📜 Wednesday’s Quote of the Day 📜

Chapter XV. from the Enchiridion is an extremely powerful passage because it encompasses 3 main Stoic teachings: moderation, accepting fate, and our desires.

I. Moderation

Moderation is one of the 4 primary virtues of Stoicism. They argued that things in excess can be detrimental and that as humans, we should live with balance and moderation.

If anything in life is brought around to us, just as at a banquet, we should not over-indulge and let our desires get the better of us and our self-control. Rather, we should simply take a modest amount, enjoy and be grateful for the modest amount, and not allow excess pleasure turn into vice.

II. Accepting Fate

Accepting our fate is a pillar to the Stoic Philosophy. Everything happens to us for a reason and in the end, Nature is what weighs the scales out and decides the right course of action for us.

If we pass something by or something passes us, just as at a banquet, we should not fuss or wail that we didn’t take it. We should not grieve that ‘we missed out’ on it or how ‘life would be better with it.’ Accept that it passing by was for the better and that we should be content with our provided fate.

III. Our Desires

Epictetus noted that desiring and avoiding events out of our control will lead to a disrupted state of mind - i.e. disappointment or upset. By removing these desires and aversions dependent on externals, we’ll avoid these disruptions.

If something has not yet reached us, just as at a banquet, we should not hope or desire for that event to arrive. Truthfully, it may never even come - and yearning in desire for a never-coming event would inevitably lead to that disappointment he was mentioning. Instead, desire what is in your control (our actions, thoughts, decisions). Desire not the external events that may never happen, rather, desire that our actions are right, thoughts are just, and decisions are virtuous.

Cheers,

Adam