Stoicism is an ancient Greek and Roman philosophy founded around 300 BCE by Zeno of Citium in Athens. In this blog post, I will talk about how I feel about Stoic philosophy.
A couple of years ago, I read a book named Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I read that book twice. I would recommend it to everyone. You guys will learn a lot from it. Stoicism is very close to my heart now. This world is becoming more and more confusing. Every time I lean towards Stoicism, I find more and more clarity in my life. Reading philosophical books feels like my own soul is talking to me, and I am getting closer to my soul.
When you practice Stoicism, it doesn’t mean you have to show no emotions and no feelings. I think that’s what a lot of people believe about Stoicism. They think that if you follow it, your life becomes dull and unexciting. That’s not true at all. Stoicism is about refining your emotions and feelings so that they guide you and give real meaning to your life. I haven’t found any person on this planet who has no emotions. We all have emotions. If you kill your emotions, you kill a part of the human being. You kill his soul. Stoicism transforms your raw emotions into something with meaningful purpose.
Anyone who is into Stoic philosophy knows pretty well that it is a study of the soul. It’s a study of the inner voice. It unlocks new levels in life so that one can experience life fully. It’s a study of human courage and discipline. At the start, it’s going to be tough, but you have to keep going and master your inner world. There is nothing good or bad outside of reasoned choice. We all are capable of making choices. Our choices define us. It’s our capacity to choose well that makes us better and more beautiful. The study of Stoicism gives you the power to improve your inner world. It gives you the chance to cherish virtues — truth, justice, love, and freedom.
The life of an honourable person is not an easy one. It is one test after another. It’s a test of your freedom of choice. It’s a test of your courage. It’s a test of your sense of justice — whether you stand for the right thing or not. You have to refine your emotions to pass those tests. The study of Stoicism gives you a path. It’s your choice whether to run on that path or to live a miserable life.
I will leave you with that choice.