Letters From A Stoic

This post contains letters from Seneca, a Stoic philosopher of Ancient Rome, and my thoughts on his philosophy.

• What is Stoicism?

     Stoics identified the path to achieving it [ good spirit ] with a life spent practicing the four virtues in everyday life:
     wisdom, courage, temperance or moderation, and justice, and living in accordance with nature. ¹

Letter II

Seneca’s second letter is addressed to Lucilius, emphasising significance of settling one’s self and deriving joy from solitude. He advises against consuming books from different authors, instead “focusing on authors whose genius is unquestionable”.

I would slightly disagree with him on this point. There is no doubt genius writers would have a great effect on one’s mind, however you cannot ignore the impact of the human experience. If you are reading something not-so-genius but you learn a valuable lesson from it, I would argue it would be a wise choice. While Seneca’s analogy of a wound not healing if subjected to experiments of several ointments, or a plant weakening from constant uprooting is compelling, engaging with a multitude of viewpoints and getting perspective deepens your understanding of things. With this in mind, I would not say reading a lot of garbage self-help authors or a bunch of phony writers would do your life any good. Picking the right authors is without a doubt a good first step.

Seneca also suggests focusing more on the quality than the quantity of books. This resonates with my philosphy and it is something I really struggle with sometimes. Whenever I start a book, my heart wants to finish it (as most of us would like to). However, this is a key point to keep in mind:

To read that brings pleasure, and to let go of books that cause pain.

To use this knowledge as a shield against life’s adversities and cultivate the habit of resilience is valuable advice. I couldn’t agree more with Seneca when he says, “It is not the man who has too little who is poor, but the one who hankers after more”

Letter III

Remember the popular proverb, A friend in need is a friend indeed?

In this letter, Seneca addresses Lucilius’s distrust towards his friend, and dramatically questions him if he “actually” called him a friend or if it was merely out of courtesy. This debate evokes a point in my life, when I stood by this philosophy of true friendship. (as ridiculous as it sounds) I reserved the title of a friend with those I shared a deep friendship, while others, less intimately known, remained acquaintances. The significance of words may be overlooked in today’s world, yet the value words hold must remain.

To me, Friendship is a bond built on trust, where we willingly place our hearts and souls at our friend’s feet, trusting they will not deceive us. Overcoming fear of betrayal demands reflecting the same trust we have in ourselves. Seneca offers timeless wisdom on this matter, advising against both indiscriminately confiding in everyone and keeping secrets from our closest friends. Certainly judgement must precede freely sharing thoughts.

Seneca believes being busy in life doesn’t always equate to productivity, rather signifies a troubled mind. Likewise, condemning all activity leads to laziness and not a relaxed mind. He advocates for striking a balance and suggests looking towards nature for relaxation. Below is a quote I really found interesting in this letter:

“Some men have shrunk so far into dark corners that objects in broad daylight seem quite blurred to them”

Letter V

Seneca earnestly approves of those constantly learning, determined for self-improvement. To be a better man (or woman) is essential, however he warns against doing it to seek attention, or for solely provoking others through appearances or ways of living. This is profoundly accurate in an era, dominated by FAANG mania, Instagram reelz and TikTok trends.

It is fascinating how a philosopher born centuries ago accurately describes our reality. Better yet shares his ideas on how to lead a simple life. Maybe, this philosophy is deeply rooted in the essence of humanity, passed down through generations; a promise of belonging to one race, one global community.

Seneca puts this beautifully: Our motto, as one knows, is to live in conformity with nature.

Here are some key points I found fascinating in this letter:

• Admiring one’s way of life, and appreciate the beauty in its simplicity.
• Admire one’s character and values, instead of their material possessions.

Seneca also highlights how fear and hope march in unison “like a prisoner and escort he is handcuffed to”. This theme is widely explored, so I would just like to add how memory brings back the agony of fear, and as philosophical as it sounds, one must live in the present.

Letter VI

In this letter, Seneca writes to Lucilius that he observes not only improvement, but also transformation within himself. While humbly admitting his imperfections, Seneca admits the significance of sharing his feelings with his friend (as discussed in a previous letter). Additionally, he highlights the mutual benefit of exchanging insights through shared books. Knowledge is valuable if shared, useless if held in secret. My philosophy on this remains. Talking to someone each day and studying their character benefits more than conversing with someone rarely. More often than not, to be your own friend too is a wonderful idea of progress, atleast in theory. Nonetheless to share-it-all with a friend is a priceless benefit.