The True Meaning of Stoicism

Self-discipline isn’t supposed to be punishing. Rather, it’s friendly and encouraging. The encouraging Master is strict only in holding fast to moderation.

Today, “stoicism” means weathering adversity without complaint. There is much more to the philosophy of stoicism than that.

In its entirety, stoicism is a philosophy of wisdom much like Buddhism in its emphasis on virtue, self-control, renunciation of excess, self-improvement, detachment, cause and effect (The Four Noble Truths) and the cessa...