stoics distinguished between things within our control (thoughts, actions, attitudes) and those outside our control (external events). By focusing on what is within our control, individuals can achieve tranquillity.
Stoicism in Rome
As Rome ascended to power, Stoicism found fertile ground among Roman thinkers and statesmen. The practical and morally grounded aspects of Stoicism appealed to the Romans, and the philosophy became particularly influential during the late Roman Republic and the early years of the Roman Empire.
Three key figures in Roman stoicism are:
Seneca (c. 4 BCE–65 CE)
A prominent Stoic philosopher and advisor to Emperor Nero, Seneca played a pivotal role in bringing Stoicism to Rome's political and cultural forefront. His letters, essays, and dialogues, such as "Letters to Lucilius," offer practical insights into Stoic principles, addressing issues of virtue, adversity, and the brevity of life.
Epictetus (c. 50–135 CE)
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher, born into slavery at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present-day Pamukkale, in western Turkey) but spent much of his life in Rome. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion. Epictetus emphasized the importance of accepting what is beyond one's control and maintaining inner tranquillity through the disciplined practice of Stoic virtues.
Many of Epictetus’s quotations have survived and remain in our everyday language today. Perhaps his most famous is, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react that matters”, but there are many others, including the pithy, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”.
Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE)
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, often referred to as the "Philosopher-Emperor," embodied Stoic principles in his personal and political life. His "Meditations," a series of personal reflections, provides insight into the Stoic approach to facing challenges and maintaining moral integrity in the face of power. You may recall that Aurelius was the Emperor portrayed by Richard Harris in the film Gladiator (although the film takes more than a few liberties with history, including the murder of Aurelius by his son Commodus, which probably didn’t happen).
Modern Stoicism
The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a resurgence of interest in Stoicism, particularly as a practical philosophy for personal development and well-being. Modern Stoicism draws from ancient texts while adapting its principles to contemporary challenges.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):
Stoic principles have influenced modern psychological approaches, particularly in the development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT, pioneered by psychologists like Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck, integrates Stoic concepts to address cognitive distortions and promote psychological well-being.
Popularization in Self-Help
Contemporary self-help literature often incorporates Stoic principles to guide individuals in managing stress, adversity, and personal development. Two prominent authors in the field are:
Donald Robertson
Robertson is a writer, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist and trainer, author of “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor” and “Stoicism and the Art of Happiness”. He is one of the founding members of the Modern Stoicism nonprofit, and the founder and president of the Plato’s Academy Centre nonprofit in Athens, Greece.
Ryan Holiday
Holiday has written several books on Stoicism including “The Daily Stoic”, “Lives of the Stoics” and “The Daily Stoic Journal”. He also owns and runs the Painted Porch bookstore in Bastrop, Texas and runs a popular online community of Stoics.
My Journey with Stoicism
Becoming alcohol-free was a pivotal moment in my life. I knew that my use of alcohol was blunting my mind and also serving as an escape from life. I became interested in Eastern philosophy and mindfulness after reading Jon Kabat-Zin’s excellent, “Wherever You Go, There You Are”, but I was still not sure how to apply the principles of mindfulness to my life. Then I read Darren Brown’s book, “Happy”, and I found his discussion of Stoicism resonated with me. I then read Donald Robertson’s superb “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor” which gave really practical advice as to how to apply the principles of Stoicism in everyday life.
I was, therefore, really pleased that the training I received from This Naked Mind Institute was completely congruent with the principles and ideas of Stoicism and it gave me more tools and techniques to use on myself and with which to help my clients.
What I love about Stoicism is that it isn’t some abstract navel-gazing philosophy tied up with esoteric language, but is rather a simple way to frame the issues we all face in life in a way that helps us to be happy, grateful for our lives and help others. There are no difficult concepts to grasp—it’s not like trying to read something by Jean-Paul Sartre, where you have to lie down in a darkened room with a wet towel over your forehead after reading a paragraph of his prose. And that’s why it has survived the test of time, I think.
You also don’t need to be an expert on Stoicism to benefit from it—I am certainly nothing like as well-versed on it as Donald Robertson or Ryan Holliday, but I read a little more every few days and try to practice the principles in my life. I am sure I am the better for it and I will share the things that work for me on social media, in this blog and with my clients in the confident hope that it will help others too.
So what do the cardinal virtues mean for me?
Wisdom – knowing the things I can change and the things I can’t. You may know the Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” For me the “God” is optional – we can grant ourselves the serenity if we wish. Let’s be honest here—there are many things about the state of the world that are very disturbing, but recognising what we can and can’t change is so important to our well-being. I love the quote by the poet Rumi here, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
Courage – as above, changing the things I can, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult. Also standing up for what is right, whatever the personal cost.
Justice – having a sense of right and wrong and being willing to stand for what is right.
Temperance – doing all things in moderation. Chocolate is my biggest challenge here!
I’m aware that I’ve only scratched the surface of Stoicism here, but if you follow me on social media and keep coming back to this blog, I will delve into this wonderful philosophy more and share what works for me.
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love…”
Marcus Aurelius
Paul
Comments