Get Stoa-ked!

STOICISM CHADS Zeno of Citium, Epictetus, and Seneca the Younger

As we navigate the rollercoaster of life, where the highs are thrilling and the lows can feel like a faceplant off a kiddie ride, it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed by the chaos around us. Whether it’s the stress of work, personal relationships, or global challenges, there are countless pressures that threaten to derail our sense of peace.

Enter Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that teaches you how to remain as calm as a cat snoozing in a sunbeam during a full-blown storm! The philosophical school offers sage wisdom that while we can’t control everything happening to us, we have a say on how we respond to things.

First a background. In the early third century BCE, a once-wealthy merchant found himself at rock bottom after losing all his fortune in a shipwreck. Rather than wallowing in despair, he decided to turn over a new leaf, diving into the world of books in the bustling city of Athens, Greece. From a shipwrecked tycoon, Zeno of Citium soon became a philosophical powerhouse.

He started gathering curious minds, his own version of a book club, but with fewer snacks and more mind-bending discussions. And voilà! The Stoic School was born, named after its humble origins in a “stoa,” the decorated public colonnade where Zeno and his friends would chill. This just goes to show that sometimes all you need is a touch of shade and a hefty dose of reason to keep your cool.

Virtue, in Stoic terms, isn’t just something to open the door for. It’s life’s Holy Grail. Stoics focus on self-improvement through the four cardinal virtues. First, there’s practical wisdom, which is essentially the ability to navigate life’s absurdities. Think MacGyver, using logic and experience to turn challenges into opportunities.

LIFE IN BALANCE Justice and the importance of treating all fairly marks a key component of stoicism

Temperance, meanwhile, is the art of self-control that prevents you from devouring an entire pizza in one sitting. Justice follows, emphasizing the importance of treating others fairly, even that colleague who steals your ballpoint pen time and again.

And courage, not just reserved for tackling extreme circumstances, but in handling everyday challenges with the poise of someone gracefully dodging their ex at a party while trying to avoid an awkward conversation. As Seneca, one of the most famous Roman Stoics, wisely quipped, “Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”

Together, these virtues form the backbone of Stoic philosophy, guiding individuals toward a more enlightened and balanced way of living.

While Stoicism is all about personal growth, it’s not just a self-help group for navel-gazers. In an era when Roman laws treated slaves like cattle at a barbecue, Seneca was ahead of his time, advocating for their humane treatment and reminding everyone that we all shared fundamental humanity.

If maintaining composure is the name of the game, Stoicism certainly isn’t about passivity. Rather, it posits that only those who cultivate virtue and self-control can truly inspire meaningful change in others, much like a motivational speaker with actual credibility.

Fast forward, and Stoicism’s roots have deeply entwined themselves around Western thought. 

Marcus Aurelius penned his timeless Meditations while Seneca and Epictetus gave life to essays that still ping the intellectual nerves of readers today. Even political minds, from Roman senators to American Founding Fathers, nodded along, captivated by its promise of rationality and self-control.

Rather than dreaming up a utopia where everyone sings Kumbaya around a campfire, the Stoics tackle reality head-on, dealing with the messy world as it is.

When life gives you lemons, the Stoics wouldn’t suggest making lemonade but accepting the lemons for what they are. They advised focusing on what’s within your control and not sweating the uncontrollable stuff, a philosophy tailor-made for dodging modern anxiety and Manila traffic.

So, the next time you hear “keep a stiff upper lip,” remember, that’s vintage Stoicism shining through—embracing life’s anarchy with a grin and deciding that those hard benches weren’t too bad after all. 

Because at the end of the day, if you can’t control the storm, why not learn to dance in the rain?