Author: Derrick Koon

This last week, my mentor at the College of Stoic Philosopher Dirk Mahling, passed away.  This was, of course, a sad shock and created some confusion for me.  Dirk was always admonishing me to ‘polish your soul’ but he never told me exactly how this gets done!  How now do I journey to the place my own soul resides without his encouragement and clues? I will miss his witty guidance immensely. 

What is the soul to a traditional Stoic? The  soul is corporeal, a body unto itself, a thing that ‘could act and be acted upon’. Like the Epicureans, Stoics saw the soul as  part of the aggregate of the human body that constituted the mind: “a fine-structured body diffused through the whole aggregate, most strongly resembling wind with a certain blending of heat….all this is shown by the soul’s powers, feelings, mobilities, and thought processes, and whose loss marks our death.” (Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus 63-7). Not only was the soul a body, but it is  something that obeys the laws of physics while generating all mental states and acts. 

But the soul is more than just mind-stuff. The soul was believed to be a hot, fiery breath [pneuma] that infused the physical body. “As a highly sensitive substance, pneuma pervades the body establishing a mechanism able to detect sensory information and transmit the information to the central commanding portion of the soul in the chest. The information is then processed and experienced.” (International Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stoic Philosophy of Mind, 2022). 

I presented to Dirk my idea that the soul was all the mind-stuff in us, including the physiology of our neurological and endocrine systems, our memories, subconscious, emotions, dreams, our inherent moral codes and our hegemonikon. I even suggested that our microbiome may be a member of the soul’s aggregate, as some scientists think we are influenced by our bacterial community too!  So if we ‘polish’ the soul, we are reorganizing the processing and the output of our mind-stuff.  To do what?  To live in harmony with Nature, to act virtuously, to know oneself deeply, to form accurate impressions and try to become one’s best person, in any and all circumstances.  Polishing up is a way to Stoic up. 

We are cleaning up the machine, so to speak, as we polish it from inside out.  Thank you Dirk, for setting the direction for my head (and soul) and God speed.  

With gratitude and respect,

Kathryn, Derrick, Todd

The weather here in the midwest is beginning to change again. After a cold winter it is nice to take a long walk around the local park and reflect on myself. More than exercise, it is a spiritual practice for me. I picture myself walking with Marcus or Epictetus and communing with them. Much of Stoic practice is aimed at internal aspects, our desires, our assents, our impulses. We often forget that the Stoics were not hermits or cloistered clergy, they believed in the oneness of the universe. They believed in the connection between us and everything else via the active principle of the universe. For me, a walk reminds me of that connection. I feel the sun and hear the birds and remember that we are all connected via a thin line of causality. 

This is only one of many spiritual exercises that I use to practice Stoicism in my everyday life.  But I am interested to hear how you practice. If you are willing click the link below to be taken to a form where you can share one or many practices. I will include some in the next registry report to share with everyone.

Finally a word about what is happening in the world right now. The Stoics of old were not immune to the impacts of war. Marcus spent years on the front line and ultimately died there. As a Stoic, we must accept that there are things beyond our control. One of those being the thoughts and opinions of others. Especially those which stand on opposing sides of a conflict. What we must remember though is that these men and women are not evil. They are misguided about what good is, and how to be happy. From Marcus to Cato, Stoics saw war as a last resort when reason and better judgment had failed. We are all part of the same cosmos, as such we each have a duty to care for each other, even those who wish us harm.

With gratitude and respect,

Kathryn, Derrick, Todd

Recently, while watching psychologist Dr. Jonathan Fader’s webinar “Building a Masterpiece of Positive Habits”, I realized how many Stoic themes he wove into his formula for a successful life. Dr. Fader presented an enthusiastic, credible slate of Stoic-like methods intended to produce a level of meaningful accomplishment in ANYTHING that one desires to do.  Using habitual routines, mnemes, role models, games, partners, and a constant return to values, he channeled John Wooden, famous UCLA basketball coach, who stated “Make everyday your masterpiece.”  The Stoics would have agreed, modifying this statement to “Make everyday one of personal areté.” That means, be the best Stoic one can possibly be, using one’s unique circumstances, deliberate, planned effort, consistent practice, strong will, careful choices, connection with other Stoics, and clarity of purpose to achieve excellence! We can recreate our lives into something magnificent and full of eudaimonia.

Now for our own news:  You may have noticed that the Stoic Registry and its (mostly) monthly Registry Report email has been changing for quite some time now. We hope to bring you interviews, quotes of the month, links to new resources, and of course, a current list of new Stoics from all over the world. Stay tuned, stay in touch (info@theStoicRegistry.org), and may your day tomorrow be a Stoic Masterpiece.  And welcome to all newly declared Stoics!

With gratitude and respect,

Kathryn, Derrick, Todd

I like to revisit books I have read in the past. Recently, I picked back up the Inner Citadel which is a deep dive into the spiritual exercises of Marcus Aurelius. If you haven’t read it I would strongly recommend it as it outlines Marcus’s practice of journaling on the three  disciplines as outlined in the Discourses of Epictetus. 

For those unfamiliar or just starting out, in the Discourses Epictetus starts in the first paragraph on what is known as the Dichotomy of Control. Essentially this is the dividing line between what is up to a Stoic and what is not. This is a cornerstone of Stoic practice. What is also laid out in Discourses 1 is the first mention of the three disciplines of Stoic practice, namely assent, action and desire. These are all listed as things “in our power” or “up to us” depending on the translation. The rest of the Discourses are filled with Epictetus putting these three disciplines on display and attempting to teach his pupils how to implement them. They are what bind all of the spiritual practices that we as Stoics use to alter the color of our souls. Each practice focuses on a different discipline. Amor Fati, for example, is used to focus our discipline of desire, while the view from above is about altering our judgments or assent. In short each exercise ties back to one of the disciplines, helping us to become better Stoics.  

With gratitude and respect,

Todd, Derrick, Kathryn

Do you agree that a picture or an image can evoke far more information than the written word can in a similar amount of space? Does your retention of knowledge improve when you doodle or draw out the subject matter? Do you find that if you make mental models it helps to reinforce the concepts you aspire to understand?

Well, I certainly do! It was with the intention of better understanding Stoic philosophy that I began to build a mind map of the “Stoic system”. As I initially read and researched Stoic texts, I found very little visual representation of key concepts, much less imagery of the entire Stoic system (the fact that Stoics built a comprehensive system was a key aspect that drove my affinity for Stoicism.) I therefore began to construct a mental model for purely personal understanding and recall. I referenced multiple sources as I built my map while including personal thoughts, reflections, and images.

The mind map I am sharing with you is my interpretation of the Stoic system. I am certain that there are gaps and inaccuracies in this map, and I apologize in advance if you find it confusing or unhelpful. I am sharing it after receiving enthusiastic “nudges” from my friends at The Registry who have stated that others might benefit from this uncommon visual schema.  We welcome feedback on how we might further improve upon this map and encourage you to send your thoughts to info@thestoicregistry.com. Positive comments are welcomed too.

As stated, this mind map was based on many different sources and from many conversations, but I would like to extend my thanks to Chris Fisher for his “Stoicism on Fire” podcasts, Dr. John Sellars for his book “Stoicism”, and to Erik Wiegardt & Adam Valenstein who mentored me through my coursework with The College of Stoic Philosophers, as particularly large influences on growing my understanding of our philosophy and this map.

Stoic Mind Map

With gratitude and respect,

Todd, Derrick, Kathryn

I just closed the final page on Laura Hillenbrand’s stunning recount of Lieutenant Louis Zamperini’s long and brutal World War II experience in her 2010 bestseller Unbroken. Louis was an accomplished Olympic runner before entering the Army Air Force.  He crashed while serving as a bomber in a rickety, unreliable B-24 in the Pacific theater, and embarked on an unimaginable set of terrifying events for the rest of the war.  Relying on his physical training, resourcefulness, and humor, Louis survived 47 days in the ocean on a tiny raft, circled by leaping sharks, with no food or water; was captured and tortured as a POW for two years; and  swallowed into alcoholism and PTSD after coming home. Ultimately, Louis found forgiveness and healing in the embrace of an evangelical community and his own family, which provided meaning, structure and love. 

Louis was driven to the limits of human endurance and extremity of conditions. Traditional Stoics believe, like Seneca, that “those apparently vicious events that form part of providential fate should in fact be welcomes with open arms” (Sellars, pg. 102). Why? One part of the answer is Seneca’s answer that disasters are not misfortunes, so much as “virtue’s opportunity” (Prov. 4.6), for us to build our moral character and sustain our integrity as rational beings.   Stoics physics, describing a rational, benevolent, and providential consciousness that results in the deterministic Fate we experience, also includes our own ability to ‘co-join’ or shape some outcomes.  When Louis smacks the massive shark on the nose, he is solving the problem right in front of him; he is acting Stoically to lean into his situation with areté, grace, and virtue and co-fated to influence the outcome.  By the way, Louis lived until 96 years old! 

We all have our own dramatic storylines, our ocean of sharks. That is why the Stoics threw us a life vest: philosophy as a way to keep our head above the waves and our hearts still scanning for land.  Resilience, growth, and a good life in the face of what we can’t control and acting with intelligence and virtue in those situations where we can.  We salute you, Louis, and Veterans everywhere.

With gratitude and respect,

Kathryn,Todd, Derrick

A few weeks ago  I was taking my wife to work when they announced that someone near us had won the 1.28 billion dollar lottery. As we sat in the usual Chicago morning traffic my mind began to wander thinking about all the things I would do if I won the lottery. The usual things came to mind. Take care of friends and family, provide for my children, get rid of debts and worry, oh the possibilities! While being non-Stoic thing to be doing as money is and should always be considered an indifferent (though a preferred one) it did bring to mind the value of time in all this.

Seneca talks a lot about the value of time and how we often mismanage it. Marcus too, reminds us that we should never be doing anything aimlessly and reminds us often that our time here on earth is brief. In fact you would be hard pressed to find any of the remaining Stoic texts that doesnt in some way caution about wasting time. So does that mean that the Stoics valued time more than other things? No in fact one of the things that we are cautioned against doing is putting too much value on a long life over a short one. Time just like money has the capability to be used for good or evil. One can spend time making the world a better place or spend time making it miserable.

What I have come to realize is that even though both money and time are indifferent only one of them is irreplacable. Therefore, we should treat time, be it our own or others as more precious than gold. What this means is that to give time is to give the ultimate gift. Especially if that time is spent virtuously. The elderly who sit alone in nursing homes would love to have some of your time. The animals at the shelter would love some too. It is possible that with the time you spend sitting in front of the tv or computer you could do more to improve the world than if you were handed a winning lottery ticket. With gratitude and respect,

Derrick, Kathryn,Todd

I think a great deal about eudaimonia and how I might create flourishment in my life. There has been much written about the English translation of the Greek word eudaimonia, and common terms include happiness, joy, flourishment, and flow. As Stoics, we all know that arete, the practicing and upholding of virtue or excellence, is critical in achieving eudaimonia.  For me, I utilize what Pierre Hadot calls spiritual exercises to improve my application of virtues, but one concept which I am intrigued by, and is far less explored, is the relationship between beauty and gratitude.  Have you ever wondered what comes first beauty or gratitude? And how do you know something is beautiful? And when you notice beauty, what is the result for you?

In the last few years, I have been paying attention to when I notice beauty ~ what are the conditions when I see or experience beauty and contemplating how much of it is due to my external environment and how much of it is due to my personal state of mind and awareness.  My greatest learnings have taken place during my daily bike commute, where I am fortunate to be able to follow a path along commercial areas (train tracks that include railroad cars filled with Boeing aircraft fuselages, working waterfronts, a ship canal locks system and fish ladder) and urban saltwater parks & recreation areas.

At first, I was just grateful for the ride and saw limited amounts beauty – usually witnessed at daybreak along the Puget Sound. But as time progressed my gratitude for the bike path, the commercial work taking place, the tugboats, the variation in trees, the various types of people using the bike path converted me from merely having gratitude to fully experiencing beauty. I am now consciously attentive to objects and moments of gratitude. I have also found that there is a blurring between objectivity and perception, frequently I am astounded that I see beauty where I know I would have not even have noticed a thing a few years ago. On a recent evening I noticed streetlights reflecting off rain drenched leaves of a maple tree in my front yard and was truly awestruck by the beauty.  Mind you, I have lived in my house for 22 years with that same tree in the same front yard and many, many Seattle rainstorms, and had never once recognized the beauty it provided (or the resulting gratitude I experienced.) My daily commute focusing on gratitude and resulting beauty has bled into a practice I am now applying n all aspects of my life.

My current thinking is that beauty certainly drives gratitude, but it tends to show up as an involuntary reaction. Gratitude on the other hand is a choice, a behavior, and habit. Some might say as an assent to a cognition. As I spend more time staying in the current moment and trying to apply gratitude everywhere I am able, the more I realize that I walk in beauty. I still have a long way to go in making this a constant experience.  For example, I am still working on being grateful for the garbage laden portions for my daily commute, much less seeing beauty in that refuse, but I am working on it!

How do you perceive the relationship between beauty and gratitude? And does it have impact on eudaimonia for you? With gratitude and respect,

Todd, Derrick, Kathryn