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In this episode, we take on one of Epictetus’ most uncomfortable claims: you’re not disturbed by events, only by the opinions you bring to them. 

We unpack his three-tiered model of the mind (the untrained blames others, the novice blames himself, the wise blame no one) and follow the story of the Roman visitor who wants Epictetus to predict his future, only to be told that his fate depends entirely on the quality of his opinions. 

From the “seller of vegetables” roast to the danger of untested beliefs, we explore why every action—from where you work to why you play tennis—flows from the narratives you’ve never examined. Along the way, we perform an “opinion audit,” question the stories we tell about ourselves, and connect Stoic diagnosis to modern cognitive biases. 

By the end, you’ll see why Marcus says nothing fuels spiritual growth more than analyzing your impressions—and why the hardest thing to test in life is the certainty you already feel.

And we also dive into the darkly charming world of Insane Clown Posse... 

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In this episode of Modern Meditations, Bruce and Justin turn a weekend of budget hotels, dollar rental cars, $12 orange juice, and marathon gels into a masterclass on Stoic expectations. Drawing on Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and M. Scott Peck, they explore how life’s annoyances, whether waiting in line, traffic tailgaters, or bitter cucumbers, become easier to bear when you anticipate difficulty instead of assuming bliss is normal. 

From the rugby coach’s snake parable to the Roman baths, the conversation blends humor and philosophy to show that while life is full of paper cuts, virtue lies in choosing tranquility over irritation.

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Have you ever had a friend insist that a quote is relevant, additive, and deep, but you just don't get it? Listen to Bruce try to justify bringing in this quote from "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" and see if it resonates with you? 

Have you ever wondered what the nature of life is? Marcus says, "A healthy pair of eyes should see everything that can be seen and not say, 'No! Too bright!'.. So too a healthy mind should be prepared for anything." This frames our discussion as we try to learn and explore how we can take in everything life throws at us. 

What is a healthy relationship with what life gives us? We explore that through a lens of "maturity" through a very ethereal quote from David Whyte and explore where we are immature with our relationship with nature. 

Are you dying to share Stoicism with young folks in your life, but scared that you'll come across as an old codger? Well, we have a solution for YOU! This Stoic Reimagining we make a natural tale about Stoic growth that will really connect with young people! Cybertruck cars, iphone 16 pro's, explosions, bopping music, trust me these kids will be foaming at the mouth to read Discourses by Epictetus by the end of listening to this! 

Lyrics from "Hurt" by Sleeping at Last used for intro/outro story.

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In Book 10 of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius reflects on the impermanence of life, the futility of seeking fame, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. He emphasizes resilience in the face of adversity, urging us to accept what we cannot change and focus on our duty. He reminds himself—and us—that external recognition is fleeting, while true fulfillment comes from acting with wisdom, justice, and integrity. 

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This episode took us a year to make... Well, at least it is the byproduct of a year focused on focus and rest for Bruce. If you read between the lines of Meditations Book 9 you'll find an emperor who also shares an obsession with finding ways to increase his focus and find rest. 

For instance Marcus says things like: 

"You can remove out of the way many useless things among those which disturb thee, for they lie entirely in thy opinion"

Or 

"Let there be freedom from perturbation with things which come from the external cause and let there be justice done by virtue of the internal cause that is, let there be movement and action terminating in this, in social acts."

In this episode we explore practical ways we can sharpen our focus  and deepen our rest. 

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As is now Modern Meditations tradition we ended 2024 with reading Seneca’s “On The Shortness of Life” and sat down for a chat about how we did with this year that is not coming back. 

We both saw meaningful ways that Stoicism had major impacts in our lives for the better, whether that be through breakups, travel, making major career moves, graduating college or deaths in the family. 

And at the end we have the internationally acclaimed awards ceremony for the best episodes of the year called, “The Aurelis.“ 

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On the 50th episode of Modern Meditations we break our format to give you two audio essays that changed our views on what it means to be a citizen of the world. In Meditations we read, “My city and country, so far as I am Antoninus, is Rome; but so far as I am a human being, it is the world."

The first, by Bruce, from his trip on Thailand and the lessons he learned from the East that would solve many problems in the West. And another from Justin that shows where philanthropy without true understanding of needs and the culture can go wrong. 

We intentionally left the commentary out this week and just raise interesting questions. We would love to hear your thoughts on the format and the content at modernmeditationspodcast@gmail.com. 

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Experience Stoic literature first-hand by listening directly to the audiobook of Mediations by Marcus Aurelius. 

Book 9 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius contains absolute banger quotes such as:
9:20 "It is your duty to leave another man's wrongful act there where it is." 
9:27 "When another blames you or hates you, or when men say about you anything injurious, approach their poor sould, look within, and see what kind of men they are. You will discover that there is no reason to take any trouble that these men may have this or that opinion about you. However, you must be well disposed towards them, for by nature they are friends."

But don't let us decide which quotes are worthy of your thought and attention; listen and directly find the quotes that most resonate with you on your Stoic journey to building wisdom and character!

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Discussing Book 8 of Marcus Aurelius' meditations is not for those unready to face the existential dread of facing themselves and what they were born to do... Are you? 

We start with a fun teaser of "What is required of someone to be a Stoic?" Then we dive into the heavy-hitting themes of this book of Meditations with figuring out what you were born for. 

Join to answer the most important question of all! Who will project their biases more onto the world, Justin or Bruce? Find out this episode!

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Experience Stoic literature first-hand by listening directly to the audiobook of Mediations by Marcus Aurelius. 

Book 8 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius contains absolute banger quotes such as:
8:16 "Remember that to change your opinion and to follow him who corrects your error is as consistent with freedom as it is to persist in your error." 
8:22 "Attend to the matter which is before you, whether it is an opinion or an act or a word."
8:33 "Receive [wealth or prosperity] without arrogance, and be ready to let it go."
8:36 "Do not disturb yourself by thinking of the whole of your life. Do not let your thoughts at once embrace all the various troubles which you may expect to befall you.."

But don't let us decide which quotes are worthy of your thought and attention; listen and directly find the quotes that most resonate with you on your Stoic journey to building wisdom and character!

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Happy Halloween! What a perfect time to discuss death! On this spooky holiday we open with Data asking Picard to grant him a gift... mortality. We discuss how we deal with mortality and why it is such a gift to be alive and that we all die. 

We go into how we can prepare for our own inevitable death. Part of that is destigmatizing death to not let it be a looming fear, but instead of provider of beauty and meaning. Can it be destigmatized too much? Possibly, but we think the pendulum is swung towards a fear of "tempting fate" by talking about it. How does Marcus respond to people thinking speaking about death is tempting fate? Find out in this episode!

Special for Halloween, we combined the outro and Stoic reimagining with a longer story of "Death's Messengers" by Brothers Grimm, with a symphony playing Danse Macabre to set the tone.

Death’s Messengers Fairy tale (original) - Story by Brothers Grimm
(61) Danse macabre, Op. 40 - YouTube

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Can we just say, "What a chapter?!" Book 7 has many riveting themes, including... Simplicity!

Marcus says, "Always bear this in mind; and another thing too, that very little indeed is necessary for living a happy life." To explore that we compare how much it would cost to live the life of an Instagram Influencer compared to a simple life. The happiest *recorded* capacity for happiness was found in a man who lived in absolute simplicity, the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk.

We use the Catchy Quaker Classic, Simple Gifts, as inspiration on what simplicity should bring, freedom. Aside from its catchiness, the song gives some great insights on living a simple life and how that will make life more cohesive. 

Elon Musk gives a practical formula for simplifying things in business which we extrapolate to simplifying life. Then Winston Churchill gives a great example of an "Autotelic" activity.  

For the Stoic Reimagining we thought we would challenge ourselves to simplify this episode. It may have worked too well...

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What’s the difference between loving deeply and clinging desperately? Epictetus thought the line was thinner than we like to admit. In Enchiridion Chapter 3, he reminds us that every embrace is an embrace of a mortal, every favorite cup is already broken, and every attachment comes with an expiration date stamped by nature. Sounds grim? Not really. It’s actually a roadmap for how not to be crushed when life does what life always does: end, change, and surprise.

In this episode, we talk Bigger vs. Badder—how Stoicism flips the script on what “strong” really means. We look at Anaxagoras’ deadpan reaction to his son’s death, Seneca’s hauntingly calm reminders, and even a 1958 love letter from John Steinbeck that could pass for Stoic counsel. Along the way, we wrestle with what it means to love in a way that frees us rather than chains us, and why negative visualization might be the most underrated gratitude practice out there.

Of course, it’s not all heavy philosophy. Bruce tries out some Gen Alpha slang on Justin, and we test our own fragile-cup theory on the kinds of attachments we carry every day. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold on without holding too tightor how to lose without falling apart this one’s for you.

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Book 7 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius focuses on Stoic themes like living in harmony with nature, accepting the impermanence of life, and the importance of rationality. 

Marcus considers valuable things such as how little is necessary to living a happy life, what the perfection of moral character looks like, and how the more you dig for good within yourself the more it will bubble up. 

The chapter is a reminder to align actions with reason and find peace within oneself through disciplined living.

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Your favorite Stoic podcast is back, as we work our way through Meditations Book 6 which is all about the unself. Marcus makes quite the claim in this chapter that “The only rewards of our existence here are an unstained character and unselfish acts..."

But what does it mean to be unselfish? And why is it a reward? 

To answer these questions we explore some Buddhist tenants and a surgical procedure that will make you question whether you exist at all. 

Then we move through what Marcus suggest on how to live a happier more selfish existence. 

Stick around for the Stoic Reimagining, it’s um, life changing…

Email us: Modernmeditationspodcast@gmail.com

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Book 6 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius focuses on Stoic themes like living in harmony with nature, accepting the impermanence of life, and the importance of rationality. 

Marcus emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, urging a life of virtue and inner tranquility despite external circumstances. He advocates for focusing on the present moment, maintaining humility, and valuing personal wisdom over fame or wealth. 

The chapter is a reminder to align actions with reason and find peace within oneself through disciplined living.

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In Book 5 Marcus deals wrestles with the ideas of failure, imperfection and the love of a craft. To helps us deepen our understanding of how to view mistakes not as problems but as information and what it means to harmonize with nature we brought on Composer and friend of the podcast Matt Lees. 

In this episode we bring back the Lightening round, deeply go through the troubled yet amazing history of Ulysses S. Grant. We explore the tenacity that made Thomas Edison tick. Then go through what it means to slow practice, how to attack the 25% of our lives we don't want to change, and what it might sound like to be out of harmony with nature. 

And much more! 

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In Book 5 of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius reflects on themes of duty, self-discipline, and the transience of life. He emphasizes the importance of rising each day with purpose, fulfilling one's responsibilities with a sense of duty, and aligning actions with nature and reason. The book encourages focusing on the present moment, controlling impulses, and finding contentment in simple, virtuous living. Marcus also discusses the inevitability of death and the need to accept it as a natural part of life, urging readers to live with integrity and humility.

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Woah. This is quite the episode exploring themes from the Meditations Book 4. We deep dive into both Marcus's advice to be like a blazing fire, and Bruce Lee's advice to be water my friend. And a big part of both is working with the experiences that we're given to become, new vocab alert "Anti Fragile." 

We also have a brief therapy session with Justin about a person that stole his winter coat who he had revenge fantasy's about until he decided to take a more Stoic path. 

We of course wrote a new song about one of the verses from this chapter about being harmonious with the universe. 

And as if that wasn't enough we also invited our friends Joe Biden and Donald Trump onto the podcast for a Stoic coaching section. (Because we all know the biggest part of any election is getting the Stoic Vote. 

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In this episode, we delve into Book 4 of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations," a cornerstone of Stoic philosophy. Join us as we explore themes of self-discipline, the transient nature of life, and the importance of inner peace. Marcus reflects on the impermanence of the material world, urging us to focus on our inner virtues and live in harmony with nature. Through his introspective writings, he guides us to embrace the present, act justly, and maintain equanimity in the face of life's challenges. Tune in for a thought-provoking journey into the mind of one of history's greatest philosophers.

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Diogenes the Cynic a predecessor to Stoicism and Alexander the Great were cut from very different cloths, but when Alexander the Great came to Diogenes their supposed meeting gave us one of the most legendary favors ever asked for of a king.

Bruce recaps his time in his hammock and in nature. We discuss the shocking revelations that Bruce unearthed during Bruce-Con, his annual conference of just himself.

We go in depth about opinions, the Stoic views on opinions as expressed by Marcus Aurelius and their inability to affect the world around us. Just as Bruce's opinions about the sun's presence (annoyance or affection) didn't change the sun's positioning in the sky, so our opinions don't affect the things in the world, nor do other's opinions of us need to affect us. 

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Join us in this episode as we present a reading of Book 3 from Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations." This chapter offers profound insights into the fleeting nature of life, the importance of living according to reason and nature, and the virtues of self-discipline and simplicity. Marcus reflects on the inevitability of death and encourages embracing the present moment. He emphasizes the need for inner tranquility through rational thinking and the alignment of one's actions with the natural order. Listen in as we explore these timeless stoic teachings and how they can inspire a virtuous and fulfilling life.

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This week we dive into Book 2 of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, we begin with Justin’s current sparing partner for equanimity, namely his Kia catching on fire. Then we move into the acronym: M.O.M.A which breaks down the four main ways that Marcus discusses that the soul can do violence to itself. 

But, because we don’t dwell on the negative, we then move into B.E.T.R. Which is the remedy to soul violence. 

All of that work helps prepare us to live in cooperation with others and we discuss the beauty of  Interdependence. For the Stoic Reimagining we introduce you to the quirky yet powerful “Benjamin Franklin Effect.” 

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When Chris Martin paused a Coldplay concert to comment on a kiss-cam couple—“Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy”—he unintentionally exposed more than just awkward chemistry. Days later, both people were out of their jobs and their private lives had become public scandal. But the real story isn’t just the moment it’s what it reveals about desire, aversion, and what happens when we’re forced into the spotlight unprepared.

This week, we unpack:

• The viral kiss-cam moment that spiraled into corporate resignations and meme fodder
• Thomas Edison watching his lab burn to the ground and saying, “Go get your mother—they’ll never see a fire like this again”
• What Epictetus meant by aversion—and why most of our misery comes from trying to avoid things we can’t control
• How one email triggered Justin’s entire discomfort cycle… and how he reprogrammed it with Stoic habit design
• And a birthday shoutout to Modern Medicine

Whether it’s a camera at a concert or a fire at your feet, Chapter 2 of The Enchiridion offers one clear rule: You suffer less when you stop running from what you fear.

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As part of our Meditations Series we are reading George Long's translation of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius in an Audiobook format. 

In Book 2 of "Meditations," Marcus Aurelius delves into Stoic philosophy, emphasizing acceptance of death, the impermanence of life, and the pursuit of inner peace through rationality and virtue. He discusses the importance of mindfulness, fulfilling one's duties, and understanding our interconnectedness with others. This book serves as a guide to living a meaningful life by focusing on personal growth, self-awareness, and gratitude. It's timeless wisdom on navigating life's challenges with grace and resilience.

Next week we'll be back with our regular format to discuss themes from this chapter.

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How do you go from getting a knee surgery to qualify to going to the Olympics in less than 12 months? 

In honor of Book 1 of Meditations this week we are talking about some of the heroes in our lives and what we've learned from them. Bruce chronicles the story of watching his friend become an Olympian and Justin recounts an authority figure he actually respects (who would've guessed?) 

Then for our Stoic reimagining we take you into the show of "Dear Marcus" where a clueless radio show host David Monroe helps (or tries to help) everyday people with their Stoic challenges. 

Stick around for the whole show! It's a good one. 

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This week we explore the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Book 1, and in the words that Justin says at the book club that Bruce wasn't invited to, "What a Chapter!" We pull apart 11 different phrases from the first chapter of what we would like to be. 

We discuss the forgotten art of learning from the best in other people, and how to find joy in learning from other people's virtues. Then as a treat at the end of the episode for our Stoic Reimagining we share with you some exotic outtakes of some of the more experimental versions we tried of reading Meditations... 

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As part of our Meditations Series we are reading George Long's translation of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius in an Audiobook format. Next week we'll be back with our regular format to discuss themes from this chapter. 

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30 episodes in and we are finally ready to officially introduce you to Marcus Aurelius himself. In this episode we give you a bio of Marcus's life from beginning to end so that you can have a better understanding of who he was and why he wrote the Meditations. 

This episode kicks off "Meditations" series, where we will start by reading you a chapter from The Meditations and then on the next episode we will explore themes and takeaways. 

We also explain why The Meditations is a book that has maintained relevance for close to two thousand years, and how to get the most out of reading it. 

At the end we debunk some of the funny (and bizarre fake history) that we found while researching Marcus. As well as debunking a Steve Jobs letter that he supposedly wrote at the end of his life. 

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The Equanimity Series comes to a close as Justin and Bruce discuss the "Final Remedy" that Seneca teaches his friend about-- Confidence.  Marcus Aurelius' ascension to the throne and the tools he used to  build confidence within himself in preparation for ruling Rome.

After all the tools we have talked about for building equanimity, we talk about how to build confidence in our abilities to cultivate equanimity. We go over some examples of what confidence is not through a song by JP Saxe and Elizabeth Holmes changing her voice.

Bruce explains some principles of  confidence from his book recommendation of  2024 "The Confident Mind" and how those can be applied to having more confidence in our own equanimity.  We end with a quote from Seneca about What the product of virtue  is...

For the Stoic Reimagining we interview random people to  see what people know about Marcus Aurelius and of course if people like tennis or running better...

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We take a brief departure from our study of Equanimity to recap the celebration of the Stoic holiday (we invented) called "Aurelmas" and then introduce you to the world's (probably) first Stoic Rap.

Special audio clips from Aurelmas are heard throughout to help feel what it would be like to throw a stone at a ship or to smash a mug into a bucket. The tantalizing sounds of the mugs breaking and people cheering cap off this celebratory day and episode!
 

Aurelmas Playlist:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/aurelmas/pl.u-Ldbqer5t2Na95Al

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One of the most powerful tools in the Stoic arsenal for creating equanimity in our lives is understanding the difference between preferring something and being attached to it. In this episode we explore one of the great examples of this in history, namely Napoleon Bonaparte's temperament on his final exile to Saint Helena. (It will make you hear the song, "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay in a whole new light. 

Then we go through the way that our attachments can be put into their proper place, by talking about some of the people that have the strangest attachments (most of whom happen to have a TV show on TLC.) 

We go on  to talk about emotional minimalism, reserving our energy for attachments and preferences for things that are truly valuable and within our control. 

At the end we discuss the symbolism behind the Stoic holiday of Arelimus that has been celebrated by Stoics around the world since March 16th 2024. 

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In this episode we get personal... We read through the beautiful poem called "True Love" by David Whyte and talk about the struggle that humans have with overcoming both our desires (what we are drawn to) and aversions (what we are repelled from.)

We talk about how literal meditation can help us to see our aversions and desires more clearly and detach from them. We also go through the history of Aurelmas, which is the ancient stoic holiday that predates Christmas... that we invented and will be celebrating on March 16th 2024, details in the episode.

Links Mentioned in the Show:
-   True Love by David Whyte

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Hercules (not the Disney version) is faced with the choice between 2 Goddesses, but one is misleading him on the nature of pleasure. This story sets up the important things to be wary of when dealing with pleasure.

Bruce recounts his experience at hippy camp and a tempting offer to join "The Festival of Yes." Though extremely tempted, he turns down this experience that targets the basest pleasures and we discuss the remedy to the desire for pleasures as an end to themselves. 

We are treated to the "Bruce Talks About Economics Corner" and enlightened by the word-a-day segment. The Stoic Reimagining for today is a Stoic Hymn produced by Bruce and sung by friend of the show Joseph. 

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We're onto a brand new book the Enchiridion (or 'the Handbook') this book was written by a former slave to help other reach inner freedom. 

For this series we're reading the whole chapter every day and looking to understand the principles from real world experience. This week we explored Epictitus's first rule for inner freedom. 

And... had some fun along the way... 

Listen to Justin ace a stoic spelling quiz! The dichotomy of control is maybe the most central tenet of Stoicism. But this week we're taking it much deeper than we have before. 

It's easy to forget how to say a word once in a while... Have you ever seen somebody struggle for more than 2 minutes to pronounce a word that they claim they "know"? Get ready!

Desert Island Discs Part 2 we bring on Bruce Peck as this weeks guest. Which tracks will he choose? Which book? And which luxury item? Why does he try to cheat this game and rob it of its original purpose? All valid questions and all except the last one will be answered!

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Fresh off of placing 6th at nationals in collegiate mountain biking athlete, coach and friend AJ Conover sat down with us to talk about his and Bruce's favorite subject and the object of their sport's lives: Pain.

This episode is fun, informative and introduces our first lightening round where Justin and Bruce battle to get AJ to give them the answers they want, sincerely. We also talk about how to develop a better relationship with pain, how to increase your tolerance of pain and how to remove unnecessary pains from your life.

AJ brings his unique perspective from hundreds of hours of training, biking and coaching as a sponsored athlete.


Learn More about AJ:
- Podcast: https://uphillgoat.com/uphill-goat-podcast/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.j.conover/

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Have you ever seen Camelot? One of the most famous monologues from that play serves as a perfect backdrop for kicking off our series on Equanimity. In it King Arthur must wrestle with two parts of himself, the one that feels pain and outrage, and the other that demands justice.

Which is a human struggle that we all go through as we travel through the ups and downs of life. In this episode we explore what is equanimity? How can we cultivate it? What generally prevents us from having inner peace and calm in conflict?

We explore Marcus's concept of the "Inner Citadel" and how that is a powerful metaphor for the type of inner character we can develop by working to build it in ourselves.

Links:
-  Camelot Speech 
- "A Little Oil Spilt" Quote 
- 3 Stages of Mastery
- Begin Each Day Quote

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We're reading you the whole book! Last week we talked in depth about Seneca's "On The Shortness of Life" and we thought the book was so good and people were not likely to go read it themselves... So we decided to read it to you. 

This book is a great annual reminder of a few important themes: 

• The time in life we have is precious 
• Time is passing every day 
• The future is uncertain so we need to learn to live our lives fully and richly today 
• Many of the things we worry about are not as important as we think in the moment 

Here is the link to the full version: 
https://ia804709.us.archive.org/9/items/SenecaOnTheShortnessOfLife/Seneca%20on%20the%20Shortness%20of%20Life.pdf 

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On this special edition of Modern Meditations we explore the book “On The Shortness of Life” which was practically made for New Year's day reflections. 

 We go through how the book can change your outlook on what a long or a short life is, and then we take an audit of our own year and give questions to think about when evaluating how we spend our time. 

Then Seneca comes from the dead to read Bruce’s Journal and then give some sagely advice. 

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Episode #20! In this episode we discuss the Stoic idea of loving your fate or as Nietzsche (however you pronounce his name) would put it Amor Fati. 

We dissect his quote: "My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity.” And ask the obvious question, is Pollyanna his idea of greatness? 

We break down the definition of Amor Fati. What is fate exactly? And how should you love it? Like your mom? Your Girlfriend? And if you are loving your fate does that mean you are complacent about how life is as it happens? 

Then we get into forrest bathing and it's benefits (don't worry, it's not what you think haha.) And we take you on your very own audio forrest bath experience. 

You won't want to miss it! 

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In this episode,  we explore life, death, and the beauty of existence. We start by introducing to audience to AI Justin, and then go into Justin's near-drowning experience.

We tackle the concept of 'memento mori', reflecting on the temporariness of self and others, and how this awareness can inspire a life of purpose, dignity, and mindfulness. This episode promises to be a deep, introspective look at how ancient wisdom can guide us in understanding the full spectrum of human experience.

We've got some powerful quotes from the likes of  Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, we delve into the significance of embracing life's fragility and the importance of cherishing every moment and relationship.

And in today's Stoic Reimagining we explore, what would happen if the Stoics had their own 10 commandments?

Music by: Surrounded by Hayden Folker | https://soundcloud.com/hayden-folker

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Have you ever mourned about the death of a white blood cell in your body? No? Well in this episode we discuss why the universe feels much the same way about you, and how that is not actually sad. 

A few thousand years ago Marcus said: 

Take a view from above — look at the thousands of flocks and herds, the thousands of human ceremonies, every sort of voyage in storm or calm, the range of creation, combination, and extinction. Consider too the lives once lived by others long before you, the lives that will be lived after you, the lives lived now among foreign tribes; and how many have never even heard your name, how many will soon forget it, how many may praise you now but quickly turn to blame. Reflect that neither memory nor fame, nor anything else at all, has any importance worth thinking of. 

— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.28

We explore what it means to struggle well, what human suffering looks like and how to get relief from our struggles from doing a Stoic exercise of taking the view from above. 

In our Stoic reimagining we talk through how Toby Keith's song "I Wanna Talk About Me" might be different if he were a stoic. And discuss our thoughts on Taylor Swifts "The Era's Tour." 

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In this thought-provoking episode, the podcast delves into various themes, juxtaposing seemingly unrelated topics like Subway and Jimmy Johns sandwiches, historical references to Hitler and the Luftwaffe, and the joy and challenges of romantic comedies. The central theme revolves around the teachings of Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, emphasizing the importance of logical and accurate analysis in spiritual growth and the dangers of assigning moral values to external events.

Key points discussed include:

• Seeing Reality Objectively: The episode stresses the importance of simplicity and honesty as direct paths to truth. 
• Decatastrophizing: The concept of "decatastrophizing" is explored through examples like invoices, breakups, and minor annoyances, emphasizing the distortion caused by labeling situations as catastrophic.
• Seneca's Wisdom: A powerful quote from Seneca urges listeners to approach life's universal challenges with equanimity, underlining that ease is a matter of perception and attitude.
• Speaking Objectively: The difference between Stoics, who value truth and reason, and Sophists, who appeal to emotions, is discussed. Common communication pitfalls like the use of emotive words, exaggeration, catastrophizing, and lying are highlighted.
• Conciseness and Objectivity: The episode shares a personal story about a road trip to Denver, illustrating the necessity of concise and objective communication, especially in challenging situations like car troubles.

Throughout, the podcast intertwines philosophical insights with everyday examples, encouraging listeners to adopt a more objective, truthful, and straightforward approach to life and communication.

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How do you deal with "bad" events that happen to you in life with tranquility and poise?

That's what we seek to answer in our new season of episodes. This is the first in our Stoic fundamentals series where for the next few months we will tackle a fundamental concept of Stoicism and then give you some Stoic tools to master it.

Today we talk about Judgement which is a statement about the nature of something, whether it is good or bad, and how we actually have more of a choice about our responses to "bad" events than we might think. That response starts with not thinking about these events as "bad", but instead just as events. 

We discuss some of the most well known Stoic quotes including the zinger: “It is not events that disturb people, it is their judgements concerning them.“

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Woah. This episode has everything. Explore the final Stoic virtue in our series, perhaps the crowning virtue which is wisdom. We explore the questions what does it mean to be wise? 

Do you have to be old to be wise? We also have some very entertaining stories of a Mexican village who is given the choice between indoor plumbing and a Mariachi band, what they chose may surprise you. 

We also talk about Bruce’s failed attempted to conquer the world in a game of Risk because of an untrustworthy ally and what that can teach us about the nature of the opposite of wisdom, namely foolishness. 

We get into what makes good advice and bad advice (and it’s wisdom.) For our Stoic Reimagining we have our first ever remix which you won’t want to miss. 

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Book 1- 0:0:09

Book 2- 0:17:04

Book 3- 0:31:01

Book 4- 0:47:58

Book 5- 1:14:33

Book 6- 1:40:41

Book 7- 2:08:00

Book 8- 2:34:17

Book 9- 3:00:59

Book 10- 3:27:20

Book 11- 3:54:27

Book 12- 4:18:37

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Today we take on the root of all philosophy: Wisdom.  That word gets thrown around a lot in our daily lives but what does it actually mean to be wise? The answer may surprise you.

We also take some time to explore if dogs really love you, what it means to accept reality, why trade offs are a necessity and Justin/Bruce's only non-stoic moments... Or at least a brief sampling of them.


Links referenced in this show:
-  Rumi's Guest House
- Epictetus's Signs of a Wise Man
- Can Your Dog Love You?  

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We continue our exploration of justice through Justin's shocking experience at a Walmart where a Karen is the one who shows justice. Witness a beautiful moment of community at Walmart.

What is the origin of lines?? We don't know either, but it will come up!  We bring in a 5-pronged approach to understanding justice by Cicero which helps us explore more thoughts on justice and how it interacts with different types of relationships such as parent-child, pastor-congregation, peer-peer, etc...

In the Stoic Reimagining witness the captivating trailer of the sequel to Titanic that everybody is currently clamoring for! All questions about Titanic are ANSWERED!

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Justice is a word that is thrown around... A lot. But what does it mean to be just? In this installment of the Stoic Virtues Series we explore what is justice through the experience Bruce had with a show down with his land lord that led to a notice to vacate posted on his door... 

We discuss how Stoicism influenced founding fathers like John Adams and their thoughts on justice and we explore some of the more challenging areas of where justice begins and ends. 

In the Stoic Reimagining we re think how Titanic and Planet of the Apes should have ended to be more like what Marcus would have wanted. 

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There are demons that keep us awake... Which scary TV show has kept Justin awake?

We continue the discussion on Temperance through Justin's lens. A more under-disciplined spot than Bruce's over-disciplined nature. We go through the things that impede his sleep schedule and the "Why?" behind why he wants to improve it, and the next practical step  he will take on that journey. 

We explore the idea of a well-governed appetite bringing liberty. Then Bruce brings up the idea of the "Prudent Arranger" and how that fits into building a temperate life. 

We've got an email and would love to hear from you. What would you change about our approach to temperance? Anything that you would add? 

Let us know at: modernmeditationspodcast@gmail.com