Donald J. Robertson's Blog, page 31

Stoicism and Martial Arts with Michael Tremblay

In this episode, Donald talks with Michael Tremblay. Michael is the co-founder of the Stoa Meditation app and co-host of the Stoa Conversations podcast.  He has a doctorate in philosophy from Queens University in Ontario.  His research has focused on moral education in the Stoics, and philosophy as a way of life.  He’s also a wrestler and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Highlights

How did you become interested in ancient philosophy and why Stoicism rather than Buddhism?

What is the main thing that we can learn from Epictetus about moral education

What we can learn from the use of athletic imagery as a metaphor for philosophy in Epictetus and other ancient sources

Marcus says the “art of living” is more like wrestling than dancing – do you agree?

The relationship between martial arts, like BJJ, and Stoic askesis

Could athletic or martial arts training ever conflict with the goals of Stoicism? 

Resources

Michael on Twitter

Stoa Meditation on Twitter

Michael’s Website

📅 Marcus Aurelius: Special Discount

Tempus breve est.
Time is short.

Enrollment on will be closing tomorrow so don't miss your chance to take part.

If you haven't already joined the course, here's why you should...

Discount. You'll be receiving a special discount as a valued subscriber to my emails. Book now and off the standard course price.

Payment Plan. I've added a payment plan, which some people requested, so it's now possible to split payments across three monthly installments, for those who find that more convenient. Just select the payment plan option at the checkout.

Improvements. However, you'll also have ongoing access to the course as long as it's available, including any future additions or improvements you might suggest.

Bonus E-books. I've bundled in three free e-books for you: The Eulogium on Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations, and Marcus Aurelius in the Roman Histories.

Live or self-paced. It's up to you whether you want to attend the live webinars or watch the recordings in your own time, you'll have lifetime access to the content to complete the course at your own pace, if you want, although the content is being released across a four week schedule.

You'll get the chance to interact with and learn from other participants as well as take part in weekly webinars. Last time the students shared nearly five hundred comments discussing the course content. You'll be doing a course run by someone who's published three books on Stoicism, plus another three chapters in edited collections of articles on the subject, and contributed to a new edition of The Meditations.

Thanks once again for your support and feedback, and I look forward to seeing you in person on the course!

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

Foreword to the Japanese Edition of The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

It’s my pleasure to share with you, below, the foreword I wrote for the 2022 Japanese edition of my book The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, which discusses the links between Stoic philosophy, Cognitive Therapy, Greek Skepticism, and Asian thought, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.

Foreword

It’s a great pleasure and honor for me to write this foreword to the Japanese translation of The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy.  This was the first book on Stoicism written by me.  The original English edition was published in 2010 by Karnac, and a 2nd revised edition by Routledge in 2020.  My subsequent book, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (2019), is also being translated into Japanese.  Indeed, the philosophy has seen a huge resurgence in popularity in English-speaking countries, over recent decades, and increasingly in several non English-speaking parts of Europe.  

Cognitive therapy gives us a way of understanding both the cause and cure of emotional disturbance, which reflects the values and concerns of modern society. 

Until recently relatively few books on Stoicism have been available in Japanese.  However, I understand that during the last decade, more ancient and modern literature on Stoicism has been published in Japan.  Why is this ancient Western philosophy, and the modern psychotherapy inspired by it, so appealing to many of us today across both eastern and western cultures?  Cognitive therapy is based on an “information-processing” model of emotion and it’s arguably no surprise that its popularity coincides with what is sometimes called the “Information Age”.  Since the middle of the 20th century, we have become increasingly accustomed to consuming information.  We’re bombarded with it like never before, through digital technology and social media.  As a result, we have learned to be more wary about the effects of misinformation on our own state of mind and the minds of others.  Cognitive therapy therefore gives us a way of understanding both the cause and cure of emotional disturbance, which reflects the values and concerns of modern society.  

Nevertheless, the cognitive revolution in psychology and psychotherapy marked a return to the very ancient insight that our emotions are cognitive in nature – feelings are closely tied up with thinking.  In the West this cognitive model of emotion can be traced back to the Stoics and before them to Socrates.  However, there’s long been interest in the apparent parallels between ancient western and eastern philosophies.  Some of the common themes shared between these two traditions could even be due to the historical exchange of ideas across cultures.  There are stories of Greek and Roman philosophers from Pythagoras, in the 6th century BCE, to his follower, the neopythagorean Apollonius of Tyana, in the 1st century CE, for instance, having journeyed to India and conversed with the gymnosophoi or “naked wise men”.

Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The “Naked Wise Men” of India

According to one source, it was rumoured that even Socrates had the opportunity, in the 5th century BCE, to discuss philosophy with an Indian visiting Athens:

For a man of [the Indian] people met Socrates in Athens and asked him what his philosophy was about; and when he said that he was investigating human life, the Indian laughed at him, saying that no one could understand human affairs if he ignored the divine. (Eusebius, 4.13)

In the 4th century BCE, the Macedonian king Alexander the Great, conquered Persia and, pushing relentlessly east, ultimately invaded the northwest of India.  Alexander took several philosophers with him as part of his entourage, perhaps most notably Pyrrho of Elis, later the founder of a philosophical school known as Greek Skepticism.  Some people believe that Pyrrho’s Skeptic philosophy may have been influenced by early Indian Buddhist teachings.  Likewise, Greek philosophy may have had some influence upon eastern thought, particularly the teachings of Nāgārjuna, the founder of the Madhyamika school of Buddhist philosophy.   

However, there’s no historical evidence of direct communication between the philosophers of the Stoic School and eastern sages.  Indeed, in the centuries following the death of Alexander, and the collapse of the Seleucid Empire that followed his rule in Persia, direct contact between the west and east became increasingly difficult due to the growing power of the Parthians.  The Parthian Empire came to control the important silk trade routes between China and the Roman Empire.  Nevertheless, there is some evidence that envoys from a Roman emperor called “Antoninus”, the dynastic name used in official documents for Marcus Aurelius, made their way to the court of Emperor Huan, in Luoyang.  As far as we know, nothing of significance came of this contact, though, and perhaps a valuable opportunity was missed for a historic exchange of ideas between the court of the Stoic Roman emperor and the intellectuals of Han dynasty China.

Greek Skepticism

Nevertheless, early contact between Indian gymnosophists and earlier Greek philosophers, such as the Skeptics and Pythagoreans, may in turn have influenced the Stoics.  In his The Shape of Ancient Thought (2002), Thomas McEvilley, Distinguished Lecturer in Art History at Rice University, in the USA, provided a detailed analysis of the relationship between ancient Eastern and Western thought.  McEvilley describes the many striking parallels between Pyrrho’s Skepticism and Buddhist philosophy but he goes beyond this to examine possible links between eastern thought and other branches of Greek philosophy, including Stoicism. He concluded that overall, despite some notable differences, Stoicism resembled a Western version of Brahmanical Hinduism.

For example, McEvilley sees obvious parallels between the ancient Hindu ethical doctrine of karma yoga and the Stoic discipline of action.  The Stoics teach that our actions should be brought into alignment with Nature, by which they meant that we should not struggle against or complain about our fate.  

The action of a harmonized [Stoic] sage is precisely like the action of the accomplished karma yogin as described in the Bhagavad Gita, action not performed for personal ends or with attachment to any particular goal, but simply out of cooperation with the facts of cosmic harmony; one relates always to the infinite Zeus or Krishna while performing one’s finite actions. 

Stoicism and Zen Buddhism

John Sellars, a Reader in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, and a leading contemporary expert on Stoicism, has also noted parallels between related concepts in Stoic ethics and certain aspects of Japanese Zen Buddhism.  For example, in De Finibus, Cicero, provides a famous explanation of the Stoic philosophy of action, which centers on the analogy with archery or spearmanship:

Take the case of one whose task it is to shoot a spear or arrow straight at some target. One’s ultimate aim is to do all in one’s power to shoot straight, and the same applies with our ultimate goal. In this kind of example, it is to shoot straight that one must do all one can; none the less, it is to do all one can to accomplish the task that is really the ultimate aim. It is just the same with what we call the supreme good in life. To actually hit the target is, as we say, to be selected but not sought. 

Cicero portrays the Stoic Cato the Younger giving this explanation, although Sellars notes that it can be traced back at least as far as the Stoic scholarch Antipater of Tarsus, in the 2nd century BCE.  

Sellars finds similarities between this Stoic account of action and the Japanese philosophy described in Eugen Herrigel’s book Zen in the Art of Archery (1953).  The Stoics taught that the archer should seek to aim well even though it is ultimately not up to him whether or not he hits the target.  He should view both hitting and missing with equanimity.  Herrigel likewise learned from his Zen master that what happened to the arrow, once it had flown the bow, was “a matter of indifference”.  The real goal is internal rather than external – it is the goal of spiritual, or psychological, transformation.  What matters is how one acts rather than merely the outcome of the action.  As Sellars puts it, “What the Zen art of archery and the Stoic art of living share is a seemingly paradoxical indifference to whether one is successful or not.”

Conclusion

It’s my hope that this translation of The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, may lead to additional fruitful comparisons between Greek philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and eastern thought, including the teachings of Japanese philosophy and religion.  The links made in this text between ancient Stoicism and modern cognitive-behavioral therapy will, I think, make it easier to identify these parallels.  Approaching the subject from this interdisciplinary perspective also helps to make apparent the enduring practical relevance of ancient thought for the everyday problems of modern life, such as coping with anxiety and depression, and cultivating emotional resilience.  Ancient thought, both eastern and western, still has much to teach us in this regard.

References

McEvilley, Thomas  (2002).  The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. Alsworth: New York.

The Japanese translation of my book The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy was published in 2022 by Kongo Shuppan. Shota Fuji, the translator, and his colleagues, worked very hard to create the book, under the supervision of Dr. Kaito Towhata. Another of my books, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, is also available in Japanese, from CCC Media House.

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Marcus Aurelius: Thank You Very Much!

I'd like to thank all of you who are taking the time to read these emails for supporting the relaunch of my online course, Your feedback and suggestions have already been absolutely invaluable and I've done my best to make the course even better in the last couple of days before enrollment closes.

You can get a special below. It's less than ten minutes and just explains briefly why I chose Marcus Aurelius to be the focus of the course content:

What are other students saying?

I always collect feedback systematically on course design. From 104 students who completed evaluation forms about previous versions of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, the average satisfaction scores were:

4.7 / 5 for Clarity. ("The course material was clearly-worded and easy to understand.")

4.7 / 5 for Impact. ("This course material seems helpful as a way of developing Stoic attitudes and behaviors.")

4.8 / 5 for Feasibility. ("The course material worked on my computer and I was able to access it properly.")

Here are just a few more testimonials students have kindly offered after completing :

A great way to learn a combination of ancient wisdom and modern techniques for navigating the difficulties life throws at us, not to mention the ones we make for ourselves. – Bob Mark

This course matters in ways that so many forms of education fail to even touch. It deals with your perspective: how you think, your attitude, how you perceive yourself and life, and what really matters in life. You can learn perishable (but temporarily useful) skills like computer programming and the rules to accounting all day long, but the ideas and wisdom in this course do not perish. Following wisdom and the Stoic mindset is useful whatever one does in life. It is positive nutrition for the mind. The course introduces a life-long positive mindset that we can never completely master yet will allow us to flourish the more incremental progress we make... This course is an exploration of how to deal positively psychologically, cognitively, and socially with the human condition as dictated by Nature. I highly recommend it. – James D. Joslin

A well prepared course with an instructor who not only knows his subject but understands that adult learners will each have their own reasons for participating and will do best when they can proceed at their own pace. The course material and comments will always be available to me so I can and will go back. I knew a bit about Stoicism when I started and learned much. I expect complete novices as well as the well informed would benefit. – Wilfred Allan

Donald Robertson on Marcus Aurelius, what a treat! I have enjoyed the course immensely, have learnt a lot about Marcus Aurelius' ideas (despite having previously read the Meditations a few times), and about the historical and personal context. I have found the analysis intelligent, insightful, profound and original. I can't wait to enrol in your next course. Thank you very much, it has been a transforming experience. I strongly recommend this course to anyone who ambition a wiser, better life. – Juan García

I enjoyed this perspective on Stoicism, and learned a lot about Marcus Aurelius in the process. I have a new respect for him, his responsibilities and his hardships, and how he dealt with them. I would definitely recommend this. – Laura Harmon

I would recommend this to anyone interested in Stoicism in general or Marcus Aurelius' Meditations in particular. This course helped me better understand some aspects of Stoic philosophy which are more difficult to grasp only by reading the classics. – Cristian Martin

If you were one of the above, then thanks once again for sharing your kind words!

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

🎁 Marcus Aurelius: Surprise Bonus!

Surprise! I've got not one but three extra-special bonuses for you if you enroll today on …

I created three eBooks for you on the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, with the help of my proofreader, Paul Summers Young, and graphic designer, Rocio de Torres. I also recorded a new audiobook version of The Eulogium of Marcus Aurelius, available for download.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, the classic George Long translation

The Eulogium on Marcus Aurelius, one of my favorite books on his life and thought

Marcus Aurelius in the Roman Histories, a selection of fascinating excerpts about his reign as emperor from Herodian, Cassius Dio and the Historia Augusta

These three books are all bundled with the course Marcus Aurelius: Life and Stoicism and you can download them in PDF, EPUB or Kindle (MOBI) format. They've been carefully designed for use on any device. There's no extra charge. I've just added these to the course for everyone enrolling now.

How about an audio version of the Eulogium on Marcus Aurelius as well? Let me know what you think... Would that be of value? We're going to do it! ;) Finally, here's another quote from a student who did the pilot version of the course:

Thanks Donald for your personal perspectives, the anecdotes and breadth of applied experience with Stoicism; the practical and historical perspectives, using Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, were very insightful and valuable also for long-term retention. Lots of thought-provoking material here to read and re-read. The course concept and contents are highly recommended. I came close to turning this course down but am greatly relieved now that I registered at the last minute! – Sachigo

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

🤔 Marcus Aurelius: Your Questions Answered

Tempus fugit velut umbra.
Time flees like a shadow.

is open for enrollment. You have a few days remaining before the course begins!

I'll be hosting a live Ask me Anything About Marcus Aurelius session on Twitter today, which you can also use to chat about the course. I've done these a few times in the past and they seem to work really well: you can literally ask me anything you want about the life or philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. If you miss the live discussion, don't worry, just follow the same link to read the comments later. To participate just Tweet your questions to @DonJRobertson and include the hashtag #verissimus.

I would recommend it. As a lifelong learner of technical, science and mechanical topics, I was hesitant to undertake this course. I am very glad I did. It has 'demystified' the topic of stoicism. I look forward to continued readings. Thank you. – Noble Redmon

Here are some quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the course:

Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you're not totally happy, just email me within 30 days of purchase and I'll refund your fees in full, no questions asked. So enrolment on this course is absolutely risk free!

How do I enroll? Just go to the Marcus Aurelius: Life and Stoicism course page, click the Enroll button and follow the instructions.

How much does it cost? The course price is shown on the main page. The standard price is $199 USD. However, to celebrate the publication of my new book on Stoicism I'm offering my valued email subscribers a $50 discount, making it $149. (This course only runs once or twice per year, so don't miss the deadline.)

Can I pay in installments? Yes. There's now a payment plan, allowing you to split payments across three monthly installments. You can select it at the checkout via the main course page.

What if I miss the weekly webinars? Don't worry. They're recorded and you'll be able to watch a replay of them at your leisure later, by following the private YouTube link provided.

Is it self-paced? Yes, if you want it to be. There are weekly webinars but if you can't attend live you can just view the recordings in your own time, so you can treat it as a self-paced course if you like because you'll have lifetime access to the content, including any updates or improvements.

Don't miss the boat – the course starts very soon!

If you have any other questions whatsoever, please feel free to email me. Thanks again for helping us make this course something special.

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

🌞 Enrolling Now – Marcus Aurelius: Life and Stoicism

Hora fugit, ne tardes.
The hour flees, don't be late.

is now officially open for enrollment!

For a limited time only, I'm offering a $50 off the standard course price! Just click below and look for the enroll button on the main page…

Enrollment is open until Sunday, a few days from now. This course only runs once or twice per year, so make sure you don't miss this opportunity to take part. Please contact me if you have any questions and I'll be happy to respond. I read every email.

What Students are Saying

Here is what people who completed the earlier versions of this course said about it:

Nobody exemplifies Stoicism as does Marcus Aurelius. Because of the extremely difficult and unpredictable events that came into his life when he became Emperor, his embodiment of Stoic ideas burned in his blood... A year ago I would not have imagined how to think like a Roman Emperor. Nowadays it is the only game in town worth playing. – Melville Richard Alexander

I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in Marcus Aurelius or Stoicism generally... For me this was the second time visiting Marcus' meditations. But this is the first time I feel like I've read them with my eyes wide open, in no small part to Donald Robertson's knack for facilitating online courses, and the wonderful group that I've had the opportunity to discuss the content with. – Ronald Willam Brady

I would definitely recommend this course. It is a great overview of stoicism. Using Marcus Aurelius as a role model is brilliant! – Moonhorse

This course brings today's remaining extant Stoic literature to life. Personally, I have read Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and modern Stoicism commentaries. Yet, this course presents Stoicism from Marcus' practical life - his everyday challenges as a normal man and as a highly responsible emperor. He was able to mediate these challenges with Stoic philosophy. Donald Robertson served as a reliable guide using his CBT background and focused scholarship of Stoicism in general and Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" in particular. I feel like this course has given me a "Stoic Mentor/Model'' to emulate and bring my ongoing Stoic readings to life. I now know that I have a "model" to follow as I continue my journey as a "Stoic Student." – RG McNneill Jr

I would definitely recommend this course if you are interested in practicing Stoicism as a way of life. It is complete with an in-depth historical account of the life of Marcus Aurelius and how he adopted his philosophical approach during an extremely turbulent period of history. – Mark Husher

If you were one of the above, then thanks once again for sharing your kind words!

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

Founding members: free course access

Thanks for being a Founding member of my Substack newsletter. You may receive emails over the next week about the forthcoming eLearning course.

If you are not already enrolled, you can join free of charge, just by using the special coupon code at the checkout or by clicking that link, which should pre-ap…

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Marcus Aurelius: What's Special about this Course?

“Take a bird’s-eye view of the world: it’s endless gatherings and endless ceremonies, many journeys in both storm and calm, and the transformations of things coming to be, existing, and ceasing to be.” – Marcus Aurelius

I forgot to tell you something in my last email... You'll also benefit from any future updates and improvements to the course as you'll be eligible for lifetime access to the content. The course starts soon, though. So don't miss out! I'm offering a $50 off the standard course price for a limited time only, to celebrate the publication of our new graphic novel, Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.  (Remember that Founding Substack members can enroll free of charge.)

I think it's also time to tell you a little bit more about what's actually in the revised version of this course. So without further ado, here is a brief overview of the content. I hope you like it. Please, as always, feel free to send me a quick email if you have any questions or want to suggest any additions or improvements! Thanks.

Learn how to build emotional resilience and develop a more meaningful life, from Marcus Aurelius, with my 4 week intro to Stoic philosophy and psychology.

The course consists of many audio and video recordings, excerpts, specially-designed graphics, reading, discussion questions, exercises, and short interactive knowledge check questions to aid learning and retention. There are a lot of resources here that I simply wouldn't be able to put into a book. Each week focuses on a different set of core Stoic philosophical concepts, psychological exercises, and a particular problem area, such as anger management, coping with pain, overcoming worry and anxiety, and letting go of attachment. The course was revised again over the past six months based on suggested improvements from students taking the pilot version and ideas from my new (forthcoming) book on the Stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.

Welcome Section

This becomes available as soon as you enroll and contains carefully selected preparatory materials to help you get up to speed and ready for the main four weeks. Includes: videos, quotes from Marcus, recommended reading, and discussion questions, and knowledge-check quiz.

Week One: Overcoming Anger and Developing Empathy

The Education of a Stoic Emperor. This section focuses on the Stoic practice called "Contemplation of the Sage" and the role of empathy in Stoicism, particularly as a remedy for feelings of anger. It uses illustrations from the life of Marcus, such as his difficulty coping with feelings of anger toward his Stoic tutor, Junius Rusticus. Includes: Videos, reading, discussion, knowledge-check quiz. Also, for students on standard or premium plan, a webinar on Stoicism, Virtue, and Empathy.

Week Two: Conquering Worry and Anxiety

Marcus' Early Reign and the Parthian War. This section focuses on the Stoic practice called "Premeditation of Adversity" (praemeditatio malorum, sometimes called "negative visualization") and the role of acceptance in Stoicism, toward indifferent things, such as in coping with pain. It uses illustrations from the life of Marcus, such as his worry about matters of state, coping with chronic pain and illness, and his correspondence with his Latin tutor Fronto. Includes: Videos, reading, discussion, knowledge-check quiz. Also, for students on standard or premium plan, a webinar on Stoicism, Indifference, and Acceptance.

Week Three: Managing Pain and Illness

The First Marcomannic War and The Meditations. This section focuses on the Stoic practice called "The View from Above" and the role of metaphysics in Stoicism, with reference to the famous Dream of Scipio. It uses illustrations from the life of Marcus, such as the challenges of his assuming the role of military commander during the lengthy northern campaign against a huge coalition of enemy tribes led by King Ballomar of the Marcomanni. It is widely believed that Marcus wrote The Meditations during this period, and we also consider its role as a spiritual journal in relation to other Stoic writing practices. Includes: Videos, reading, discussion, knowledge-check quiz. Also, for students on standard or premium plan, a webinar on Stoicism, Nature, and the Cosmos.

Week Four: Coming to Terms with Mortality and Loss

The Civil War, and Marcus' Final Years and Legacy. This section focuses on the Stoic practice called "Contemplation of Death" and the concept of impermanence in Stoicism, and also on the practice of Stoic mindfulness (prosoche) and attention to the present moment. It uses illustrations from the life of Marcus, such as the Antonine Plague, the civil war against his general Avidius Cassius, and his own illness and eventual death. Includes: Videos, reading, discussion, knowledge-check quiz. Also, for students on standard or premium plan, a webinar on Stoicism, Mindfulness, and Death.

As I'm putting the finishing touches to the course, based on your feedback and requests, some of the above may be subject to change. I'm constantly improving it and adding more resources.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or suggestions. As always, thanks very much indeed for all of your support!

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson

Coming Soon: "Marcus Aurelius: Life and Stoicism"

“The mind, unconquered by violent passions, is a citadel, for a man has no fortress more impregnable in which to find refuge and remain safe forever.” – Marcus Aurelius

It's been about six months since I ran my course ! I was so busy working on other projects, including finishing my third book about Marcus! I'm pleased to say, though, that enrollment will begin again soon. I have a wealth of new material to share with you from all the research I've been doing. (My prose biography of Marcus for Yale University Press comes out next year, incidentally, but you can already order our graphic novel, Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, which Amazon selected as one of their Best History Books.)

The course will be launching just over a week from now, on Sunday 14th May. As a special thank you to everyone who's subscribed to my newsletter and email courses, I'll be offering the course at a reduced price for a limited time only. So don't miss out!  (If you’re a Founding member of my Substack newsletter, remember you can register free of charge.)

There's a lot more information online but, in brief, this is a practical training course in applying Stoic philosophy to daily life. There are many great resources in it that I wouldn't be able to put into a book, like audio and video recordings, discussions, quizzes, graphics, and even some of the written content. It's based around the example of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, the most famous Stoic of all. The course is four weeks long, and each section includes a rich variety of eLearning resources plus optional live webinars on what we can learn from Marcus' Stoicism and apply in our own lives.

You can view the main page and preview some of the course content online right now. Enrollment will take place over the next few days...

Stay tuned for some more important new information coming your way very soon.

Warm regards,

Donald Robertson