Search Results for: Seneca

Meditating while the world burns

Posted on May 26, 2023 by smellincoffee

I recently asked BingAI to review the works of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca, and Musonius Rufus for me, and then roleplay as a Stoic sage. We then had an interesting conversation on Stoicism, Epicureanism, Buddhism, Taoism, and human flourishing. Then, … Continue reading →

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The Philosopher Book Tag

Posted on July 23, 2021 by smellincoffee

Spotted at Thoughts on Papyrus, and couldn’t resist borrowing! Thales is considered the first known philosopher. Which text introduced you to philosophy or which text would you like to read to get you into philosophy? Oddly enough, a sermon from … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflection, Religion and Philosophy | Tagged | 2 Comments

Wisdom Wednesday: Through adversity, excellence

Posted on September 16, 2020 by smellincoffee

Today’s reminder is from Seneca’s essay, “On Providence”, included in the volume Dialogues and Essays. Seneca was a practicing Stoic in the Roman court, a one-time tutor to Emperor Nero (not a very good student, Nero), one whose counsel and … Continue reading →

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Stoic advice on overcoming anger

Posted on August 31, 2019 by smellincoffee

In the last couple of weeks I’ve  read a few books on nonviolence communication and  conflict management (How To Be Your Own Bodyguard; Verbal Judo (re-read); and How to Survive Aggressive People).    Tonight, in a similar vein,  I encountered a … Continue reading →

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What I Read in 2010

Posted on July 27, 2018 by smellincoffee

At last we come to 2010, the last year I never kept a list for.   At 184 items, it’s my second-highest year. This was the year historical fiction really arrived, driven by Bernard Cornwell and C.S. Forester. but with a … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Reads, 2016

Posted on December 27, 2016 by smellincoffee

This week the Broke and the Bookish  invite readers to think about their top ten books for the year. Twenty-sixteen started off with a bang: no less than five top-ten contenders appeared in January, and four of them survived to … Continue reading →

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How to Live

Posted on September 11, 2016 by smellincoffee

Musonius Rufus on How to Live© 2012 Ben White112 pages Virtus isn’t just for the men any more.  Musonius Rufus is the forgotten Stoic, a man hailed alongside Socrates as nigh-saintly by Origen, but now almost forgotten. More’s the pity, because … Continue reading →

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The Porch and the Cross

Posted on August 27, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Porch and the Cross: Ancient Stoic Wisdom for Modern Christian Living© 2016 Kevin Vost198 pages Stoicism as a moral philosophy has had admirers through the ages, and especially during the medieval epoch. While modern snobbery tends to dismiss the … Continue reading →

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The Obstacle is the Way

Posted on July 6, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Obstacle is the Way© 2014 Ryan Holiday224 pages Let us say, dear reader, that you have heard of Stoicism, hailed as the go-to philosophy of mental fortitude. You want to read about it. But you don’t want to take … Continue reading →

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So You Want to Read about the Revolution

Posted on July 3, 2016 by smellincoffee

Although I’m reading American literature for Independence Day instead of history, why not share some favorites from previous years’ Independence Day salutes? Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin from HBO’s John Adams. Founding BiographiesJohn Adams, David McCulloughFirst Family: John … Continue reading →

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