4 Things Epictetus Can Teach Us on the Power of Our Will

Stoic philosopher, Epictetus on the Divine Creation

Photo by Christopher Czermak on Unsplash

Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinions of the things that happen.” ―EPICTETUS (55–135)

Epictetus was a free slave, and a Greek Stoic philosopher. His teachings had influenced many great thinkers, including Rome’s last great emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

Unfortunately, no written works of his survive, apart from the help of his pupil Arian, who preserved his essential doctrines in a manual that since gone on to touch the lives of many of history’s greats.

To put Epictetus’s observational quote above to work, begin to:

• Remind yourself daily that you are a divine creation and entitled to be treated lovingly by others, as well as by yourself.
• Practice regular rituals to affirm the presence of God in you and all that you do.
• Give thanks to everything you receive, including the rain, air, sun, and storms — however they manifest. Gratitude is one way of recognizing God in all things.
• And lastly, let go of any tendency to blame external circumstances for your unhappiness. Epictetus would have…