AI: That’s a good question. I think it depends on how you define a lifestyle and something more. For some people, Stoicism is just a set of tools and techniques that they use to cope with life’s challenges and improve their well-being. For others, Stoicism is a way of life that shapes their values, beliefs, and actions. For some, Stoicism is even a spiritual path that connects them with the divine reason or logos that governs the universe.
What do you think? How do you see Stoicism in your life?
Me: It is about Cicero, On Living and Dying Well. I referred to a big piece of it in my last blog entry on Michael’s Space. “Grab Hold Of Yourself And Stop Being Afraid Of Your Freedom”. My blog will continue to have elements in future blog posts. But first, do no harm to myself and others. And remember this is about being and doing.
I am doing the same by learning from my teacher : Epictetus.
Who is your teacher?
I think Socrates posits the question best through getting to know himself and staying anonymous ( not writing much down and becoming complex through a student called Plato).
I like it that money is available but not to excess.
I like it that education is key to being a better person.
It seems important to do my best and do no harm.
It is tragic that Socrates died to prove a life is worth living.
But if I truly understand, I may yet be free from the clutches of vice and ruin.
I believe in a living life kind of stoicism.
To be rational, find mental and moral health and let go of hate or a lack of compassion for yourself or others.
Some would argue, we have done all we can with traditional medicine and prevention is the next best thing.
Preventative Medicine?
I believe the progenitor of all ways are the pursuit of prevention through philosophy, belief, and imagination or curiosity.
We understand through the senses, primarily sight.
We cure or prevent through thinking outside the box.
The way we do this is through belief.
The best way to believe is to theorize and practice or experiment on yourself in a way that does no harm.
Become your healthspan.
Prevent disease before it happens to you or just live a healthy life.
Pursue health wealth and well being through the senses.
Find what works for you and do it.
This all sounds rather childish without a blueprint to follow.
A good life is the practice of what works for you while doing the least amount of harm to yourself and others.
Examine or get to know yourself.
Find out what you are doing that is self destructive to you and others.
Make a sincere effort to turn those bad habits around.
While you do all the above, keep looking for what works for you and do it.
You will prevent problems in your lifestyle and Improve your healthspan.
Humour yourself and try to do it for a few weeks, reassess and convince yourself to do it again.
If you need some encouragement to continue, come back here and look for some or look somewhere you can find it and do it for another few week. Keep building this habit until it becomes a lifelong habit passion, healthspan!
2023’s Top 10 Best Epictetus Books Top Rated and Reviewed. Easily choose and compare the Best Epictetus Books for you all in one place.
— Read on top10best.how/epictetus-books
“If” by Rudyard Kipling sounds like a stoic but to my mind, Epictetus is the stoic and may just know how to live a happy/good life.
Many people may never get to the point of applying the good life to their way of being because it is difficult to learn how to apply these principles when you don’t have a teacher who embodies them.
Anyone of the top ten books above will introduce the best teacher to show you.
Epictetus shows us what is important through his actions: a slave who excelled at stoicism and as a teacher.
In old age, he created a family through the need to look after an older boy. He probably enlisted a servicewoman to help him look after the child.
Listen to what he has to offer, his wisdom is a primer for a happy life and then some.