<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode brings haiku and Stoicism into conversation, showing how both traditions teach us to savor fleeting moments while also meeting life with energy and purpose. Bashō’s delicate images remind us to slow down and truly see the world, while Seneca urges us to “hold every hour in your grasp.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;And in a surprising twist, modern research reveals that Stoic practice doesn’t dull the spirit—it ignites zest, the vigor that makes life feel vivid again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together, haiku’s quiet attention and Stoicism’s joyful readiness form a blueprint for living fully in every passing instant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;👇 👇 👇&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;📻&lt;strong&gt; FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out one of my latest daily &lt;em&gt;Micro Morning Meditations&lt;/em&gt; here on Substack:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Run Back Over Your Actions&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-run-back" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-run-back&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&lt;p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A celebration of life as it is.

This episode brings haiku and Stoicism into conversation, showing how both traditions teach us to savor fleeting moments while also meeting life with energy and purpose. Bashō’s delicate images remind us to slow down and truly see the world, while Seneca urges us to “hold every hour in your grasp.” And in a surprising twist, modern research reveals that Stoic practice doesn’t dull the spirit—it ignites zest, the vigor that makes life feel vivid again. Together, haiku’s quiet attention and Stoicism’s joyful readiness form a blueprint for living fully in every passing instant. 👇 👇 👇 📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT Check out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack: ☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Run Back Over Your Actions<a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-run-back" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-run-back</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Practical Ways to Find Joy in the Present

<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode turns the Stoic lens toward the illusions of power and wealth, as Epictetus and Cicero expose the tyranny of desire and the poverty of excess.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Through the figure of the boastful ruler and the self-satisfied rich man, both philosophers reveal how dependence on externals—on fortune, status, or approval—enslaves the soul.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;True mastery, they argue, lies not in ruling others but in ruling oneself. The person content with virtue alone, free from craving and fear, is richer and stronger than any tyrant alive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;👇 👇 👇&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;📻&lt;strong&gt; FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out one of my latest daily &lt;em&gt;Micro Morning Meditations&lt;/em&gt; here on Substack:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Meaning of Life&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-meaning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-meaning&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&lt;p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Your spirit should be the judge.

This episode turns the Stoic lens toward the illusions of power and wealth, as Epictetus and Cicero expose the tyranny of desire and the poverty of excess. Through the figure of the boastful ruler and the self-satisfied rich man, both philosophers reveal how dependence on externals—on fortune, status, or approval—enslaves the soul. True mastery, they argue, lies not in ruling others but in ruling oneself. The person content with virtue alone, free from craving and fear, is richer and stronger than any tyrant alive. 👇 👇 👇 📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT Check out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack: ☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Meaning of Life<a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-meaning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-meaning</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

What Tyrants Get Wrong About Power and Wealth

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I talk to Shermin Kruse, a globally recognized negotiation consultant, law professor, author, and TEDx producer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;In her latest book, Stoic Empathy, Shermin blends neuroscience, philosophy, and her own personal journey to provide actionable insights into cultivating influence, self-leadership, and emotional regulation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a pleasure to speak to Shermin, I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;👇 👇 👇&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;📻&lt;strong&gt; FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out one of my latest daily &lt;em&gt;Micro Morning Meditations&lt;/em&gt; here on Substack:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Virtue Doesn't Need To Signal&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-virtue-doesnt-f2d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-virtue-doesnt-f2d&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&lt;p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Influence, self-leadership, and integrity

In this episode, I talk to Shermin Kruse, a globally recognized negotiation consultant, law professor, author, and TEDx producer. In her latest book, Stoic Empathy, Shermin blends neuroscience, philosophy, and her own personal journey to provide actionable insights into cultivating influence, self-leadership, and emotional regulation. It was a pleasure to speak to Shermin, I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. 👇 👇 👇 📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT Check out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack: ☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Virtue Doesn't Need To Signal<a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-virtue-doesnt-f2d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-virtue-doesnt-f2d</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Why The World Needs Stoic Empathy (Interview with Shermin Kruse)

<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode weaves together the wisdom of Michel de Montaigne and Seneca—two thinkers separated by centuries yet united in their answer to life’s oldest question: how should we live?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;For Montaigne, the key was freedom from the fear of death. For Seneca, freedom from the waste of life. One teaches acceptance, the other intention.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together, they remind us that peace comes not from prolonging our days, but from inhabiting them fully—to stop dreading the end and start honoring the present as life’s most sacred gift.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;👇 👇 👇&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;📻&lt;strong&gt; FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out one of my latest daily &lt;em&gt;Micro Morning Meditations&lt;/em&gt; here on Substack:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: This Is True Temperance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-this-is-2fa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-this-is-2fa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&lt;p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

How to live well.

This episode weaves together the wisdom of Michel de Montaigne and Seneca—two thinkers separated by centuries yet united in their answer to life’s oldest question: how should we live? For Montaigne, the key was freedom from the fear of death. For Seneca, freedom from the waste of life. One teaches acceptance, the other intention. Together, they remind us that peace comes not from prolonging our days, but from inhabiting them fully—to stop dreading the end and start honoring the present as life’s most sacred gift. 👇 👇 👇 📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT Check out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack: ☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: This Is True Temperance<a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-this-is-2fa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-this-is-2fa</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Don’t Fear Death, Fear a Life Unlived

<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we look at the beauty of balance through Seneca’s counsel on plain living and Max Ehrmann’s &lt;em&gt;Desiderata&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Seneca reminds us that philosophy calls for simplicity, not self-punishment—a life both modest and graceful, grounded yet open to the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Echoing this, Ehrmann’s gentle verses urge calm, kindness, and humility amid life’s noise and haste.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together, these voices teach that wisdom is not withdrawal but harmony: to live earnestly, serve humbly, and never lose sight of the quiet joy found in life’s simplest things.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;👇 👇 👇&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;📻&lt;strong&gt; FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out one of my latest daily &lt;em&gt;Micro Morning Meditations&lt;/em&gt; here on Substack:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Remain Human in an Inhuman Time&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-remain-human" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-remain-human&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr&gt;&lt;p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'&gt; Hosted on Acast. See &lt;a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'&gt;acast.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Be gentle with yourself.

In this episode, we look at the beauty of balance through Seneca’s counsel on plain living and Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata. Seneca reminds us that philosophy calls for simplicity, not self-punishment—a life both modest and graceful, grounded yet open to the world. Echoing this, Ehrmann’s gentle verses urge calm, kindness, and humility amid life’s noise and haste. Together, these voices teach that wisdom is not withdrawal but harmony: to live earnestly, serve humbly, and never lose sight of the quiet joy found in life’s simplest things. 👇 👇 👇 📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENT Check out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack: ☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Remain Human in an Inhuman Time<a href="https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-remain-human" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-remain-human</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The Poetry of Simple Stoic Living

Using Stoic philosophy to help you (and me): LEARN from the past, PLAN for the future, LIVE in the present. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The What Is Stoicism? Podcast

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