I sometimes get the impression that Stoicism is often taken as, and practiced as if it were, a way to finally control everything, including our feelings.
Yet this is quite incorrect. Stoicism is not about becoming able to control everything.
It is about finally starting to begin to acknowledge that we don’t and can’t, and to start to begin to learn, to know, in and through experience of all sorts, what it is to accept this and live from it and in it.
Besides writing, SeekerFive creates visual art and designs under his Leaf Town brand for tech accessories and decor. His current emphases are unique cases for your iPhone or Android phone.
Some can be seen on Instagram @leaftowndesigns (https://www.instagram.com/leaftowndesigns).
All available can be seen at https://society6.com/leaftown.
Images by (and property of) SeekerFive unless otherwise indicated.
To me, stoicism is accepting that we have little control over anything outside our immediate vicinity and not always a whole lot of control over even that. If we work at it we may be able to control most of what goes on inside our own heads but even that isn’t always a sure thing.
It comes down to the Tranquillity Prayer about changing what can be changed, accepting what cannot, and knowing the difference. Tho, personally, I am evolving into more of a classical Epicurean.
That’s a very interesting development — from Stoic to Epicurean, that is.