DeepSummary
Ryan Holiday starts off the podcast by explaining that on Fridays, he reads a daily meditation from the Stoics and a passage from his book 'The Daily Stoic' which he co-authored with Stephen Hanselman. He talks about the importance of the Stoic practice of 'zooming out' and seeing things from a higher perspective, as Marcus Aurelius advised in his 'Meditations'.
Holiday discusses how Marcus Aurelius would imagine seeing humanity from a bird's eye view, which would give him a sense of humility about the relatively small scale of human affairs compared to the vastness of the world and universe. Holiday notes that we can easily get this perspective today through technologies like satellite imagery and air travel.
The second half of the episode focuses on the concept of using mantras or short phrases to remind oneself of Stoic principles. Holiday reads a quote from Marcus Aurelius about using a mantra to keep out disturbing impressions and desires. He encourages listeners to adopt their own mantras or watchphrases as a Stoic practice.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Gain perspective by mentally 'zooming out' to view human affairs from a higher, impartial vantage point.
- Adopt short mantras or phrases to constantly remind yourself of key Stoic principles in daily life.
- Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' provides guidance on both of these vital Stoic practices.
- Developing these habits can cultivate humility, presence of mind, and ethical living.
- The modern world provides useful tools like satellite imagery to aid the 'zooming out' exercise.
- Choose mantras that resonate with you personally and repeat them regularly.
- Treat Stoic practices as an ongoing training regimen to ingrain the principles.
- Both cosmic perspective and calming mantras help manage disturbing emotions.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “He writes, the thousands of animal herds, the rituals, the voyages on calm or stormy seas, the different ways we come into the world, share it with one another, and leave.“ by Marcus Aurelius
- “So maybe think as a big picture, what's a mantra for the year, right. For you, as we're wrapping up January here, what's your mantra? But then also, just what are some day to day mantras?“ by Ryan Holiday
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Episode Information
The Daily Stoic
Daily Stoic | Wondery
1/26/24
In the muck and mire of daily life, it’s easy to get frustrated with people. It’s easy to prioritize the wrong things, to lose perspective. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment or forget the actual magnitude of your problems.
Which is why the Stoics remind us to zoom out. At least twice in Meditations, Marcus Aurelius speaks of taking “Plato’s view” and by that he means getting up high and looking down on humanity. “To see them from above,” he writes, “the thousands of animal herds, the rituals, the voyages on calm or stormy seas, the different ways we come into the world, share it with one another and leave it.”
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In today's Daily Stoic Journal excerpt, Ryan examines the power of a mantra through the Marcus Aurelius.
“Erase the false impressions from your mind by constantly saying to yourself, I have it in my soul to keep out any evil, desire or any kind of disturbance—instead, seeing the true nature of things, I will give them only their due. Always remember this power that nature gave you.” —MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.29”
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