The Virtues of Gratitude and Goodwill
- 6 months ago
The primary aim of Stoicism, according to Epictetus, is to live according to nature. We are rational beings endowed by the divine with reason and free will. Through applying our minds to understand the universal order, we can harmonize our will with its just and everlasting design.
The Middle Path: Accepting What You Cannot Change
Epictetus taught his students to accept external events not in their control, believing nothing ultimately belongs to any individual that does not to the whole. Rather than dwell on past misfortunes or worry the future, one must stay present in each unfolding moment. Life deals different hands to different men; the Stoic seeks balance amid fortune's fluctuations.
Cultivating Courage in Adversity
Difficulty should not deter the Stoic but strengthen resolve. With courage and inner calm, one can meet any hardship, large or small, and find purpose even in suffering. By facing obstacles bravely as they arise, we fulfill our role as rational beings within the natural order.
Simplicity as the Source of Contentment
Excess wants breed excess cares, as Epictetus observed. Stoics learn to derive tranquility from few possessions and simple needs, finding happiness not in things but within. What cannot be taken suffices for a contented life according to nature.
The Virtues of Gratitude and Goodwill
Each day affords blessings too routinely disparaged, said Epictetus. The Stoic cultivates thankfulness as an antidote to envy and discontent. And as our wellbeing depends on community, we aid others through good deeds, just as Epictetus adopted an orphaned boy as his own.
The Middle Path: Accepting What You Cannot Change
Epictetus taught his students to accept external events not in their control, believing nothing ultimately belongs to any individual that does not to the whole. Rather than dwell on past misfortunes or worry the future, one must stay present in each unfolding moment. Life deals different hands to different men; the Stoic seeks balance amid fortune's fluctuations.
Cultivating Courage in Adversity
Difficulty should not deter the Stoic but strengthen resolve. With courage and inner calm, one can meet any hardship, large or small, and find purpose even in suffering. By facing obstacles bravely as they arise, we fulfill our role as rational beings within the natural order.
Simplicity as the Source of Contentment
Excess wants breed excess cares, as Epictetus observed. Stoics learn to derive tranquility from few possessions and simple needs, finding happiness not in things but within. What cannot be taken suffices for a contented life according to nature.
The Virtues of Gratitude and Goodwill
Each day affords blessings too routinely disparaged, said Epictetus. The Stoic cultivates thankfulness as an antidote to envy and discontent. And as our wellbeing depends on community, we aid others through good deeds, just as Epictetus adopted an orphaned boy as his own.