Introduction Chapter 1: History of Stoicism Zeno’s Philosophical Approach Stoics and God Stoic Teachings Chapter 2: Epistemology Chapter 3: Core Philosophies Control What You Can Emotions Are Within Your Responses Are Your Responsibility Honesty Is a Virtue Hope Springs Eternal Knowledge Will Save You Mindfulness is Important Morals Not Awards Letting God Every Day Is a New Day Chapter 4: Cardinal Virtues of Stoicism Wisdom Courage Equanimity Self-Control Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic Principles ● Self-Mastery ● Find a mentor ● Failure is just a step in the “cha cha cha” of life ● Read to educate yourself ● Be honest with yourself ● Be aware of what you spend your time on ● The phone is a tool ● Recognize what you can’t control ● Live a principled life ● You can’t control other people Chapter 6: Stoicism Today Stoicism’s Friends Modernity’s Salve The Universality of Stoicism Stoicism in Religion The Strength to Take on Life Leading the Way Chapter 7: Does Stoicism Matter Today? An Overwrought, Oversharing World The Global Village Chapter 8: What Stoicism Helps You With Stress Judgment Anger Worry Insecurity Disappointment Chapter 9: How to be a Stoic Read Greater Understanding Company on the Journey Way of Life No Zealotry, Please Join a Group Everyday Practice Meditation Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the Modern Day The World is Still a Difficult Place to Live In Stoicism Is Compatible with Modern Religion The Universal Stoic Soldier Stoicism is Designed to Help Leaders Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the Entrepreneur Stoicism Allows You to Filter Your Thoughts Stoicism Allows You to Start Each Day Fresh Stoicism Allows You to Act with Purpose Stoicism Gives You Patience Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy the Present Stoicism Helps You Remain Original Stoicism Helps You Deal with the Possibility and Occurrence of Failure Chapter 12: How Stoicism Can Make You Happy Stoicism Allows You to Rationalize Death Stoicism Helps You Deal with Suffering Stoicism Allows You to See the Truth about Your Opinions Stoicism Helps You Engage with the World Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy What You Have Stoicism Allows You to Be Virtuous Stoicism Allows You to be Happy without Consuming Stoicism Gives You Mental Fortitude Stoicism Allows You to Block Out What Other People Think Stoicism Allows You to Offload Bad Habits Stoicism Allows You to Be Selfless Stoicism Allows You to Practice Being Happy Stoicism’s Answer to Childhood Trauma Stoicism Allows You to Change Your Behavior Stoicism Can Help You to Deal with Mental Illness Chapter 13: Stoicism and Mental Health 1. Articulate Your Life’s Purpose 2. Maintain a Gratitude Record 3. Living with Boundaries 4. Disengage 5. Develop Resilience 6. Your Life Is “on loan” Chapter 14: The Essence of Stoicism Moral Development Chapter 15: Reconsidering Stoicism Chapter 16: Stoic Fundamentals Chapter 17: Incorporating the Primitive Principles of Stoicism into Modern Aspects of Contemporary Life Chapter 18: 9 Ways to Stop Being Upset by Others! Final Word Positive Psychology and Stoicism Key Highlights Conclusion Stoicism: Ultimate Handbook to Stoic Philosophy, Wisdom, and Way of Life Thomas Beckett © Copyright 2015 - All rights reserved. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that any liability, in terms of inattention or otherwise, by any usage or abuse of any policies, processes, or directions contained within is the solitary and utter responsibility of the recipient reader. Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Legal Notice: This book is copyright protected. This is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part or the content within this book without the consent of the author or copyright owner. Legal action will be pursued if this is breached. Disclaimer Notice: Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable complete information. No warranties of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances are we responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, which are incurred as a result of the use of information contained within this document, including, but not limited to errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Contents Introduction Chapter 1: History of Stoicism Chapter 2: Epistemology Chapter 3: Core Philosophies Chapter 4: Cardinal Virtues of Stoicism Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic Principles Chapter 6: Stoicism Today Chapter 7: Does Stoicism Matter Today? Chapter 8: What Stoicism Helps You With Chapter 9: How to Be a Stoic Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the Modern Day Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the Entrepreneur Chapter 12: How Stoicism Can Make You Happy Chapter 13: Stoicism and Mental Health Chapter 14: The Essence of Stoicism Chapter 15: Reconsidering Stoicism Final Word Key Highlights Conclusion Introduction It is no secret that our lives are what we make of them. While that is true, the vagaries of life buffet us every step of the way, dislodging at least some of what we choose and replacing it with misfortune. But we choose our response to misfortune, also. How we respond to life’s twists and turns is what defines its quality. How we choose to confront the many challenges we face each day defines our quality as people. This core philosophy of life is, however, not generally popular, as many would prefer to blame external factors for the quality of their lives. While there is much in life beyond our control, our response to factors we can’t command is a vital component of our quality of life. There are those who think their destiny has already been sealed and there is a higher power above all of us that doles out our fates. But there has been a lot of criticism of this theory, as not everybody believes in the existence of a higher power. Ancient Greece is universally regarded as the cradle of philosophical thought. The Ancient Greeks sought to answer the eternal questions of humanity, trying to make sense of a turbulent universe and the place of human beings in that universe. Their work forms the basis not only of modern philosophical thought, but also of Christian theology. Strands of Greek philosophy are also found in other world religions. In fact, the thinking of the Greek philosophers can be heard as echoes in most contemporary religious thought, regardless of the faith in question. The impact of Athens resonates also in political and economic thinking and its reach is well beyond what any of the ancients likely believed possible. Greek philosophy is most certainly the intellectual foundation of Western civilization in many concrete ways. The Greeks introduced the world to several philosophies about to life and religion. They taught us so many things that human beings used in order to evolve into mature individuals, capable of taking on the ways of the world and coming out victorious when faced with adversities. The Greeks did not just preach but also led by example. They showed the world how a mere thought could help develop the answer to many questions that burden the human mind. Heraclitus, from the metaphor of fire, envisioned a universe in constant flux. Plato, from the allegory of a cave, posited that introducing people to his philosophy of eternal forms would free them to see beyond the vague shadows available to them without it. The Ancient Greek philosophers and their contributions to human development cannot be underestimated. They were giants and their philosophical writings continue to be overwhelmingly current. Stoicism is one of the gifts of ancient Athens. Stoicism continues to have a philosophical draw for many, with its emphasis on the importance of detaching from one’s emotions in order to live a life of virtue and to develop one’s self as a moral being. In the English language, the word “Stoicism” means to present a veneer of unemotional detachment and acceptance of what life throws at us. Unlike many ancient philosophical terms, this one is close to the meaning of the original. Stoicism sought to rein in the emotions of its followers in order that they might master them. This would free them to dedicate the energy they expended on managing their emotions to the pursuit of virtuous living. In the Greek context (as seen in Aristotle), virtue was believed to be an ultimate social good. It was not necessarily concerned with sexual mores only, or with doing good deeds. Virtue, rather, was seen as the condition of competence toward fulfilling a role in society which supported its success. At the center of Athenian society was the family, which Aristotle saw as a microcosm of society, in which each member modeled a particular type of virtue which benefited society as a whole. The formation and development of personal virtue, in that context, implied that each and every member of society contributed uniquely, via the particular and well-developed virtue they were embodiments of. Virtue was said to proceed from reason and reason was believed to be at the disposal of all people, not only the intellectual elite.