Letters from a Stoic Key Takeways
[expand title=”How To Use”]This is a collection of short key takeaways (less than 500 words) from the letters sent by Seneca to Lucilius. Seneca’s letters are one of our favorite stoic reflections so we put into a collection some of the most important stoic concepts that Seneca discussed in the letters and the most beautiful pieces of advice he gave to Lucilius. We recommend using Letters from a Stoic by Robert Mott Gummere as a reference as it is the most complete with all the 124 letters. Other books have missing letters. Free free to BOOKMARK this page so you can go back to it later as you read through the letters.
There are three ways to use these key takeaways:
(1) You can use it as a preview before you read a letter so you get a sneak peek of the most important concepts
(2) You can use it as a review after you read a letter to wrap up things up
(3) Or if you have read all the letters before you can use these to refresh your memory
Regardless of how you use it, we hope you find values in these key takeaways. If you have questions or if you like to get more content in stoicism in general you can follow us with our social media pages via the links on top of the page. We are most active in our twitter page which is @moderntimestoic [/expand]
Letters from a Stoic Summary (21-40)
Click on a letter (violet text)
Letter 21:
(1) Lasting happiness can only be found within
(2) To add more of anything, decrease desire
Letter 22:
(1) Complete withdrawal from strong desires
(2) Leaving the world free from care as it is with birth
Letter 23:
(1) Defining true joy
(2) Reflecting death and beginning to live
Letter 24:
(1) Dealing with anxiety
(2) Death as a process: We have been dying every day
Letter 25:
(1) Difficulty of changing an old’s man habits
(2) Limiting desires means never getting poor
(3) Finding guardians and role models to regulate one’s character
Letter 26:
(1) Sound mind with a frail body from old age
(2) Death – the ultimate test of courage
(3) Epicurus: Think on Death
Lesson 27:
(1) Virtue is the only good
(2) A sound mind cannot be bought
Lesson 28:
(1) Real change can only be found within
(2) Recognizing fault is the beginning of change
Lesson 29:
(1) How to correct a friend’s fault
(2) The pointless of winning social approval
Lesson 30:
(1) Embracing old age and nearing death
(2) Why death should not be feared
Letter 31:
(1) What is good and bad?
(2) Seek virtues
Letter 32:
(1) Crowd can hinder progress
(2) True good can only be found within
Letter 33:
(1) Maxims on a bigger picture
(2) Creating Your Own Maxims – Mental Independence
(3) Perpetually Seeking the Truth
Letter 34:
(1) Fulfillment of a teacher
(2) Consistency with words and actions
Letter 35:
(1) Hasten your self-improvement
(2) Will and Consistency
Letter 36:
(1) Sticking with retirement – leaving the spotlight
(2) The gods has no jurisdiction with virtues
(3) Life and death cannot co-exist
Letter 37:
(1) Embracing fate and the inevitable death
(2) Philosophy – the only way to be free
(3) Control through reason
Letter 38:
(1) Preference on conversation
(2) The power of words
Letter 39:
The quality of a good soul (Will to be good, contentment, self-control)
Letter 40:
How a philosopher’s discourse should be
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