Stoic Happiness

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded way back in the third century B.C. So, what do these old Greek dudes have to do with you and your happiness today? The Stoics offer us ancient wisdom for post-modern times. Their approach to happiness, not unlike some Eastern approaches, is strong on self-control and self-determination. Epictetus and the other Stoics would say your real happiness has nothing to do with your job, income level, home, friends, or even your health. 

Basically for the Stoics, happiness is derived from thee things:

1) Living in harmony with the Universe

2) Gratefully and gracefully accepting what life gives you

3) Not taking anything personally

Like the Taoists, the Stoics believe that living in harmony with the Universe has alot to do with following the ways of nature. Or, as it says in The Bible (and in that old Byrds song), "to everything there is a season." Expansion/contraction, gain/loss, success/failure -- these, and all other pairs of opposites, will continue to alternate throughout your life. The Stoics see this, understand this, and refuse to go on an emotional roller coaster ride because of it. Harmonize with the natural cycles of life, the say, and all will be copacetic!

Not only does it make no sense to push the river, say the Stoics, it is also stupid and self-destructive to piss and moan about life giving you a raw deal. Whatever you get, accept it, enjoy it and move on. Be open to what comes your way, and don't worry, good or bad, it too shall pass. 

Finally, the Stoics say, "Hey, dude, don't take it so friggin' personally!" The path to happiness leads directly from the personal to the impersonal. The sun shines on all equally, thus be like the sun.

This whole Stoic approach to happiness is what we might call a school of the Internal Way. External conditions mean nothing to the Stoics. Happiness is all about internal self-control and external harmony. As the most famous Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, puts it: "If, therefore, any man be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy because of himself alone." Larry Winget and Dr. Phil meet your predecessor, Epictetus!

The Stoic ideal is The Sage, the person who sees and accepts life for what it is and has thus transcended all negative emotions. Fear, hate, anger, sadness, and all other negative emotions are seen as barriers to happiness. Get your mind right, Luke, and those emotions will be a thing of the past and happiness will be your normal, everyday state. Then, no matter what fortune befalls you, you remain happy, happy, happy all the time. Or as Epictetus says, "sick and yet happy, in peril and yet happy, dying and yet happy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy."

A tall order? Perhaps. But an intriguing proposition. Can you harmonize, can you accept, can you impersonalize enough to find happiness ever and always within? Only way to know -- try it!