Stoic Tranquility: Seneca On Peace of Mind

by Chuck Chakrapani

This book is a modern rendition of Seneca’s On the Tranquility of Mind (De Tranquillitsate Animi). This a dialogue 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 Seneca 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.

Genres: Philosophy

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 27, 2019

Reviews

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This simplification of Seneca's prose makes it accessible to the modern reader without diluting the power of his style or message.

Some takeaways:
1.) We're often overly excited by the appearance of a thing rather than the reality, and for that reason we pursue useless endeavors.
2.) Stubborness(or inflexibility) and indecisiveness are equally detrimental to tranquility of mind.
3.) A little wine is good for the soul.