The rebirth of Stoicism: The philosophy of eternal bliss

Imagine facing the biggest challenge of your life to date and being able to keep calm, deal with the challenge, and overcome it. While many ancient religions may preach and praise such fortitude, not every worshipper has been able to live their life in such a way. Contrarily, Stoicism is an ancient philosophy that centers its teachings around building a resilient mindset. Essentially, every Stoic is capable of displaying fortitude in the face of adversity.

WHAT IS STOICISM?

Stoicism is a philosophy that was founded around 300 BC by Zeno of Citium,

a merchant who suffered through a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea, thus losing his livelihood with it. After making his way to Athens, he was introduced to schools of philosophy of Cynicism. However, Zeno disagreed with several aspects of this school of thought, firmly believing that logic should guide our decisions and judgment. In fact, he preached that facing challenges is an essential part of the road to self-improvement. He ultimately ventured out and started his own discussion group. This group would gather at the "Stoa Poikile" (painted porch) in Athens and, after much discussion, ultimately founded Stoicism.

To many, Stoicism is usually associated with being "emotionless", which creates certain aversion towards any habits or practices remotely associated with this philosophy. The truth is that Stoic tools provide us the stamina we need in our journey to self-mastery, including our own emotions. In fact, Stoicism was practiced by impoverished and affluent citizens alike, even by heads of empires such as ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Two other prominent Stoic figures were Epictetus, a former slave who became an influential philosopher in the court of Emperor Hadrian, and Seneca, a politician, playwright, and philosopher. However, Stoic habits have been practiced by many more influential figures throughout history.

In essence, Stoic minds are rooted in acceptance of reality and seek to maximize positive emotions while minimizing negative ones. This ancient Roman philosophy fundamentally centers our habits around four cardinal virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Justice, and Temperance. By exercising these, we forge a mindset that makes us more resilient, more virtuous, and essentially happier. Lets take a closer look into these four cardinal virtues.

The Four Stoic Cardinal Virtues

To live a purposeful life, Stoicism makes use of four essential virtuous pillars at its core:

1. WISDOM

How do we judge what is the best course of action when facing a challenge?

Wisdom is essentially the outcome of experience that we accumulate throughout life. In fact, it is also the knowledge that we gain by observing and listening to our surroundings. The founding fathers of Stoicism insisted that we were given two ears, two eyes, and one mouth for a reason: To listen and observe more than we talk.

That being said, keeping an open mind will help us learn and grow in order to earn wisdom throughout our lives. Staying humble about what you already know, and accepting that there is much that we do not know, is the key to unlock this virtue.

2. COURAGE

Life essentially starts at the end of the comfort zone.

While this may sound like a modern saying, it is actually a lesson that has been taught since the dawn of Stoicism. Dealing with obstacles is an essential part of life, if not the most important. We will only really know what we are capable of in the face of adversity.

While facing a challenge may seem daunting, a Stoic mind will see these as an opportunity to grow and become a better of version of oneself. Ultimately, the pursuit of wisdom and the ability to do justice is what ignites our courage in order to overcome these.

As Seneca said, "I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent—no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.”

3. JUSTICE

The definition of justice in the Stoic context is broader than that of today's legal meaning. This virtue is fundamentally about our duty towards humanity and nature, both in terms of morality and fairness.

Actually Marcus Aurelius praised Justice as

the most important virtue of all, given that it guides the other three. A Stoic mind will go to great lengths in order to defend their ideas for the greater good and the benefit of society as a whole, even if it comes at their own personal expense.

Essentially Stoics accept their reality around them, though they also see its potential and will do whatever is possible to manifest that with great courage and wisdom.

4. TEMPERANCE

What is the right amount of courage and wisdom one must exercise in order to overcome a challenge? Finding this sweet spot might be the toughest decision of all, yet the most rewarding.

To give an example, Aristotle created a spectrum for Courage. At one end, we would find "cowardice" as the absence of any courage. On the other end, having too much courage could lead to "recklessness" and actually risk what you have achieved so far. Exercising Courage in moderation is the key to overcoming obstacles and obtaining the Wisdom we need to face future challenges.

Temperance in Stoic eyes is also referred to as discipline. Mastering self-discipline through the creation of a system of healthy habits is necessary in order to achieve the goals we set. Discipline will also help us to reduce the bad or unhealthy habits that hinder us from fulfilling our mission.

As Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do, therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit."

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TO SUM IT UP

There is no doubt that Stoicism still persists. In an ever-growing chaotic and confusing world, Stoic practices can give us clarity and shine a light on the path we want to take to fulfill our goals and ultimately, our life purpose.

Stay tuned for tips on how to integrate Stoic practices into your daily habits.