Send us a text

Start your day with a simple gratitude meditation rooted in ancient Stoic wisdom. In just 10 minutes, you'll practice three gratitudes, shift your mindset from lack to abundance, and set yourself up for a day of noticing what's right—not just what's wrong. Inspired by Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, this guided meditation helps you see clearly what you already have, before the day's demands take over. Perfect for mornings when you want to feel grounded, grateful, and ready.

Send us a text

Start your day with the most powerful Stoic distinction: what is up to you, and what is not.

In this 6-minute guided morning practice, you’ll gently identify a current worry, feel where it lives in your body, and release everything outside your control. Through clear teaching, visualization, and a simple daily intention, you’ll cultivate calm agency and resilience—no matter what the day brings.

Perfect for anyone who wakes up with racing thoughts, anxiety about outcomes, or a desire to respond rather than react. Epictetus’ timeless wisdom, delivered in a modern, practical way.

Return daily to strengthen the habit.

Send us a text

Martijn Schirp and I have known each other for nearly a decade. He first reached out after reading a meditation article I posted on Reddit—a message that changed my life and eventually led to us co-founding HighExistence and running transformational retreats together in Costa Rica.

Since then, Martijn has lived several lifetimes: professional poker player who finished 102nd at the World Series of Poker, a crisis of meaning in Vegas that led him to a Buddhist monastery in Nepal, and then co-founding Synthesis—one of the first legal psilocybin retreat centers in the world, which partnered with Imperial College London and was called the "gold standard" of psychedelic retreats.

Then it collapsed. In 2023, Synthesis went bankrupt, leaving hundreds of students and employees in limbo. Martijn got physically ill from the stress and spent years recovering—volunteering on a farm in Portugal, working with the soil, reconnecting with his teachers.

Now he's back with something new: Upāyosis and "A Path Between Worlds"—a 12-month program that weaves Buddhist contemplative training with intentional psychedelic practice. It's the first time we've spoken in depth in years, and I was struck by how different he seems. As he told me: "I don't have to seek anymore. I think I've found it. Now it's more a question of deepening."

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The intergenerational trauma he discovered through ayahuasca (tracing back to his grandfather in a German orphanage during WWII)
• Why he believes "the container is the medicine"
• What actually went wrong at Synthesis—and what he learned
• The Buddhist answer to whether psychedelics violate the Fifth Precept
• Why peak experiences aren't enough—and what "altered traits" require
• Animism, ecodelics, and our ethical relationship to non-human beings
• Why spiritual friendship is "the whole of the path"
• What his new 12-month program actually involves

I'm joining this program myself—not just as an endorsement, but because I've seen how thoroughly Martijn creates things, and I want to deepen my own practice. If you're someone who's had meaningful psychedelic experiences but feels stuck, or you're a meditator curious about how these paths might converge, this conversation is for you.

Learn more: upayosis.com

Contact Martijn here. 

Send us a text

Do you experience overwhelming stress because you must handle numerous tasks while feeling like your time supply is insufficient? The episode presents ancient Stoic teachings that help listeners eliminate distractions to concentrate on essential things.

We'll explore:

• Your limited existence brings you freedom instead of creating sadness.
• Marcus Aurelius presents a basic inquiry which helps people stay focused on what matters.
• The Dichotomy of Control: how to stop worrying about things you can't change
• The experience of discomfort serves as an indicator which shows you are working on important tasks.
• You can start your focus recovery by taking one essential step during the current day.

The episode draws its knowledge from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus to teach people about performing essential tasks. 

Send us a text

What if the secret to gratitude isn't positive thinking—but imagining loss?

In this 12-minute guided meditation, I'll walk you through an ancient Stoic practice called praemeditatio malorum—the premeditation of adversity. Used by Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, this technique trains you to appreciate what you have before it's gone.

We'll imagine a vivid scenario: a sudden accident that changes everything. Not to be morbid, but to wake you up to the fragility and preciousness of your life right now—your health, your freedom, your relationships, the simple ability to walk across a room.

This practice will help you:

• Cultivate deep, felt gratitude (not just intellectual appreciation)
• Prepare mentally for life's inevitable challenges
• Reduce anxiety by rehearsing resilience
• Break free from hedonic adaptation and wanting more

As Epictetus said: "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

Find a quiet space. Close your eyes. And let's practice together.

Send us a text

Tired of stumbling over Greek terms when exploring Stoic philosophy? This episode is your essential guide to understanding Stoicism's core concepts—without the academic confusion.

Join Jon Brooks as he breaks down the key Stoic vocabulary that every practitioner needs to know, translating ancient Greek wisdom into practical, modern language. From arete (moral excellence) to apatheia (tranquility, not apathy), discover what these terms actually mean and how they apply to your daily life.

You'll learn:

• The true meaning of Stoic "indifference" (and why it's not what you think)
• How prohairesis gives you unshakable freedom
• What Marcus Aurelius really meant by living according to logos
• The difference between destructive emotions and healthy Stoic feelings
• Practical exercises to embody these ancient concepts today

Whether you're new to Stoicism or deepening your practice, this episode transforms confusing terminology into actionable wisdom. No philosophy degree required—just a desire to live with greater virtue, resilience, and peace.

Perfect for: Stoicism beginners, personal development enthusiasts, and anyone seeking clarity on ancient wisdom for modern challenges.

Send us a text

Ever feel like you're drifting through life without a clear moral compass? The ancient Stoics had an answer: four timeless virtues that can transform how you handle stress, make decisions, and find meaning.

In this episode of Stoic Handbook, Jon Brooks breaks down wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance – the four cardinal virtues that philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus used to navigate everything from personal anxiety to leading empires.

You'll discover:

• Wisdom: How to see reality clearly and focus on what you can control (with a modern work deadline example)
• Courage: Why acting on your principles matters more than physical bravery (plus the truth about Stoic tattoos!)
• Justice: How treating others fairly becomes the source of all other virtues
• Temperance: The art of balance in a world of excess and distraction

Jon shares practical daily exercises, modern examples, and explains why these 2,000-year-old principles are more relevant than ever in our chaotic world. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, seeking clarity, or just want to be a better human, this episode gives you a framework that actually works.

Perfect for: Anyone new to Stoicism, people struggling with emotional resilience, or philosophy enthusiasts looking for practical wisdom.

Resources mentioned: Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, Epictetus' Enchiridion, Modern Stoicism website

Send us a text

Reclaim your calm in a world of group chat drama and endless notifications. This 12-minute guided practice breaks down Epictetus' 20 social rules from the Enchiridion Chapter 33—ancient Stoic wisdom for modern chaos.

Learn to pause before reacting, redirect gossip into growth, disarm critics without ego, and curate connections that elevate your energy. Perfect for high-stakes meetings, family dinners, or digital detox.

Ideal for: Anyone tired of reactive conversations, people-pleasing, or social media drain.

🎧 Related: How to Handle Difficult People: Stoic Strategies, Empathy vs. Compassion, and Communication Techniques

💌 Join 9,000+ readers: The Stoic Handbook newsletter → stoichandbook.co

Send us a text

Let me guess: you've read Marcus Aurelius. You know some things are up to you and some aren't. And yet... you still lie awake replaying conversations, spiraling over outcomes, or feeling like a failure when things don't go your way.

Yeah. Me too.

Here's the problem: the dichotomy of control is brilliant philosophy—but it's terrible instructions for real life. People hear "focus on what you control" and either become passive ("guess I'll just accept everything") or confused ("wait, don't my actions influence outcomes?").

Today I'm fixing that.

I'm walking you through the Epictetan Control Framework (ECF)—a 6-step process that upgrades Stoicism's most famous tool into something you can actually use without your brain short-circuiting.

We're covering:

• Why even smart people misuse the dichotomy
• The one question that instantly clarifies what's "up to you"
• How to plan like a strategist and evaluate like a Sage
• Real examples: job hunting, tough conversations, and everything in between
• The "reserve clause" that makes you bulletproof
• A field exercise to run the framework on YOUR stressor (right now)

By the end, you'll have a tool you can use in two minutes, any time anxiety or frustration tries to hijack your day.

This is Stoicism that actually works. No fluff. No philosophy-speak. Just clarity, action, and peace.

Let's go.

Send us a text

What if the secret to genuine confidence isn't positive affirmations or fake-it-till-you-make-it energy—but five ancient skills the Stoics spent centuries perfecting?

In this episode, we explore how clarity of purpose, non-attachment to outcomes, radical authenticity, unshakeable self-worth, and enjoyment of your own company create the kind of confidence that doesn't need external validation.

You'll discover:

• Why clear intentions make you magnetic (and how to develop them)
• The Stoic practice of releasing outcomes without abandoning effort
• How to close the gap between who you are and who you pretend to be
• Why self-worth isn't arrogance—it's philosophical truth
• The biofeedback loop that shapes your personality when you stop performing

These aren't traits you can fake. They're practices you cultivate. And when you do? You become someone who walks through the world with self-sovereignty—unbothered by rejection, unshaken by external chaos.

Stop twisting yourself into shapes that don't fit. Start here.