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by Allan John (What Is Stoicism?)
Using Stoic philosophy to help you (and me): LEARN from the past, PLAN for the future, LIVE in the present.
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This episode explores the ancient instruction to “know thyself” as the foundation of a philosophical life. Julian, Pigliucci, and Epictetus show that self-knowledge helps us decide what kind of person we want to be—and what must be protected when circumstances become difficult. And Socrates offers the clearest example: his preparation for adversity was simply a lifetime spent safeguarding what was truly up to him.If you’d like to continue the practice, this Micro Morning Meditation will be helpful:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: This is The Main Point of Philosophyhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-this-is-6fe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode examines the habit of complaining and the power we retain over our response. Seneca and Epictetus remind us that while frustrations are unavoidable, resentment often adds a second layer of suffering that is largely our own.A simple practice—pause, assess, and reframe—helps turn irritation into clearer judgment and, where possible, constructive action.If you’d like to continue the practice, you might also find this Micro Morning Meditation helpful:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: How to Stop Complaininghttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-how-to-stop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode examines wealth, desire, and the freedom that comes from needing less.Seneca warns that fortune’s gifts often become traps, because external success can deepen dependence rather than satisfy the soul.Anthony de Mello sharpens the same insight: many of our chains are imaginary, formed by false ideas about what we need before we can truly live.If you’d like to continue the practice, you might also find this Micro Morning Meditation helpful:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: You're Free Alreadyhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-youre-free Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode reflects on what happens when life interrupts our carefully arranged plans.The Stoic reserve clause—“if nothing prevents me”—helps us plan without pretending the future belongs to us. Shakespeare, Seneca, and Suzuki Shōsan deepen the point by bringing death into view, not as a morbid fixation, but as a reminder that even ordinary days are not guaranteed.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Others Judge Youhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-others Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode uses Seneca’s image of the road to ask whether we are moving with purpose or merely following the crowd. A clear destination helps us resist distraction, while Epictetus shows where our attention truly belongs: on our judgments, choices, desires, and actions. The Stoic task is to be cautious with what depends on us and confident toward what does not👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode uses animals as a reminder to return to the present moment. Hadot and Marcus Aurelius show that life is lived only in the now, where we can think clearly, act justly, and avoid adding needless disturbance to events. Animals offer a simple model of presence: they don't argue with the past or rehearse the future, but inhabit what's directly before them.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode explores conversation and kindness as forms of care for the soul. Socrates saw dialogue as essential to self-knowledge, a way of bringing hidden thoughts into the open and examining them honestly. Phil Hammond’s story of kindness as “the most powerful drug” adds a practical modern echo: when we don’t know what to do, kindness nearly always improves the situation.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode reflects on the shortness of life without turning it into panic. Oliver Burkeman’s “four thousand weeks” gives us a blunt measure of our limits, while Seneca’s story of Julius Canus shows how calm can survive even under the shadow of death. The Stoic point isn't to master time or escape mortality, but to stop wasting what remains on denial, anxiety, or impossible self-optimization.Since we can't know how many weeks are left, the task is to inhabit the present with attention, courage, and dignity.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Allow Yourself To Livehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-allow-yourself Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Using Stoic philosophy to help you (and me): LEARN from the past, PLAN for the future, LIVE in the present.
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