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Epictetus says "No man is free who is not
a master of himself."

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Epictetus was a prominent Stoic philosopher
whose life and teachings exemplified resilience,

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self-mastery, and the pursuit of inner freedom.

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Born into slavery Epictetus overcame his challenging
circumstances to become a revered philosopher

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and teacher, leaving a lasting legacy through
his philosophical works and ideas.

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Epictetus' journey from slavery to mastery
is a testament to the transformative power

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of philosophy.

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He was owned by a wealthy Roman named Epaphroditus,
who recognized Epictetus' intellectual potential

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and allowed him to study philosophy under
the tutelage of Musonius Rufus, another Stoic

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philosopher.

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Epictetus' education and exposure to Stoic
teachings ignited a passion for philosophy

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and personal development.

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Upon gaining his freedom, Epictetus established
a school of philosophy in Rome, where he taught

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his own version of Stoicism.

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Stoicism is a school of philosophy that emphasizes
virtue, self-discipline, rationality, and

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the pursuit of flourishing and fulfillment
through the development of one's character.

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According to Epictetus, real freedom is not
just about being able to do what we want.

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Real freedom is about taking control of our
own thoughts and feelings.

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He believed that true freedom comes when we're
not relying on things like how successful

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we are, how much money we have, or what other
people think of us.

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Instead, it's like freeing ourselves from
being too attached to these outside things.

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Epictetus said this kind of inner freedom
is the most important kind of freedom, even

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more important than just being free in a legal
or external way.

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In this video, we delve into four essential
principles drawn from Epictetus' teachings

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that guide us in nurturing inner freedom and
developing independence from external circumstances

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and judgments.

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1.

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Free your mind
Epictetus once said: "Make the best use of

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what is in your power, and take the rest as
it happens."

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Epictetus, who endured slavery, emphasizes
that true freedom stems from the power of

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our minds.

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He presents this concept in his work "The
Enchiridion" by skillfully differentiating

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between things we can control and those that
are beyond our reach.

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According to Epictetus, unhappiness comes
when we feel trapped by circumstances and

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are unable to break free.

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To avoid this, he suggests looking at life
from a different perspective.

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He says that all situations can be split into
two groups: the things we can influence and

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the things we can't.

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The things we can't influence include events,
situations, what others think, even our bodies.

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But Epictetus believes the only area we can
truly control is our inner world – our thoughts,

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beliefs, attitudes, desires, and choices.

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There are countless things we can't control
that nonetheless affect us, so Epictetus emphasizes

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that our real power lies in how we react to
outside events, instead of trying to control

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those events themselves.

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For example, you can't control your boss's
attitude at work, but it shouldn't affect

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how hard you work.

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By valuing your honest effort, external situations
won't affect your determination.

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Epictetus warns us not to rely too much on
things outside of our control to decide how

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we act.

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Doing this can take away our real freedom
and stop us from making choices on our own.

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In summary, Epictetus is saying that true
independence comes from looking inside ourselves

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and using our minds to guide us, no matter
what's happening outside.

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This kind of freedom helps us stay calm and
make our own choices, even when the world

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around us keeps changing.

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2.

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Train your habits
In the words of Epictetus: “Nothing is in

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reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature
but all things become so through habit.”

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At first glance, the idea of habits being
connected to real freedom might seem odd.

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Habits often come across as repetitive routines
that drain life of meaning.

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Even the great French novelist Marcel Proust
remarked that habits can hide the richness

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of the world from us.

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He hinted at how habits can trap us in a dull
existence.

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But when it comes to the Stoics, things take
a different turn.

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Epictetus viewed habits in a completely opposite
light.

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He saw habits as something powerful that shapes
how we engage with the world and ourselves.

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He compared it to learning to walk or run.

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By doing these actions repeatedly, we get
better at them.

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Similarly, if you want to be good at something,
make a habit of it.

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And if you want to avoid something, replace
it with a different habit.

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This principle extends to our thoughts and
emotions too.

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If you let anger take over, you're not only
experiencing that negative emotion, but you're

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also making it a habit.

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Conversely, if we practice responding calmly
and rationally to challenging situations,

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we create a habit of emotional self-control.

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This habit becomes instrumental in attaining
inner freedom by enabling us to detach from

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immediate emotional impulses and make more
deliberate choices.

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Developing good habits isn't just about doing
things; it means matching our actions with

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what we truly believe and value.

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This makes us feel really good inside and
helps us find the real path to freedom.The

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wise ideas of the Stoics come from an old
Greek idea called "arete," which is about

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being really good at what's important.

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Epictetus believed that true freedom comes
when we practice important qualities like

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wisdom, courage, fairness, and self-control.

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When you always do things that show these
qualities, you feel balanced and calm inside.

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It's like living exactly how you believe in
your heart.

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Put simply, understanding the right way to
live isn't enough through contemplation alone

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– you must put it into practice.

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Integrating the cultivation of inner freedom
into your everyday life is essential.

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Freedom and rationality aren't bestowed upon
you automatically; they are skills that you

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hone through dedicated practice.

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In essence, you must actively refine your
innate abilities, as they won't manifest magically

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without your personal endeavor.

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Let's use a simple example: Imagine you often
struggle to react calmly to things that happen

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each day.

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The Stoic advice is to spend some quiet time
at the end of the day.

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During this time, think about the important
events that took place that day and how you

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reacted to them.

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Try to see if your behavior matches your values.

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Consider what lessons you can learn from these
events and write your thoughts down.

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If you often find it hard to control your
emotions and get upset easily, you could create

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a habit of taking a pause after something
bothers you.

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Think about the situation before reacting.

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Keep doing this, and you'll become better
at making good choices, managing your desires,

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and dealing with people.

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For instance, imagine a colleague makes a
rude comment at work.

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Instead of getting angry right away, take
a moment to step back.

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Ask yourself why the comment bothered you.

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Is getting upset worth it?

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Maybe your colleague's comment wasn't about
you.

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They might be having a tough day.

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Getting angry won't make things better.

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After some thought, you could approach your
colleague calmly.

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You might say, "I noticed your comment earlier,
and it made me uncomfortable.

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Can we talk about it?"

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By doing this regularly, you'll start to change
how you react.

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You'll get better at handling your feelings
and making good decisions.

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Epictetus believes that real freedom comes
from changing yourself.

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You can control your thoughts and your way
of life.

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Even though you can't control outside events,
you can change your inner self and attain

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true freedom through this transformation.

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3.

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Control your desires
According to Epictetus "Freedom is not procured

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by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but
by controlling the desire.”

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Epictetus believed that true freedom goes
beyond mere external possessions or status,

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it resides in the power of our minds to rule
over our physical desires and material belongings.

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Someone who possesses free will, regardless
of their external circumstances, cannot be

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considered a slave.

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On the other hand, even someone who is legally
free can be enslaved by their inner cravings

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and passions.

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Epictetus saw this duality in both our body
and minds – they can either be free or imprisoned.He

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cautioned against excessive wants and desires,
which he saw as chains that bind our inner

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selves.

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Constantly chasing after material possessions
or seeking approval from others could lead

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to losing sight of what truly matters, thus
becoming captives of our own desires.

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Epictetus advocated for a different approach
– one of embracing a frugal lifestyle, focusing

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on what’s essential, and letting go of unnecessary
wants.

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By simplifying our desires and living within
our means, we could liberate ourselves from

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the relentless pursuit of material wealth
and find contentment in the present.

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Consider this scenario: Picture having tons
of money, a huge house… all the latest gadgets:

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Would you feel truly free?

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Epictetus would argue that even with all these
external things, true freedom might elude

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you if you're always anxious about losing
them or constantly craving more.

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Instead, he suggested a different path – a
path of simplicity and moderation.

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By simplifying our desires and not constantly
chasing after more, we can experience a unique

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kind of freedom.

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It's a feeling of contentment that comes from
recognizing you have everything you need and

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not being enslaved by unnecessary wants.

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To illustrate this idea, let's meet two friends,
Alex and Sam.

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Alex is always in pursuit of the newest toys,
gadgets, and clothes.

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They dedicate a lot of time and energy to
acquiring these things.

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On the contrary, Sam finds happiness in the
simple joys of life.

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They cherish the time spent with friends,
reading, and taking leisurely walks.

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Sam doesn't feel compelled to constantly acquire
new possessions.

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As time goes by, Alex starts feeling stressed
and overwhelmed.

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The pressure to maintain their lavish lifestyle
and accumulate more becomes a burden.

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In contrast, Sam feels a sense of freedom.

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They're not tied down by the need for the
latest and greatest.

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Their simple and meaningful life brings them
contentment.

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Epictetus would point out that Sam is experiencing
genuine freedom.

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By simplifying their desires and not falling
into the trap of excessive wants, Sam has

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found inner peace and independence from material
concerns.

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In essence, Epictetus teaches us that true
freedom isn't about amassing possessions or

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striving for societal recognition.

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It's about finding happiness and contentment
within ourselves, living a balanced life.

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4.

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Love your Fate
In our final quote from Epictetus for this

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video, he says “Do not seek for things to
happen the way you want them to; rather, wish

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that what happens, happens the way it happens:
then you will be happy.”

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In this quotation Epictetus states the inseparability
of our state of happiness with accepting our

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fate, letting things come and go.

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Moreover, this acceptance is the cornerstone
of our path to freedom.

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In support of this paradoxical thesis,
Epictetus once said: “A man’s master is

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he who is able to confer or remove whatever
that man seeks or shuns.

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Whoever then would be free, let him wish for
nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends

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on others; else he must necessarily be a slave”.

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As we talked about before, life has many aspects
that we can't change or control.

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When we put time and effort into changing
them, it usually doesn't work, and we just

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end up feeling frustrated.

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But it's not a good idea to give up on life
and stop caring just because of these things.

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Some people think this way, like a poet named
Heinrich Heine.

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He said, "Sleep is nice, but death is even
better.

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Actually, the best thing would be if we were
never born at all."

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On the other hand, the Stoics have a very
different point of view.

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Of course, you can’t escape this chain of
Fate, but struggle can cause only suffering.

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However, you can reorient your perspective
on this flow of events and reorganize your

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inner response to it.

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If you can’t change your Fate, you can try
to embrace it!

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This state of changing perspective on Fate
is expressed in the Latin phrase “Amor Fati”

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- literally “Love of Fate”.

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The Stoics see Fate as an intelligent and
purposeful universal law, embracing it through

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understanding rather than effort.

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They believe everyone, divine or human, is
subject to this law, which is wise and ordered,

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not random.

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Contrary to sacrificing happiness and freedom
to Fate, stoics find both within it, by connecting

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to knowledge and understanding the universe's
rationale.

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This connection leads to authentic liberation,
revealing that a mindful state of mind brings

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profound freedom, even within a predetermined
cosmic order.

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In today’s world, it might sound weird to
think that accepting Fate can make you free.

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Many people don't want to accept things; they
hope for better stuff.

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We often feel anxious and think the world
is unfair.

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This makes us focus so much on our own worries
that they become the only thing we see.

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It's like we become slaves to our own anxiety.

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According to stoicism, if you can see your
hardships as good lessons it can help you

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become calm and wise.

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Imagine you lost your job and its left you
feeling distressed and depressed, you could

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wallow in your unhappiness or you could see
it as a chance to rethink your career and

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life.

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Maybe there's something you've always wanted
to do but couldn't because of that job.Stoics

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also suggest keeping a diary where you ask
yourself, "What can I learn from these events?"

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This can help you see Fate as your teacher,
not your enemy.

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Now let’s imagine you didn't lost that job,
but instead were stuck in it, despite hating

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it.

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You can keep feeling frustrated and let hate
control you, or you can learn from it.

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Maybe you'll find new skills or friends through
that job.In short, Stoics teach us to love

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Fate, learn from every experience, and stay
calm even when things go wrong.

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This can set us free from anxiety and make
us wiser and happier.

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If you enjoyed this video, please make sure
to check out our full philosophies for life

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00:16:53,630 --> 00:16:58,829
playlist and for more videos to help you find
success and happiness using beautiful philosophical

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00:16:58,829 --> 00:17:01,940
wisdom, don’t forget to subscribe.

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Thanks so much for watching.