Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the ultimate podcast on Stoicism, where Brendan and Benny walk the digital streets to share the ancient knowledge of the Stoics. Join us as we explore the timeless wisdom of virtue, resilience, and wisdom and learn how to apply it to our modern lives. Tune in for practical tips and insights on living a more fulfilling and purposeful existence.
Click here to listen to the episode below, or go to any of the following platforms
Besides listening to us on the Via Stoica podcast on Stoicism, you can find us on other platforms as well. You can also follow us on X.com where we host several Stoic spaces during the week.
Find Brendan: @BogglesTheStoic and Benny: @benny_viastoica. You can join these spaces to contribute live or to listen.
If you are looking for other Stoic Podcasts, click here for our Top Stoicism Podcast for 2025
The episodes have been made possible with the help of our audio and video editor, Alex Makaric. You can find his services at: http://badmic.com
Stoic Conversations
Part of the Via Stoica Podcast are the conversations we have with people who are active in the Stoic community or have a connection with the philosophy. Some of these conversations, we have turned into blog posts, where you can read the biggest takeaways. Here are the links to those articles.
A Stoic Conversation with Any Leonard from Classic Wisdom
A Stoic Conversation with Becky Schmooke from Stoic Edge Consulting
A Stoic Conversation with Margaret Graver on Stoicism and Emotions
The Via Stoica Podcast
The Via Stoica Podcast is part of Via Stoica, which offers you a wide range of opportunities to connect and learn about ways to use Stoicism in a practical way. Besides this podcast on Stoicism and the live spaces on X, Via Stoica offers more ways to connect and join the community.
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The newsletter provides you with all the latest information on the events of Via Stoica. You can stay up to date on the Podcast episodes, the blog posts, and find our monthly book recommendations.
Virtue is the only good
If you have any questions or wish to contact us, you can do so at: info@viastoica.com
Brendan and Benny live by Stoicism and know that this philosophy is a way of life. It is for them, and they will use their experience to show you how it can help you. You can also check out the Stoic coaching services we offer here. Or book a free consultation directly here.
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And remember, Virtue is the only good.
Brendan and Benny
The Via Stoica Podcast Episodes
Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism that brings you the ancient wisdom of this philosophy to our modern-day lives. Walking the digital streets, Brendan and Benny examine the ancient texts and tools through a current lens. The Stoics teach us to focus on the moment, and that’s how Stoicism should be approached. We have the foundation of the wise minds of the past and now it is our time to find the right application to this philosophy of life.
In our weekly episodes, we will dissect a wide range of topics and apply the Stoic teachings to them. It is our goal to show you the benefits of Stoicism and provide you with examples and tools to help you live a better and more peaceful life.
If you wish to contact us, you can visit Viastoica.com, or email us at info@viastoica.com. You can find us on X.com: @viastoica, Brendan:@BogglestheStoic, and Benny: @benny_viastoica. If you like the content we are providing you can support us by subscribing, leaving a rating, and a review. Furthermore, you can support us via Patreon as well.
Stoicism is a philosophy we adhere to in our daily lives. It helps us live better lives and it is our duty to share this with you. And remember, Virtue is the only good.
Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.
In this special episode, we dive into one of the most important and most misunderstood topics in the entire Stoic tradition: the nature of emotion.
Today, I’m joined by Margaret Graver, the Aaron Lawrence Professor of Classics at Dartmouth College, and one of the world’s leading scholars on ancient Stoicism. Her book Stoicism and Emotion has shaped how modern readers understand the emotional life of the Stoics. Together, we explore how ancient philosophy can help us meet the complexity of our own inner lives.
At the heart of this episode is the Stoic idea that emotions are not things that happen to us, but judgments we make, often unconsciously, about what is good or bad. For the Stoics, joy is not mere smiling or comfort, but the deep, steady uplift that comes from living in harmony with reason, virtue, and our responsibilities to others.
Margaret explains how Stoicism views emotions as voluntary in structure but not always voluntary in the moment, why some emotions feel automatic, and how the Stoics distinguished between destructive impulses and the good emotions grounded in truth. We discuss the role of character formation, the misconceptions about “suppressing feelings,” and why Stoicism is far more about love, courage, community, and responsibility than about detachment.
In a world of constant stimulation and quick reactions, Stoicism helps us return to clarity. It shows us that emotions are not enemies but signals, invitations to examine ourselves more honestly. By the end of this episode, you’ll see that Stoicism isn’t about shutting down your humanity; it’s about living wisely, lovingly, and courageously within it.
Listen to the full episode to get a clear introduction into Stoicism and Emotions, and follow this up by reading Margaret Graver's book.
Learn more about Margaret Graver here:
Dartmouth Faculty Page:
https://classics.dartmouth.edu/people/margaret-graver
Books:
• Stoicism and Emotion – University of Chicago Press
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo3625910.html
• Seneca: The Literary Philosopher – Cambridge University Press
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/seneca/O01F0E7E3C9D6469A4C47A65BE85866E
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🌐 viastoica.com🎯 viastoica.com/stoic-life-coaching👤 viastoica.com/benny-voncken▶️ YouTube: @viastoica📧 info@viastoica.com
🎙️ Produced by: badmic.com
