Virtue: Who Decides

VIRTUE: WHAT IS IT? WHO DECIDES? SHARON LEBELL I write to inspire constructive conversation among the philosophically-minded, students of modern Stoicism, the Stoic-curious, and those who consider themselves to be Stoics. I encourage my readers to favor “living the questions” over marshaling arguments to advance or defend cherished or conclusive points of view. Living the […]

Lessons in Stoic Virtue from Ukraine

LESSONS IN STOIC VIRTUE FROM UKRAINE Sharon Lebell From Kyiv my grandfather and his penniless family travelled in steerage to North America in 1903. Many other of my ancestors hailed from villages that lay within today’s Russian Federation territory. To those once fearful and hopeful ancestors who lived on both sides of the arbitrary political […]

Curious Shapes & Symbols

ART BY SHARON LEBELL All rights reserved.These images may not be transmitted or reproduced by any person or entity, in any form or by any means, including but not limited to copying, downloading, scanning, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the artist.

Living as if Your Life Depended on It:

CHOOSING A PHILOSOPHICAL LIFE BY SHARON LEBELL Flourishing is a great place to start any consideration of a philosophical life, because that’s what Stoics aim at. However, let’s briefly shift our conversation from our own flourishing as individuals with the help of Stoic practice to the flourishing of modern Stoic philosophy itself. Let’s conjure the […]

Stoicism and Wabi-Sabi

STOICISM AND WABI-SABI BY SHARON LEBELL One of the more attractive themes within Stoic thought is that of progress over perfection, the notion that we always are seeking to point our thoughts, words, and deeds toward virtue. However, there is no conclusive end to our efforts at sculpting our characters. Stoicism is wisely aware that […]

Maxims for Maximal Living

MAXIMS FOR MAXIMAL LIVING BY ShARON LEBELL I wrote The Art of Living:  The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness. It is a modern interpretation of the great Stoic Epictetus’ teachings and an international classic. When we embrace any framework for living our best life, be it spiritual, religious, practical, or philosophical, we notice […]