Learn more about philosophy with this collection
How to create a cosy and comfortable home environment
How to cultivate a sense of gratitude and contentment
The benefits of slowing down and enjoying simple pleasures
Conclusion
It is a pitfall of Stoicism that in attempting to understand the elaborate taxonomy of topoi, disciplines, cardinal virtues, and so on, we might forget to put philosophy into practice.
It is by putting Stoicism into practice via philosophical exercises, however, that we don't lose sight of the transformative, ethical purpose of Stoicism: to lead virtuous lives and live up to our potential as rational humans and citizens of the world.
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What Are The Stoic Exercises
The Stoics prescribed the use of “exercises” to strengthen and internalize our intellectual understanding of Stoic precepts, so that we are prepared to meet a range of misfortunes, whether minor irritations or serious adversities, with equanimity.
This helps us to be more present in the wo...
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"With regard to everything that happens to you, remember to look inside yourself and see what capacity you have to enable you to deal with it. . . . And if you get into the habit of following this course, you won’t get swept away by your impressions."
EPICTETUS
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“Appropriate actions are measured on the whole by our social relationships. . . . ‘My brother is wronging me.’ Very well, maintain the relation that you have towards him; don’t look to what he is doing, but to what you must do if you are to keep your choice in harmony with nature.”
EPICTETUS
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2. Accomplishment of duties (kathekonta)
This exercise depends on the people. It is key to recall the distinction between what depends on us and what does not, and to recognize that as we carry out our duties to others, what is up to us is our moral intention as we do it. The result of our efforts – how they are received, wheth...
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"When you receive an impression of some pleasure, take care not to get carried away by it, as with impressions in general; but rather, make it wait for you, and allow yourself some slight delay."
EPICTETUS
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3. Indifference to Indifferent Things
This exercise is the one that relies on our capacity for rationality, and is aligned with the Stoic topos of logic. Hadot describes logic as “the mastery of inner discourse.” By keeping a close watch on that inner discourse, we can see whether our logic is erroneous and thus conducive to...
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1. Self Mastery (enkrateia)
To acheive self mastery we should desire nothing but moral virtue. On the other side of the coin, moral evil is all we should seek to avoid. Anything beyond these two spheres is not up to us, and to worry about it is therefore a waste of our tim...
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Hadot's "Active" Three Stoic Exercises
The three exercises are-
- Self Mastery
- Accomplishment of duties
- Indifference to indifferent things
Hadot describes these as "practical exercises, intended to create habits." These exercises correspond perfectly to Epictetus’ three areas of Stoic practice,...
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