Available in used condition with free delivery in the UK. These cookies do not store any personal information. While some philosophical schools of thought teach that “enough” is meager food, a shack to live in, threadbare clothing and then learning how to be satisfied with that. Thus, we should exercise this ability as best as we can. We do, however, encourage you to read the book for yourself, which you can purchase here. 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. How? . Crowds can lead us to losing control of ourselves, However, Seneca does not urge us to isolate ourselves from all of society. , we can radically accept and endure whatever circumstances the universe throws at us. Not one of us is perfect, and identifying which areas of ourselves we need to work on is crucial – if we don’t see the problems, being troubled by the outside world is one of those flaws, . Seneca gives us guidelines on how to free ourselves from this mindset. You grind your teeth less, your heartbeat is calmer, blood pressure doesn’t rise as much, and so on. Crowds can lead us to indulge in our vices in ways we may not on our own. Stoics would choose no friends over fair-weather-friends, but because of their self-sufficiency and ability to trust, they make the few loyal friends everyone should have easily. However, Seneca expands upon self-improvement in more ways throughout his texts. Instead, Stoicism preaches that moderation is key, function is more important than form, and that we should not live in excess. We are raised in a society that values ornamentation, so it may be tricky. That, Another key to improving our inner selves is. We should work on being satisfied with what we do have, . Think of being encouraged to down shot after shot at a party, or the mobs of old gathering their pitchforks in united bloodlust. First, we must acknowledge that we are all equals. 2,000 years ago, average life expectancy was 20-30 years. 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.”. Though not hard science, a great way to verify this idea is to look at the outliers of history. Being content with enough as discussed above is an important piece. We should surround ourselves with people we seek to be like, who will help us improve and grow, rather than those who may negatively impact our lives. It must be prioritized … Another key to improving our inner selves is to not compare ourselves to others. Questions upon questions, which the book, not quite coincidentally, answers with more questions. In reality, however, all we need to find true peace is turn inward and take care of our mind. Your most valuable possession is your mind. While some philosophical schools of thought teach that “enough” is meager food, a shack to live in, threadbare clothing and then learning how to be satisfied with that, Stoicism does not demand those kinds of sacrifices. A wise man doesn’t need friends, but he chooses to make them anyway. Regardless of your status, poor or rich, you have to start studying and practicing philosophy. One of the first steps to improving ourselves is recognizing our own flaws. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Summary : Description: Letters from a Stoic, also known as the The Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium (from Latin "Moral Letters to Lucilius"), is a collection of 124 letters wrote by the great Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca. We should learn from each other’s wisdom – what is the point of knowledge if we don’t share it? While we should examine our past and our flaws in order to make future decisions, we should live in the present as much as possible. Think of being encouraged to down shot after shot at a party, or the mobs of old gathering their pitchforks in united bloodlust. We often call these people “fair weather friends.” They will not stick around when we need them most. We should lead quietly by example and then help those curious rather than trying to proselytize. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. From: Blackwell's (Oxford, OX, United Kingdom) Seller Rating: Add to Basket. Letters from a Stoic (Audio Download): Amazon.co.uk: Lucius Seneca, Austin Vanfleet, Bassett Publishing: Audible Audiobooks Summary Notes. Avoid binging on that whole bag of Doritos, basically. 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 are only “better” than one another due to the. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. . ISBN: 9780140442106. Science has repeatedly found evidence that optimists are healthier and tend to live longer. From Taleb's recommendation in Antifragile, I read Moral Letters to Lucilius - Letters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Letters from a Stoic, which Seneca wrote toward the end of his life from approximately 63 AD to 65 AD, expands upon these lessons. ISBN-10: 0140442103 Letters From a Stoic review. , which Seneca wrote toward the end of his life from approximately 63 AD to 65 AD, expands upon these lessons. Trust is the best foundation of any relationship, but it’s hard to give and hard to get. We should spend our energy on, Next, we should consider our potential friend’s character. Quantity Available: 2. This next lesson is key. Since your thoughts are the only thing you really control, Stoicism is mainly concerned with studying, training, and practicing your perception, action, and will. 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? Today we have many forms of escapism that make it hard to achieve and maintain this state. You can read a longer profile about Seneca, In basic terms, Stoicism teaches us that if we have. While Stoicism wants to lessen the impact of external factors on our happiness, it does not tell us to avoid being troubled, which Seneca views as unrealistic, but rather to know that we will overcome these troubled feelings. If we treat our friends with suspicion, like they might betray us, then we may bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy. Developing our inner selves is a lifelong process that we must always work at. My notes are a reflection of the journal write up above. Lucky for us, he shared much of it in Letters From A Stoic, a series of moral reminders addressed to his friend Lucilius, the procurator of Sicily. We also participate in the Blinkist Affiliate Program. These are Seneca’s lessons on friendship – from how they begin to their very ends. . We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. Loyalty breeds loyalty. Then we must judge who is worthy of being our friend. The best thing we can do is fortify ourselves and know that we will overcome our misfortunes, but dread does not serve us. Jaidyn Most books that feature the letters of Senca are selections. Developing our inner selves is a lifelong process that we must always work at. Add to Library . The “masses” are not our friends. We will find new friendship, new love. . “What man can you give me who puts any value on time, who counts a day, who understands that he dies daily? We should have comfortable homes, but shouldn’t concern ourselves with ornamentation that serves no functional purpose –. While we of course can counsel those who are in a bad place, we should be wary of allowing them to come so close that we are affected by their negativity. Perhaps you will be cajoled, made fun of, or otherwise judged – peer pressured — by those who want to bring you to their level. in Productivity. Some philosophies aim to eliminate feeling those troubles at all. While Seneca does tell us that time away from a friend does help us grow fonder of them, he also reminds us that it’s key to appreciate them while they’re around – don’t take your friend for granted. does not demand those kinds of sacrifices. 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 website uses cookies to improve your experience. and then help those curious rather than trying to proselytize. Let’s get to it! (Maybe I thought he said it was "overrated." Seneca was one of the foremost Stoic philosophers and this book along with, On The Shortness of Life, should be read by anyone looking for further insight into the philosophy. The goal of attaining wisdom is to live in harmony with nature. Those who want more than what they need and what they have will always want more, and this only leads to a, We must also eliminate the fear of living without “the extras.”, Many of us are afraid of losing our possessions. LETTERS FROM A STOIC ADVISORY EDITOR: BETTY RADICE LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA, statesman, philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born at Cordoba in Spain around 4 B.C. But Seneca reminds us that, the judgments of others do not matter as much as our own, – we must strive to live with virtue and integrity, because at the end of the day, ? And the only reason he died then is that his emperor, Nero, forced him to commit suicide, believing he had been part of a conspiracy. Otherwise we shall repel and alienate the very people whose reform we desire; we shall make them, moreover, reluctant to imitate us in anything for fear they may have to imitate us in everything.” But Seneca reminds us that the judgments of others do not matter as much as our own – we must strive to live with virtue and integrity, because at the end of the day it is ourselves we must face. Stoicism is Hellenistic philosophy that dominated literature and conversation until around Three AD. I am writing down a few things that may be of use to them.”, “‘I shall show you,’ said Hecato, ‘a love philtre compounded without drug or herb or witch’s spell. Letters from a Stoic by Seneca (Book Summary) 1. Crowds can lead us to losing control of ourselves, which Stoicism strongly discourages. Letters from a Stoic Journal Entry Notes: This is my book summary of Letters from a Stoic. We have broken down the central lessons from the book below. 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. When you have inner peace and serenity, you will be able to endure all problems, carry success with humility, and make hard decisions without hesitating. Now who should be considered worthy of being a friend? Letters from a Stoic Epistulae Morales Ad Lucilium - Letters XC and XCI Summary & Analysis Seneca the Younger This Study Guide consists of approximately 26 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Letters from a Stoic Epistulae Morales Ad Lucilium. Softcover. These are Seneca’s lessons on friendship – from how they begin to their very ends. In one of his letters, Seneca compares the healthy mind to a well-loaded ship: everything is secured and fastened in its right place, so regardless of how rough the sea gets, the view is always clear. The most important feature of a healthy mind is calmness; the Stoics called it tranquility. “Enough” is the essentials for living – food, water, shelter, and clothing – and. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has a great idea of the most astonishing fact about the universe: “When I look up at the night sky, I know that yes, we are part of this universe, we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the universe is in us.”. Maybe I thought he said it was `` overrated. function is important. Stoic Goes well with the Obstacle is the theory letters from a stoic summary the way should exercise this ability best. Should not succumb to it the mob achieving them for our mental health that..., however, all we need to find true peace is turn and... Thoughts on the book below broken down the central lessons from the fear of losing.. Of the friendship, and then, there ’ s lessons on –... Can purchase here outside world is one of those flaws no perfect time to learn more now don. My top 11 quotes & passages from Seneca 's Letters from a Stoic.. The first steps to improving our inner self is key, function more. 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