We all have things we’re attached to. Think of possessions, places, pursuits, and people in your life (or other things that don’t begin with P) that you couldn’t do without. Maybe you have worked hard to accumulate material items you’ve always wanted to have, built a good reputation in your community, or cultivated strong relationships with your family. You appreciate these things but at the same time, you’re terrified of losing them. Like the two-year-old child who thinks everything is “mine”, you put your arms around what you have and grip it ever tighter, ready to throw a tantrum if any of ..read more

In the relentless pursuit of happiness, a common impulse leads us to believe that a change in surroundings will lift the burdens of our minds. Seneca, the ancient philosopher, challenges this instinct in his 28th Letter to Lucilius, inviting us to question whether our travels truly offer escape or merely a temporary reprieve. His message, which doesn’t seem to have been diluted by the passage of time, suggests that what we need isn’t transportation to new scenery but rather a profound transformation within. “You need a change of soul rather than a change of climate,” he writes, emphasizing the ..read more

Details Paperback: 200 pages ISBN-10: 1608686930 ISBN-13: 978-1608686933 Preview Description In Being Better, Kai Whiting and Leonidas Konstantakos apply Stoic principles to contemporary issues such as social justice, climate breakdown, and the excesses of global capitalism. They show that Stoicism is not an ivory-tower philosophy or a collection of Silicon Valley life hacks but a vital way of life that helps us live simply, improve our communities, and find peace in a turbulent world. Highlights Stoicism is a practical philosophy that provides an antidote for troubled times, while it also ke ..read more

Details Paperback: 262 pages ISBN-10: 036721914X ISBN-13: 978-0367219147 Preview Description The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) demonstrates how techniques and concepts from Socratic philosophy, especially Stoicism, can be integrated into the practise of CBT and other forms of psychotherapy. What can we learn about psychological therapy from ancient philosophers? Psychotherapy and philosophy were not always separate disciplines. Here, Donald Robertson explores the relationship between ancient Greek philosophy and modern cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy. Highlights Philos ..read more

The following is a short commentary on Donald Robertson’s new book, Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor. From the book’s description: This novel biography brings Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) to life for a new generation of readers… as Robertson skillfully weaves together Marcus’s inner journey as a philosopher with the outer events of his life as a Roman emperor. I wanted to share this as I really enjoyed reading the book and learned a lot about Marcus’s life, from his upbringing to how he dealt with the seemingly endless challenges he faced as emperor. If you’d like more info in addition to ..read more

One of the nice things about the morning time is that you have some distance from what lies ahead. You have a little space into which you can stretch. You can mentally reach into the day and prepare for what comes your way. It’s difficult to feel anger, for example, in the calm light of morning time. But it’s an emotion you know might visit you later on as you engage with the world. There are so many things you could be angry about right now. The injustices in the world, the way someone treated you yesterday, or any number of more trivial matters to which a response of anger wouldn’t even be c ..read more

Details Paperback: 160 pages ISBN-10: 0307951901 ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0307951908 Preview Description The Way to Love contains some of the most beloved stories from Anthony de Mello. Here, more than ever before in his bestselling writing, he grapples with the ultimate question of love. In thirty-one meditations, he implores his readers with his usual pithiness to break through illusion, the great obstacle to love. Highlights Recall the kind of feeling you have when someone praises you, when you are approved, accepted, applauded. And contrast that with the kind of feeling that arises within you when ..read more

Details Paperback: 192 pages ISBN-10: 0006275192 ISBN-13: 978-0006275190 Description De Mello uses humour, compassion and insight to help his readers into a real understanding of the importance of “awareness” in understanding ourselves and the world around us. Awareness is a comprehensive spiritual guide filled with wisdom as it tackles life’s big questions–love, anger and fear, change, suffering, happiness and loss. Highlights Most people don’t live aware lives. They live mechanical lives, mechanical thoughts – generally somebody else’s – mechanical emotions, mechanical actions, mechanical re ..read more

This short explainer will provide you with a straightforward understanding of what the Stoic virtue of Justice is and how you can apply it in your life. Definition Of Stoic Justice Stoic Justice comes from the Greek term “dikaiosyne” (δικαιοσύνη). The definition of the virtue is thought to precede the Stoics and can be found in the teachings of Plato. Plato’s definition of the virtue of Justice is as follows: The unanimity of the soul with itself, and the good discipline of the parts of the soul with respect to each other; the state that distributes to each person according to what is de ..read more

Details Paperback: 576 pages ISBN-10: 0552172359 ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0552172356 Preview Description In Happy, Derren Brown explores changing concepts of happiness – from the surprisingly modern wisdom of the Stoics and Epicureans in classical times right up until today, when the self-help industry has attempted to claim happiness as its own. He shows how many of self-help’s suggested routes to happiness and success – such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals – can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety. Highlights When someone tells you about an argument they we ..read more