What do you think?
Rate this book
The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism: Tools for Emotional Resilience and Positivity
Optimize joy, overcome obstacles—discover the calm of stoicism
Being a stoic means embracing positivity and self-control through the ability to accept the uncertainty of outcomes. With this stoicism guide, the beginner stoic will learn how to take charge of their emotions on the path to sustained happiness and satisfaction.
This easy-to-navigate stoicism guide gives you the emotional tools needed to let go of the things you can't control and find joy in what you have. Through thought-provoking strategies and exercises, this book helps you find contentment so you can build closer relationships and become an active member of society.
The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism
Change your perception, focus on positivity—become the best version of yourself with The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism .
Being a stoic means embracing positivity and self-control through the ability to accept the uncertainty of outcomes. With this stoicism guide, the beginner stoic will learn how to take charge of their emotions on the path to sustained happiness and satisfaction.
This easy-to-navigate stoicism guide gives you the emotional tools needed to let go of the things you can't control and find joy in what you have. Through thought-provoking strategies and exercises, this book helps you find contentment so you can build closer relationships and become an active member of society.
The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism
Change your perception, focus on positivity—become the best version of yourself with The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism .
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
2164 people are currently reading
3078 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
November 1, 2020
I have been interested in the stoic mindset for a little while now and have been looking for a good book to give me a starting point to get into this world. Therefore a book called ‘The beginners guide to Stoicism’ should be that book, right?
Unfortunately the answer is no.
Here’s what I expect from a beginners guide to anything:
1 - The explanation of the basic principles of a topic in a writing style that is simplistic so that the topic becomes easy to understand and digest.
2 - A structured journey that will feed you the fundamentals of a topic in the order in which you need to understand it to build up a solid foundation.
I feel like this book failed on both of those points. I was constantly having to re-read passages to try to understand what he author was trying to say because he hadn’t broken the concept down far enough for a complete beginner. I also felt that there was no real structure to follow. Sure, the chapter headings give a small bit of structure, but the information under each heading isn’t woven into some form of narrative/journey to guide you through that information, but instead is presented almost like extended bullet points in no particular order.
Essentially what I am saying is that I was constantly confused about what the concepts were or where they fit into the larger subject matter. Now this could be because I am a bit of an idiot maybe, but surely a beginners guide should cater for the absolute beginner at almost any level.
Unfortunately the answer is no.
Here’s what I expect from a beginners guide to anything:
1 - The explanation of the basic principles of a topic in a writing style that is simplistic so that the topic becomes easy to understand and digest.
2 - A structured journey that will feed you the fundamentals of a topic in the order in which you need to understand it to build up a solid foundation.
I feel like this book failed on both of those points. I was constantly having to re-read passages to try to understand what he author was trying to say because he hadn’t broken the concept down far enough for a complete beginner. I also felt that there was no real structure to follow. Sure, the chapter headings give a small bit of structure, but the information under each heading isn’t woven into some form of narrative/journey to guide you through that information, but instead is presented almost like extended bullet points in no particular order.
Essentially what I am saying is that I was constantly confused about what the concepts were or where they fit into the larger subject matter. Now this could be because I am a bit of an idiot maybe, but surely a beginners guide should cater for the absolute beginner at almost any level.
September 24, 2019
I picked up this book on a whim, I've never contemplated stoicism and it's place (or absence) in my life. If I'm being completely honest, I may not have understood what exactly stoicism really meant. This pocket sized book isn't quite a self-help guide, it's more of a philosophy book with tools readers can use the to unlock the keys of stoicism with. Broken into three parts, the first part was very helpful in breaking down the foundations and history of stoicism to get to its very essence, the second part was an emotional "tool kit," and the third part is more practical advice on how exactly to cultivate positivity, practice emotional resilience and applying the lessons of stoicism into your life to change your mind set and outlook on things you can't control. I learned a great deal and I was very pleasantly surprised. It wasn't overwhelming and offered really good and really practical advice that is easy to implement. Filled with quotes, questions, exercises, anecdotes, and more; this little guide can have a big impact on how you view your life!
February 5, 2020
This is a solid, easy-to-digest book on Stoicism. It has some background, but not too much; some terms, but not too many. It is largely focused on mental tools that can assist in handling life situations. I took a variety of notes, shown below. Some are just the names of specific mental tools one can use:
Stoic—self-possessed in the face of adversity
Developing a virtuous life leads to a rich emotional life.
Every situation presents an opportunity to practice virtue.
Virtue is the only good.
The purpose of life is to live in virtue.
Dichotomy of Control—some things in in your control; some are not
Up to You
This is Nothing to Me
It Was Returned—everything is on loan
Festival Mindset—love of people and disorganization
Evening Review
Virtues—Wisdom, Courage, Justice, Moderation
Stoic writers—Zeno, Aristo of Chios, Cleanthes, Chrysippus, Cicero, Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Pythagoras, Socrates, Diogenes of Sinope
Eudaimonia—happiness, human flourishing
Arete—virtue, excellence
Adiaphora—indifferents
Discipline of Desire—Desire only what you can always have; fear only what you can avoid
Amor fati—the love of fate
Circle the Present—only dwell on the present
Infinite Opportunity—What can a derive from this?; How can I learn virtue here?
Pause and Compare—think about options
The View from Above—place things in perspective
Discipline of Action
Reserve Clause—if nothing prevents it
Two Missions—task at hand; goal of virtue
Two Handles—pick the better one
Morning Orientation—people I work with will be difficult, etc. . . .
Premeditation of Challenges—identify the virtuous path
Negative Visualization
Discipline of Assent
You are Just an Appearance
Bracketing—suspending judgement
Circle Yourself—focus on personal reaction, not externals
Be the “Sage”—healthy value judgements, live in the present, follow virtue
“A lot of the emotional weight of an event comes from your imagination.”
“Whatever then we shall discover to be at the same time affectionate and consistent with reason, this we confidently declare to be right and good.” (Epictetus)
“All wrong actions stem from ignorance of a better way.”
“. . . it seemed so to them” (Epictetus)
“In a relationship, each person has a role to play. The Stoic, of course, only control his own role.”
“Epictetus says that within a troublesome relationship you should avoid passions, remain respectful, and defend yourself appropriately.”
“The wise person looks to the purpose of all actions, not their consequences; beginnings are in our power, but Fortune judges the outcome.” (Seneca)
“Never call yourself a philosopher, or talk a great deal about your principles to the multitude, but act on your principles. For instance, at an entertainment, don’t talk about how people ought to eat, but eat a you ought.” (Epictetus)
Overall, a recommended intro to Stoic thought and practical tools for navigating life virtuously.
Stoic—self-possessed in the face of adversity
Developing a virtuous life leads to a rich emotional life.
Every situation presents an opportunity to practice virtue.
Virtue is the only good.
The purpose of life is to live in virtue.
Dichotomy of Control—some things in in your control; some are not
Up to You
This is Nothing to Me
It Was Returned—everything is on loan
Festival Mindset—love of people and disorganization
Evening Review
Virtues—Wisdom, Courage, Justice, Moderation
Stoic writers—Zeno, Aristo of Chios, Cleanthes, Chrysippus, Cicero, Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Pythagoras, Socrates, Diogenes of Sinope
Eudaimonia—happiness, human flourishing
Arete—virtue, excellence
Adiaphora—indifferents
Discipline of Desire—Desire only what you can always have; fear only what you can avoid
Amor fati—the love of fate
Circle the Present—only dwell on the present
Infinite Opportunity—What can a derive from this?; How can I learn virtue here?
Pause and Compare—think about options
The View from Above—place things in perspective
Discipline of Action
Reserve Clause—if nothing prevents it
Two Missions—task at hand; goal of virtue
Two Handles—pick the better one
Morning Orientation—people I work with will be difficult, etc. . . .
Premeditation of Challenges—identify the virtuous path
Negative Visualization
Discipline of Assent
You are Just an Appearance
Bracketing—suspending judgement
Circle Yourself—focus on personal reaction, not externals
Be the “Sage”—healthy value judgements, live in the present, follow virtue
“A lot of the emotional weight of an event comes from your imagination.”
“Whatever then we shall discover to be at the same time affectionate and consistent with reason, this we confidently declare to be right and good.” (Epictetus)
“All wrong actions stem from ignorance of a better way.”
“. . . it seemed so to them” (Epictetus)
“In a relationship, each person has a role to play. The Stoic, of course, only control his own role.”
“Epictetus says that within a troublesome relationship you should avoid passions, remain respectful, and defend yourself appropriately.”
“The wise person looks to the purpose of all actions, not their consequences; beginnings are in our power, but Fortune judges the outcome.” (Seneca)
“Never call yourself a philosopher, or talk a great deal about your principles to the multitude, but act on your principles. For instance, at an entertainment, don’t talk about how people ought to eat, but eat a you ought.” (Epictetus)
Overall, a recommended intro to Stoic thought and practical tools for navigating life virtuously.
Read
February 6, 2023There’s something to be said about a philosophy’s staying power if it manages to survive a millennium or two. Stoicism is one such philosophy.
Matthew Van Natta begins by giving the reader a flyby of the foundations of the Stoic school: The many ancient Greco-Roman writers that shaped early Stoic thought. Thereafter, he moves toward describing key tenants of Stoicism and what living a Stoic life might look like in the modern age. Finally, he gives a handful of practices and self-checks to keep oneself in a Stoic frame of mind.
It’s not necessarily a deep philosophical work (and it doesn't claim to be), but it does a good job at outlining the major points of Stoicism and how they can be incorporated into daily life.
-Colin, North Independence Branch
Matthew Van Natta begins by giving the reader a flyby of the foundations of the Stoic school: The many ancient Greco-Roman writers that shaped early Stoic thought. Thereafter, he moves toward describing key tenants of Stoicism and what living a Stoic life might look like in the modern age. Finally, he gives a handful of practices and self-checks to keep oneself in a Stoic frame of mind.
It’s not necessarily a deep philosophical work (and it doesn't claim to be), but it does a good job at outlining the major points of Stoicism and how they can be incorporated into daily life.
-Colin, North Independence Branch
February 22, 2023
Ciekawy zbiór stoickich cnót i dyscyplin, wraz z przewodnikiem po tym, jak wprowadzać je w swoim życiu. Dla chcących zgłębić tę filozofię, godna uwagi.
August 26, 2025
Der Beginn des Buches hat mir noch gefallen, aber je länger ich las, desto mehr driftete es in die Kategorie „Self-Help“ ab. Der Aufbau des Buches ist auch nicht wirklich anfängertauglich. Ohne meine Vorkenntnisse aus dem anderen Stoizismus-Buch hätte ich nach der Lektüre sicher einige Fragezeichen mehr gehabt.
October 17, 2022
Stoicizmus je filozofia, ktorú by nebolo naškodu učiť už deti na základnej škole. Táto knižka je celkom fajn úvodom - veľmi znesiteľne krátkym - po ktorom sa každý môže rozhodnúť, či ho to oslovilo alebo nie. Zo začiatku mi ale prišla mierne chaotická a možno by nezaškodilo, keby sa obsah preusporiada trochu lepšie, ale inak svoj účel plní dobre. Je to taká úvodná príručka.
May 24, 2020
Self-help book based on stoic philosophy
The book was not what I was expecting. I was looking for a strong philosophical foundation, and this book accomplishes that objective only marginally. This is more a self-help book based on philosophical ideas than a book on philosophy that awakens that sense of wonder, discovery, and curiosity that leads you to be a better human being.
There is wisdom in this book, but not of the kind that you would typically find in pure philosophical ideas. You see, in philosophy, what matters are the questions and meditating on those questions is what conduct you to wisdom. However, in this book the author packs his own wisdom, derived from his study of some of the greatest stoic philosophers. It is my opinion that this, deprives his readers of the valuable effort of thinking hard on the fundamental questions of the stoic philosophy.
I think that as a self-help book, this book is not that bad. The author has some interesting and useful advice and perspectives. However, he is not yet at the height of the past great philosophers that he constantly quote. His advice feels way too personal, for me, and his writing still lacks that millennial wisdom and piercing shrewdness of the stoic philosopher of yore.
However I do believe that his ”street wisdom” could be useful to many readers and my rating probably just means that I read the wrong book on stoicism.
The book was not what I was expecting. I was looking for a strong philosophical foundation, and this book accomplishes that objective only marginally. This is more a self-help book based on philosophical ideas than a book on philosophy that awakens that sense of wonder, discovery, and curiosity that leads you to be a better human being.
There is wisdom in this book, but not of the kind that you would typically find in pure philosophical ideas. You see, in philosophy, what matters are the questions and meditating on those questions is what conduct you to wisdom. However, in this book the author packs his own wisdom, derived from his study of some of the greatest stoic philosophers. It is my opinion that this, deprives his readers of the valuable effort of thinking hard on the fundamental questions of the stoic philosophy.
I think that as a self-help book, this book is not that bad. The author has some interesting and useful advice and perspectives. However, he is not yet at the height of the past great philosophers that he constantly quote. His advice feels way too personal, for me, and his writing still lacks that millennial wisdom and piercing shrewdness of the stoic philosopher of yore.
However I do believe that his ”street wisdom” could be useful to many readers and my rating probably just means that I read the wrong book on stoicism.
August 18, 2024
This was a great little book about living your best, most peaceful life. This is classical stoicism, not what we consider a stoic to be today. It's not about "biting the bullet" and tolerating whatever happens to you. It's about finding a perspective that allows you to live a life of peace and to accept those around you with understanding and grace. I am so glad that I read this book. I feel I am a better, more balanced person by implementing these teachings. I recommend it as an introduction to stoicism.
September 3, 2020
Тази книга ми открехна вратата за стоицизма и сега просто искам да нахлуя и да разбера повече и повече.
За книгата:
На места е като учебник, на места е като тетрадка за домашни или пък книжка с афоризми от стоици и всичко това в 140 страници.
От книгите, които бързо могат да се прочетат, но е задължително бавно да се осмислят.
Лош привкус ми остави само множеството от грешки в изданието.
За книгата:
На места е като учебник, на места е като тетрадка за домашни или пък книжка с афоризми от стоици и всичко това в 140 страници.
От книгите, които бързо могат да се прочетат, но е задължително бавно да се осмислят.
Лош привкус ми остави само множеството от грешки в изданието.
September 5, 2021
Unfortunately for this author, you can find more information in some 20 min YouTube videos about stoicism than in this book.
November 7, 2023
Perfect introduction to stoicism. This book was a quick, easy read but full of helpful ideas on how to live one’s life. I usually can’t finish philosophy or self help books but this one I read to the end. I think out of all the schools of philosophy, I gravitate towards stoicism the most.
February 10, 2021
For those who struggle for contentment
This is my first book on stoicism so perhaps the 5 stars is more reflective of my delight in the discovery of the subject, however, I still feel that this book was able to distill the main points of this philosophy into a very straight forward and and easy to apply formula. The writing is not dry, but neither is it flowery. Exactly what you would expect from a stoic.
The tools I learned in this book have helped me at home and at work. Great for self improvement and indispensable to those who want to become mentally-unfragile.
This is my first book on stoicism so perhaps the 5 stars is more reflective of my delight in the discovery of the subject, however, I still feel that this book was able to distill the main points of this philosophy into a very straight forward and and easy to apply formula. The writing is not dry, but neither is it flowery. Exactly what you would expect from a stoic.
The tools I learned in this book have helped me at home and at work. Great for self improvement and indispensable to those who want to become mentally-unfragile.
January 13, 2021
Practical and intentional, this guide offers an inspiring leaping off point for any reader who is looking to explore Stoicism. The key principles of this philosophical practice are thoughtfully illustrated throughout - using excerpts from ancient texts that are coupled with modern day, accessible interpretations. The tools are particularly well considered. Indeed, I had the opportunity to get to work addressing conflict in a healthier way before I had even completed the text!
January 18, 2021
This is a little book but with great knowledge. As the title suggests, it is perfect for beginners to Stoicism. But even long time practitioners will benefit from refreshing themselves with this book.
June 29, 2022
A great book to start with if you are learning about Stoicism. Some great Stoic lessons here, and how you can apply them in everyday situations. Nice chapters on Thinking like a Stoic, and Acting like a Stoic.
July 3, 2022
4.5⭐
January 6, 2024
With all the random videos I see online about modern stoicism, I decided to see what it is about. The ideas are interesting and some I think even beneficial.
As a Christian I kept thinking however, is this a replacement for Christianity? There was some theological discussion as to the beliefs of ancients but this seems to be ignored or dismissed as a way of explanation
Overall I do think some of the ideas are positive and can be embraced by Christians but others are sketchy. Che the meat and throw out the bones I guess.
As a Christian I kept thinking however, is this a replacement for Christianity? There was some theological discussion as to the beliefs of ancients but this seems to be ignored or dismissed as a way of explanation
Overall I do think some of the ideas are positive and can be embraced by Christians but others are sketchy. Che the meat and throw out the bones I guess.
March 3, 2022
Helpful!
August 23, 2023
Always good to remember to be stoic - good short read
September 24, 2023
В качестве введения в стоицизм - неплохо. Но очень уж поверхностно рассмотрены главные "столпы" стоицизма.
April 7, 2024
Książka chwilami dla mnie nie zrozumiała. Mimo to stanowi dobry punkt do dalszego zgłębiania filozofii stoickiej
January 19, 2025
Self awareness and reflection sometimes requires guardrails - this book is a fantastic way to start down that road.
February 10, 2025
A fantastic introduction to the basic tenets and techniques of Stoicism. It definitely leads you into wanting to read much of the source material.
May 11, 2025
very good readers' digest
December 5, 2022
Een goede introductie en basis tot het stoïcijns denken.
March 17, 2023
Good quick intro to Stoicism. Also good for someone who has studied a bit, left it alone for a while, and is interested in getting back into it.
July 12, 2025
The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism – tools for Emotional Resilience and Positivity by Matthew Van Natta
10 out of 10
In the age of the pandemic this Guide to Stoicism – reading books by Seneca to Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus would be paramount on that measure – will help interested readers to obtain serenity, peace of mind and the Eudaimonia envisaged by the sages of the ancient and modern times…Eudaimonia being the enlighted life, placed in opposition at times with Hedonia, the former looking at the long distance, the horizon and the latter having a short range, insisting on the present…but here we have already a contradiction, or maybe just a different interpretation, or a misunderstanding, for Stoics aim for Eudaimonia, indeed, it looks like it is their Ultimate Goal, but in the book we have a quote from Emperor Marcus Aurelius – among many other references to the classics – that prompts us to set a circle around the present and see that the future is out of control and all we have is the moment – it is actually far from what the famous Stoic emperor has said, but there you have it…look at what classic stoicism has become, altered as it is by the interpretation of one scholar or another and then misunderstood by the likes of yours truly, who tries, but does not really catch on stoicism…
We could argue that without a serious dose of Stoicism, we cannot cope with adversity and trauma – incidentally coping with trauma and adversity is key to positive psychology, as stated in the exhilarating The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky http://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/t... and formulated in Happiness Activity No 6 -Developing Strategies for Coping-practicing ways to endure or surmount hardship or trauma, which seems to be extracted straight from a Stoicism Manual – and watch the news these days, where we find that Russia is again pushing an army at the border with the Ukraine – after seizing Crimea, they want the whole damn country now – China is sending fleets to the Philippines, war planes to Taiwan, arresting those who want freedom in Hong Kong, Israel and Iran can come to blows at any time…without a Stoic approach, one could say The End is Nigh…
This Guide for Beginners has quite a few advantages – and some shortcomings, if you ask me…and it is not perfect, for it strives for getting better, in the good tradition of the ancient thinkers – one of which is that it is rather short, at about three hours of reading, offers the background, with the brief story of Zeno of Citium, founder of the School of Stoicism – from Stoa, where he taught – after he had been through a shipwreck, went to Athens and when he asked a bookseller where he could find men like Socrates, Crates of Thebes, the most famous Cynic living at the time passed by and the bookseller pointed him out…follow him
Criticism for Stoicism would insist on the fact that ‘if we want what we already have’ then this is an attitude that will stop progress and it is the end of capitalism, modern society as we know it – another precept comes to mind, the notion that we have everything within ourselves and we do not need to travel per se, we can do it as an internal exercise – which would be the end of the travel industry, almost destroyed by the pandemic as it is – and we need to consume more, or else workers will lose jobs in all sectors, from production to transportation and finally sales and services…the upshot being of course that Stoicism or at least a degree of that will be so good for the planet, nay, the only escape from the destruction inflicted by consumerism and ever greedier buyers that throw things that end up polluting oceans and everything…
Avoid Over thinking and Social Comparison is rule three in the aforementioned How of Happiness and it is again a textbook example of Stoic thinking, proving that new studies, the new science of Positive Psychology – for which Sonja Lyubomirsky is such an esteemed, acclaimed expert – have reaffirmed the old rules of Stoicism, which itself has so much in common with Zen Buddhism, both insisting on the damaging, crippling effect that desire has on our happiness, for the latter, Nirvana as the Ultimate State of Joy is achieved when…you want nothing else, you have no desire left, perfect equanimity has been achieved.
One story has stayed in mind, from the moment I heard it, the narrative of the Zen master and his boy ‘On his sixteenth birthday the boy gets a horse as a present…All of the people in the village say, “Oh, how wonderful!”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see”…One day, the boy is riding and gets thrown off the horse and hurts his leg…He’s no longer able to walk, so all of the villagers say, “How terrible”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see”…Some time passes and the village goes to war…All of the other young men get sent off to fight, but this boy can’t fight because his leg is messed up…All of the villagers say, “How wonderful!”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”
Fear of the future is one attitude that the Stoics combat – the example of Socrates is clear here, for he claimed there is no reason to fear death, for we do not know anything about it, nobody returned from the other side to tell us about it and thus it would be claiming to know what we do not know, when fearing this…in turn, he was declared the wisest man of Ancient times by the Oracle of Delphi and after thinking about it, the great philosopher came to the conclusion that it must be because he never claims to know what he does not know, which is what most, or all people in his times and ours did and are doing
There are many suggestions, rules, strategies that have proved their worth, and as aforementioned have been tested, researched and proved by positive psychology, such as ‘it is not what happens, but what you make of what happens’ – for we clearly misinterpret events, and as in the example of the Zen master, what we think is so wondrous, turns out to have negative consequences and vice versa – concentrate in the Present and try to Be in Control, which brings us to another quintessential work of Positive Psychology, Flow, by the co-founder of that science, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/10/f... who writes about the fact that we get ‘In the Zone’, reach maximum happiness when we engage totally with the moment, We are In Control of the activity – which is what Stoics aimed at – and then time becomes relative – again, something probably anticipated by the Stoics – we Forget about anything else, except what we are doing – therefore obeying the rule of focusing at the here and now, just like in the Tolstoy quote, the most important time is now and the most important person is the one you have in front of you – therefore we can make a connection between Zeno, the stoics and Flow, positive psychology, especially since Stoicism is not a philosophy of absolute renunciation, for hermits and ascetic obsessive –compulsive, on the contrary, it is a magnanimous system of thinking, aiming for equanimity, joy and the wellbeing of self and others…
10 out of 10
In the age of the pandemic this Guide to Stoicism – reading books by Seneca to Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus would be paramount on that measure – will help interested readers to obtain serenity, peace of mind and the Eudaimonia envisaged by the sages of the ancient and modern times…Eudaimonia being the enlighted life, placed in opposition at times with Hedonia, the former looking at the long distance, the horizon and the latter having a short range, insisting on the present…but here we have already a contradiction, or maybe just a different interpretation, or a misunderstanding, for Stoics aim for Eudaimonia, indeed, it looks like it is their Ultimate Goal, but in the book we have a quote from Emperor Marcus Aurelius – among many other references to the classics – that prompts us to set a circle around the present and see that the future is out of control and all we have is the moment – it is actually far from what the famous Stoic emperor has said, but there you have it…look at what classic stoicism has become, altered as it is by the interpretation of one scholar or another and then misunderstood by the likes of yours truly, who tries, but does not really catch on stoicism…
We could argue that without a serious dose of Stoicism, we cannot cope with adversity and trauma – incidentally coping with trauma and adversity is key to positive psychology, as stated in the exhilarating The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky http://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/t... and formulated in Happiness Activity No 6 -Developing Strategies for Coping-practicing ways to endure or surmount hardship or trauma, which seems to be extracted straight from a Stoicism Manual – and watch the news these days, where we find that Russia is again pushing an army at the border with the Ukraine – after seizing Crimea, they want the whole damn country now – China is sending fleets to the Philippines, war planes to Taiwan, arresting those who want freedom in Hong Kong, Israel and Iran can come to blows at any time…without a Stoic approach, one could say The End is Nigh…
This Guide for Beginners has quite a few advantages – and some shortcomings, if you ask me…and it is not perfect, for it strives for getting better, in the good tradition of the ancient thinkers – one of which is that it is rather short, at about three hours of reading, offers the background, with the brief story of Zeno of Citium, founder of the School of Stoicism – from Stoa, where he taught – after he had been through a shipwreck, went to Athens and when he asked a bookseller where he could find men like Socrates, Crates of Thebes, the most famous Cynic living at the time passed by and the bookseller pointed him out…follow him
Criticism for Stoicism would insist on the fact that ‘if we want what we already have’ then this is an attitude that will stop progress and it is the end of capitalism, modern society as we know it – another precept comes to mind, the notion that we have everything within ourselves and we do not need to travel per se, we can do it as an internal exercise – which would be the end of the travel industry, almost destroyed by the pandemic as it is – and we need to consume more, or else workers will lose jobs in all sectors, from production to transportation and finally sales and services…the upshot being of course that Stoicism or at least a degree of that will be so good for the planet, nay, the only escape from the destruction inflicted by consumerism and ever greedier buyers that throw things that end up polluting oceans and everything…
Avoid Over thinking and Social Comparison is rule three in the aforementioned How of Happiness and it is again a textbook example of Stoic thinking, proving that new studies, the new science of Positive Psychology – for which Sonja Lyubomirsky is such an esteemed, acclaimed expert – have reaffirmed the old rules of Stoicism, which itself has so much in common with Zen Buddhism, both insisting on the damaging, crippling effect that desire has on our happiness, for the latter, Nirvana as the Ultimate State of Joy is achieved when…you want nothing else, you have no desire left, perfect equanimity has been achieved.
One story has stayed in mind, from the moment I heard it, the narrative of the Zen master and his boy ‘On his sixteenth birthday the boy gets a horse as a present…All of the people in the village say, “Oh, how wonderful!”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see”…One day, the boy is riding and gets thrown off the horse and hurts his leg…He’s no longer able to walk, so all of the villagers say, “How terrible”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see”…Some time passes and the village goes to war…All of the other young men get sent off to fight, but this boy can’t fight because his leg is messed up…All of the villagers say, “How wonderful!”…The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”
Fear of the future is one attitude that the Stoics combat – the example of Socrates is clear here, for he claimed there is no reason to fear death, for we do not know anything about it, nobody returned from the other side to tell us about it and thus it would be claiming to know what we do not know, when fearing this…in turn, he was declared the wisest man of Ancient times by the Oracle of Delphi and after thinking about it, the great philosopher came to the conclusion that it must be because he never claims to know what he does not know, which is what most, or all people in his times and ours did and are doing
There are many suggestions, rules, strategies that have proved their worth, and as aforementioned have been tested, researched and proved by positive psychology, such as ‘it is not what happens, but what you make of what happens’ – for we clearly misinterpret events, and as in the example of the Zen master, what we think is so wondrous, turns out to have negative consequences and vice versa – concentrate in the Present and try to Be in Control, which brings us to another quintessential work of Positive Psychology, Flow, by the co-founder of that science, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/10/f... who writes about the fact that we get ‘In the Zone’, reach maximum happiness when we engage totally with the moment, We are In Control of the activity – which is what Stoics aimed at – and then time becomes relative – again, something probably anticipated by the Stoics – we Forget about anything else, except what we are doing – therefore obeying the rule of focusing at the here and now, just like in the Tolstoy quote, the most important time is now and the most important person is the one you have in front of you – therefore we can make a connection between Zeno, the stoics and Flow, positive psychology, especially since Stoicism is not a philosophy of absolute renunciation, for hermits and ascetic obsessive –compulsive, on the contrary, it is a magnanimous system of thinking, aiming for equanimity, joy and the wellbeing of self and others…
February 15, 2021
There are many better popular stoicism books but still this isn’t bad. Best philosophy for life in my opinion!
Important takeaways:
1. Focus ONLY on things you have 100% control over. E.g.: Character is in your hands but not reputation. You can eat right and exercise but disease free is not in your hands fully.
2. Believe everything good you have is also not permanent (that includes your loving relationships). This one is similar with Buddhism. Embracing impermanence frees you from suffering (Buddhism calls Dukha). You will be also grateful to good things you have. Appreciate them more.
3. Passions (negative emotions—fear, distress, appetite, pleasure) are based on value judgments.
Important takeaways:
1. Focus ONLY on things you have 100% control over. E.g.: Character is in your hands but not reputation. You can eat right and exercise but disease free is not in your hands fully.
2. Believe everything good you have is also not permanent (that includes your loving relationships). This one is similar with Buddhism. Embracing impermanence frees you from suffering (Buddhism calls Dukha). You will be also grateful to good things you have. Appreciate them more.
3. Passions (negative emotions—fear, distress, appetite, pleasure) are based on value judgments.
December 1, 2022
A good introduction (or reminder) for Stoics.
This book gets straight down to business and I like how it avoids the lengthy personal anecdotes and diversions found in similar offerings.
As someone who has read many modern Stoic books before there was little new here, however it did offer further reflection on salient points and gave me some reminders of where I have often strayed.
I’d recommend to anyone with an interests in Stoicism.
This book gets straight down to business and I like how it avoids the lengthy personal anecdotes and diversions found in similar offerings.
As someone who has read many modern Stoic books before there was little new here, however it did offer further reflection on salient points and gave me some reminders of where I have often strayed.
I’d recommend to anyone with an interests in Stoicism.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews