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On today’s episode, I’m grateful to share a conversation with my good friend Simon Drew from the Walled Garden Philosophical Society and the Soul Searching with Seneca podcast. Simon is a poet, musician, philosopher, and someone with a deep appreciation for Seneca’s wisdom and writing.

In the conversation, we reflect on Seneca’s Letter titled On Groundless Fears, which was the last episode on Sundays with Seneca.

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In a letter known today as On Groundless Fears, Seneca wrote, "I know that you have plenty of spirit; for even before you began to equip yourself with maxims which were wholesome and potent to overcome obstacles, you were taking pride in your contest with Fortune; and this is all the more true now that you have grappled with Fortune and tested your powers. For our powers can never inspire in us implicit faith in ourselves except when many difficulties have confronted us on this side and on that and have occasionally even come to close quarters with us. It is only in this way that the true spirit can be tested—the spirit that will never consent to come under the jurisdiction of things external to ourselves." [...]

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Does anyone actually understand you? It seems that, universally, we all have parts of us that are unknown to others (and often even to ourselves).

The American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradicts everything you said today. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, …, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh.” [...]

In this episode, I share a short clip from my conversation with Jonathan Robinson, the author of The Enlightenment Project. The full conversation will release next week on In Search of Wisdom.

Jonathan is a psychotherapist and best-selling author of ten books. He has studied the most practical and powerful personal and professional development methods for the last thirty years. He’s interviewed several spiritual and philosophical thinkers, from Mother Teresa to the Dalai Lama and many others.

In this portion of the conversation, I asked Jonathan Robinson about some of the myths around enlightenment. He outlines ten myths about what leads to enlightenment in The Enlightenment Project.

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Welcome to Sundays with Seneca on the Perennial Meditations podcast. Join the search for ancient lessons for modern life in the writing and Stoic philosophy of Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

In a letter known today as On Practicing What You Preach, Seneca wrote, "I am glad if you are in good health and if you think yourself worthy of becoming your master at last. The credit will be mine if I can drag you from the floods you are being buffeted without hope of emerging. This, however, my dear Lucilius, I ask and beg of you, on your part, that you let wisdom sink into your soul and test your progress, not by mere speech or writings, but by stoutness of heart and decrease of desire. Prove your words by your deeds." [...]

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The opening passage of the Enchiridion, by Epictetus, reads as follows: “There are things that are within our power, and there are things that are beyond our power. Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever affairs are our own." [...]

In today's episode, I connect with my friend Brandon Tumblin, the host of The Strong Stoic podcast. Brandon is extremely knowledgeable about Stoicism and, more importantly, how to integrate Stoic wisdom into daily life.

If you’re not already a subscriber to The Strong Stoic, I highly encourage you to do so. I’ve learned a lot from many of Brandon’s episodes, including these 20-minute deep-dive episodes he does on practical wisdom. One recent example is the episode on Generosity; I encourage you to give it a listen!

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In this episode, I share a short clip from my conversation with Stephen Angle, the author of Growing Moral: A Confucian Guide to Life. The full conversation will release next week on In Search of Wisdom.

In Growing Moral, Angle quotes the Confucian philosopher Mengzi, “Suppose someone suddenly saw a child about to fall into a well. Anyone in such a situation would have a feeling of alarm and commiseration — not because they sought to get in good with the child’s parents, not because they wanted a good reputation among their neighbors and friends, and not because they dislike the sounds of a child’s cries.” […]

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Welcome to Sundays with Seneca on the Perennial Meditations podcast. Join us as we search for ancient lessons for modern life in the writings and Stoic philosophy of Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

In a letter known today as On Philosophy, the Guide of Life, Seneca wrote, "It is clear to you, I am sure, Lucilius, that no man can live a happy life, or even a supportable life, without the study of wisdom; you know also that a happy life is reached when our wisdom is brought to completion, but that life is at least endurable even when our wisdom is only begun." […]

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Why do spiritual and philosophical traditions all stress the notion of the shortness of life? It seems it would be in the category of self-evident. Although the notion of impermanence (or nothing lasts) is straightforward, deepening our understanding can change how one lives in the world. [...]

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Welcome to Sundays with Seneca on the Perennial Meditations podcast. Join us as we search for ancient lessons for modern life in the writings and Stoic philosophy of Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

In a letter known today as On Brawn and Brains, Seneca wrote, "The old Romans had a custom which survived even into my lifetime. They would add to the opening words of a letter: “If you are well, it is well; I also am well.” Persons like ourselves would do well, to say. “If you are studying philosophy, it is well.” For this is just what “being well” means. Without philosophy, the mind is sickly, and the body, too [...]

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