What Is Voluntary Discomfort? Voluntary discomfort is the Stoic practice of deliberately choosing small hardships to strengthen both body and mind. It teaches freedom from desire and aversion and prepares us to face life’s inevitable challenges with wisdom and courage. Seneca described this training clearly: “Set aside a certain number Read more
Introduction and Clear Definition In the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca, we encounter a deceptively simple yet profound practice: the Stoic reserve clause. Known in Greek as hupexhairesis and in Latin as exceptio, the reserve clause is the habit of acting while mentally adding a condition; “if nothing Read more
What Is the View from Above? The Stoics taught us many ways to step back from our daily anxieties and see life as it truly is. One of their most striking practices is the Stoic View from Above (sometimes called the cosmic perspective). This exercise asks us to imagine ourselves Read more
What Does Memento Mori Mean? Memento mori: “remember you must die”, is one of the most striking phrases associated with Stoicism. Strictly speaking, the Stoics never used these words. The expression itself appears centuries later, first in Christian and medieval contexts. But the practice behind it, reflecting daily on mortality, Read more
What is Premeditatio Malorum? Premeditatio malorum is the Stoic practice of rehearsing adversity in advance, so that when misfortune comes, you can meet it with calm and virtue. Often described today as negative visualization (a modern phrase popularized by William Irvine), the practice literally means “the premeditation of evils.” It Read more
Introduction: Living in Accord with Human Nature The Stoic discipline of action (Greek: hormē, Latin: actio) is about how we live in relation to others and the world. While the discipline of desire governs how we orient ourselves toward what is and is not under our control, and the discipline Read more
What is the Discipline of Desire? The Discipline of Desire is one of three core Stoic practices, along with the Disciplines of Assent and Action. These three disciplines form the framework through which the Stoic trains perception, emotion, and behavior. Try the exercises below. In Stoic philosophy, the Discipline of Read more