Episoder
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Blushing, sweating, stumbling over words - we've all been there. But what if these physical reactions are holding you back from greatness?
In this episode, Caleb and Michael unpack Seneca's advice on handling embarrassment like a Stoic.(00:46) Embarrassing Introduction
(04:50) Seneca On Blushing
(08:08) Feelings vs Judgments
(10:02) You Are Not A Horse
(13:05) Embarrassment For Learning
(14:52) Caring About What Others Think
(19:24) Natural Bugs
(22:47) Seneca On NatureDownload the Stoa app (it's a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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In this episode, Caleb and Michael explore how Stoicism reframes our understanding of risk, teaching us to embrace uncertainty while focusing on what truly matters. They discuss:
Why Stoics aren't reckless, but cultivate caution How Stoicism offers the highest reward with the lowest real risk Critiques that Stoicism is for the risk-averse, and why they fall short Why Stoicism may provide the ultimate psychological aid for meaningful risk-takingLearn how ancient wisdom can help you navigate life's gambles with grace and purpose. The Stoics knew: true risk lies not in external outcomes, but in compromising your character.
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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Manglende episoder?
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Is Stoicism just toxic positivity? No, obviously.
But what's the difference between toxic positivity and unrealistic optimism? And how can Stoics avoid the real risks of both?
In this episode, Caleb and Michael dive deep into Stoic practice and its alleged similarity to toxic positivity.
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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Download the Stoa app (it's a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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The Stoic art of solitude and self-consistency
Can you be alone with your thoughts? Seneca's Letter X challenges us to master the art of solitude.
In this conversation, Caleb and Michael unpack Seneca's advice on solitude and explore its relevance in our hyperconnected world.
(00:58) The Paradox of Solitude
(05:40) Consistency Between Private and Public Life
(12:35) The Dangers of Isolation
(19:08) Keeping Others and Nature in Mind
(26:12) Is Solitude a Goal?
(31:04) The Internet: A Modern Challenge to Stoic Principles
(35:00) Becoming a Friend to Oneself
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Listen as they discuss the Stoic approach to balancing social engagement with self-reflection, the importance of character in both solitude and company, and how to cultivate a healthy relationship with oneself.
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If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Join Caleb and Michael as they dissect the mental game of competition and explore how ancient philosophy can give us an edge in modern battles – both on and off the mat.
In this gripping episode, Caleb shares his experience competing in his first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament and the valuable lessons he learned about applying Stoic principles under pressure. Michael, who has competed hundreds of time, offers advice and challenges Caleb along the way.Whether you're a martial artist, a competitor in any field, or someone looking to apply Stoicism to life's challenges, this episode offers actionable insight on maintaining composure and clarity – as well as challenges and reflections on how to apply Stoicism to jiu jitsu in particular.
(02:48) Jiu Jitsu Competitions
(04:58) What Is Jiu Jitsu
(07:05) Why Compete
(12:54) How Did It Go?
(17:23) Michael on Caring And Stoicism
(21:26) Michael's Advice For Caleb
(29:08) Should You Use The Restroom?
(35:06) Zooming In Too Much
(36:41) Epictetus vs Marcus on Competition
(39:24) Participation Trophies Matter
(43:11) Caleb Doesn't Like Participation Trophies
(46:15) Social Resistance And Ego
(54:05) Caleb's Learnings
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
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If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Diogenes: the man who lived in a barrel and inspired Stoic philosophy.
In this episode, Michael and Caleb explore the life and ideas of Diogenes the Cynic - one of the most influential and eccentric philosophers of ancient Greece. They discuss:
(00:00) Epictetus on Diogenes' Freedom
(03:21) Diogenes' Life and Connection to Stoicism
(08:29) Diogenes' Approach to Philosophy
(15:59) Looking for an Honest Man
(21:27) Behold a Man – Plucked Chicken
(26:12) The Cup
(30:00) You Need A Master
(34:35) Alexander the Great – So Called
(39:00) Takeaways: Epictetus on Diogenes
(44:48) Favorite Diogenes StoriesDownload the Stoa app (it's a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Caleb Ontiveros speaks with Johnathan Bi, an entrepreneur and philosopher, about Friedrich Nietzsche's critique of Stoicism and egalitarianism.
The conversation begins with Jonathan sharing his personal journey from STEM to philosophy, setting the stage for a deep dive into Nietzsche's challenging ideas. They explore Nietzsche's opposition to Stoic egalitarianism and his concept of "higher men." The discussion delves into the psychology behind moral beliefs and value systems, examining how Nietzsche's insights can be applied to critically examine our own philosophical commitments.
https://greatbooks.io/
Johnathan’s YouTube
(01:50) From Hating Humanities to Loving Philosophy
(06:06) Silicon Valley Detour
(11:01) The Life of Action VS Contemplation
(19:58) Philosophy as a Way Of Life
(27:43) Nietzsche's Challenge To Stoicism
(31:04) The Equality Illusion
(39:20) Nietzsche on Epictetus
(50:04) Nietzsche For Every Day Life
(56:31) Why Ad Hominems Win & Metaethics
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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In this episode of Stoic Conversations, Michael Tremblay offers a deep dive into one of Stoicism's most popular concepts: the Dichotomy of Control. Drawing from his 2021 article for the Modern Stoicism blog, Tremblay explores common misunderstandings about this principle and provides a more nuanced interpretation aligned with authentic Stoic philosophy.
Key points covered:
Misinterpretations arising from the English word "control" Two common misunderstandings:Control as absolute ability to decide
Control as strong influence
A more accurate interpretation: what depends on us vs. what doesn't Practical applications of this refined understandinghttps://modernstoicism.com/what-many-people-misunderstand-about-the-stoic-dichotomy-of-control-by-michael-tremblay/
***Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Should Stoics become rich? What is your relationship to money?
Caleb speaks with Darius Foroux about his new book The Stoic Path To Wealth. They discuss a practical investment strategy and how Stoics should think about investing.https://dariusforoux.com/
https://stoicpathtowealth.com/
(00:50) Darius's Story
(04:32) Stoicism
(11:51) Your Relationship With Money
(22:37) Becoming Rich
(34:25) Avoiding The Sidelines
(42:07) The Miracle of Compounding
(50:02) Role Models
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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The ancient Stoic, Arius Didymus, provided a framework for practical wisdom and prudence. It’s still applicable today.
Courage
Moderation
(02:29) Reading
(05:01) Judgment
(17:19) View
(26:24) Shrewdness
(31:11) Discretion
(37:38) Soundness of aim
(41:31) Resourcefulness
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Michael and Caleb discuss the differences between modern self help and Stoicism – where self help is useful, where it isn’t, and recommend their favorite self help books.
(04:07) Defining Self Help
(11:31) Where Self Help Goes Wrong
(28:09) The Good in Self Help
(45:02) Best Self Help Books
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Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Caleb and Michael read through Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations. Specifically: Meditations 2.6-2.10.
There are several essential themes in these passages: the importance of self-examination, maintaining focus on what matters, and the philosophical underpinnings of Stoicism. in the Meditations we get to see Marcus Aurelius rehearsing Stoic maxims – and apply that practice to our own life too.
(04:51) Meditations 2.6(12:04) Meditations 2.7
(18:45) Meditations 2.8
(26:11) Meditations 2.9
(34:34) Meditations 2.10
(48:20) Summary
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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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This one is different.
Caleb reads from his essay, Why Stoicism Is True. It’s a short encapsulation of the what he takes to be the three most important ideas of the philosophy – as well as a philosophical defense of their veracity.
Let us know what you think.
https://calebontiveros.substack.com/
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If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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In this episode, Michael presents the Stoic idea of "indifferents." It’s one of the key ideas behind Stoicism, one’s that often misunderstood but necessary to know in order to understand Stoicism.
(02:52) The 3 Value Categories
(06:22) Defining Good
(15:32) Defining Indifferents
(37:32) Total Indifferents
(39:06) How To Live With Indifferents
(51:22) Summary
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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“Moderation is subdivided into good discipline, seemliness, modesty, and self-control.”
The ancient Stoic breakdown of moderation is essential for becoming more disciplined. It will help you think about the ideas of moderation, discipline, and self-control more deeply and generate strategies for how to becoming more moderate in your life today.
Stoic Courage
(00:22) The Meaning Of Moderation
(07:17) David Goggins Can't Hurt Me
(12:06) Moderate Role Models
(18:08) Stoic Sources
(22:15) Self-Discipline
(27:17) Propriety
(34:58) Modesty
(41:13) Self-Control
(44:27) Improving Day By Day
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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In this conversation, Michael and Caleb discuss Epictetus’s chapter On Attention (Discourses 4.12). It’s an essential reading from the Stoic master on an essential topic.
Buddhism 101
Stoicism and Mindfulness
Caleb and Michael also preview an upcoming conversation on Moderation…Stay tuned. It will be released in the next few weeks.
(01:04) The Importance of Attention
(06:07) Pay Attention Now
(08:48) Attention Fuels the Fire
(10:27) Always On
(15:08) What's Wrong With Phones
(20:41) Moderate Shoutout
(22:17) What Are You Attending To?
(31:45) What Else Should You Pay Attention To
(34:59) The Meaning of Life Is Game
(37:48) Attention Is a Habit
(45:31) The Soul Becomes Dyed With the Color of Its Thoughts
(48:45) Reactive Focus***
Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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The Stoics promoted the four cardinal virtues: courage, moderation, justice, and wisdom. In this episode, we talk about Stoic courage. Caleb and Michael discuss what it is and how the Stoics broke it down into different subdisciplines.
Their breakdown still provides an effective framework for building the skill of bravery today.
(01:03) What Is Courage?
(10:19) Aristotle
(14:14) The Subcomponents Of Courage
(15:36) Endurance
(19:03) Confidence
(21:23) Greatness Of Soul
(27:34) Vitality
(33:54) Love Of Work
(39:07) Not Just Overcoming Fear
(40:59) Seneca Motivation
(46:18) Summary
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Do you want to learn how to Journal like Marcus Aurelius?
Parker Settecase explains different approaches to journaling, writing, and recording your thoughts. He and Michael take a deep dive into how and why to think about journaling.
Use these strategies to organize your thinking, and be the best version of yourself.
Park Notes
Michael and Parker on Parker's Pensées
(01:32) Journaling As A Philosophical Practice
(18:24) Transformative Journaling
(22:32) Self-Dialogue
(31:44) Why You Need A Catch All
(34:32) Journaling To Be Present
(38:09) Diary Vs Journal
(44:35) Marcus Aurelius Had A Journal Not A Diary
(45:45) Commonplace Book Vs Compendium
(57:17) Recommendations
(59:18) Michael Pushes Back
(01:02:08) Creation Over Consumption
(01:08:40) Nature Log
(01:12:02) Learn More
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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"The thought for today is one which I discovered in Epicurus; for I am wont to cross over even into the enemy's camp, – not as a deserter, but as a scout."
In this conversation, Caleb and Michael talk about lessons from Epicureanism. To do this, use Seneca’s quotations of Epicurus and other Epicureans as a source. The Epicurean tradition has a lot of wisdom about how to relate to wealth, master desire, and study philosophy.
(00:26) Introduction
(02:38) What Epicureanism Is
(07:54) The Enemy's Camp
(17:37) Philosophy Matters
(22:18) Urgency
(26:10) Money Money Money
(32:01) Desire
(38:06) Drugs
(40:05) Friendship
(49:24) Summarize
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Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe
Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): stoameditation.com/pod
If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.
Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/
Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/
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Why did talking about virtue fall out of fashion – and why is it coming back now?
In this conversation, Caleb speaks with Judith Stove about that very question, providence, and Marcus Aurelius as God.
Judith Stove is a Sydney, Australia, researcher and writer, focusing on Jane Austen and her reception, as well as on Stoicism and other classical virtue ethics. Along with Simon J.E. Drew, she co-hosts the podcast 'Soul Searching With Seneca' at The Walled Garden philosophical community. She is currently assistant editor of the online journal 'Stoicism Today.' Judith is part of the organising team for Stoicon-X Melbourne, which is preparing its fourth in-person event in October 2024. Having published two books on Jane Austen's life and times, she is working on her third, about the legacies of Marcus Aurelius, to appear in 2025.
This is How We Become Godlike: Marcus Aurelius and His Monuments
(00:57) What is Stoicism?
(04:21) Community
(09:49) Finding Stoicism
(18:34) Where Did Virtue Go?
(30:09) Providence
(41:20) Does Caleb Believe In The Stoic God?
(46:15) Marcus Aurelius As God
(54:46) Resources
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