Everything has two handles : the stoic's guide to the art of living

In the course of this compact and insightful work, Dr. Ronald Pies, tells us a little about what happiness is, and a lot about how to achieve it. The first chapter begins with a reminder from the great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, that "things do not touch the soul." This, explains Pies, "is the keystone in the arch of Stoic philosophy." In a sense, then, the rest of the book is an extended meditation on how we might avoid letting things touch our souls too much. But, it is much more than simply a meditation. From here, Pies goes on to offer readers a well-researched, often witty explanation of how Stoic philosophy—as it resonates not only with Christian and Judaic, but also with Buddhist and Hindu worldviews—can guide and improve their lives. In the process, he draws on his own considerable clinical experience to offer composite case vignettes, both positive and negative, that illustrate the principles he is discussing.

In the course of this compact and insightful work, Dr. Ronald Pies, tells us a little about what happiness is, and a lot about how to achieve it. The first chapter begins with a reminder from the great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, that things do not touch the soul. This, explains Pies, is the keystone in the arch of Stoic philosophy. In a sense, then, the rest of the book is an extended meditation on how we might avoid letting things touch our souls too much. But, it is much more than simply a meditation. From here, Pies goes on to offer readers a well-researched, often witty explanation of how Stoic philosophy-as it resonates not only with Christian and Judaic, but also with Buddhist and Hindu worldviews-can guide and improve their lives. In the process, he draws on his own considerable clinical experience to offer composite case vignettes, both positive and negative, that illustrate the principles he is discussing.

Thinking and feeling -- Mortality and meaning -- Morality and self-respect -- Adversity and self-possession -- Perfectionism, virtue, and self-acceptance -- Living in harmony with the universe -- Living in the here and now -- The opinion of others -- The common bond of being -- Character and happiness -- Contentment with our lot.;In the course of this compact and insightful work, Dr. Ronald Pies, tells us a little about what happiness is, and a lot about how to achieve it. This book shows how the ancient teachings of Stoicism apply to our everyday-lives. The book integrates the teachings of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and others, into the kinds of difficult situations all of us face in our modern age. The reader will emerge with a stronger sense of how "the art of living" may be achieved with the philosophical principles of Stoicism.