Y11W42VC The Stoic practice that survives the data

The Stoics were Roman philosophers who developed specific practices for dealing with difficulty, disappointment, and the limits of control. For centuries their ideas were dormant. In the last few decades they've been rediscovered, repackaged, and extensively popularised — sometimes well, sometimes as inspirational wallpaper. This week's article examines what Stoic practice actually is, what the research supports, and which parts deserve to survive the popularisation.

Core Vocabulary

dichotomy

/daɪˈkɒt.ə.mi/|di·chot·o·my

noun

A division or contrast between two things that are entirely different.

Word Breakdown: Greek dicha (apart) + temnein (to cut) → literally "cutting into two"

Word family: dichotomous (adj), dichotomise (vb)

Synonyms: division, split, contrast, polarity

Collocations: a sharp dichotomy, false dichotomy, a clear dichotomy between

Example: The Stoic dichotomy of control — what you can and cannot change — is one of the tradition's most durable insights.

In the articleThe article uses "dichotomy of control" as the central Stoic concept examined.

voluntary

/ˈvɒl.ən.tər.i/|vol·un·ta·ry

adjective

Done, given, or acting without being under pressure; freely chosen.

Word Breakdown: Latin voluntarius (of one's own will) → from voluntas (will)

Word family: volunteer (n/vb), voluntarily (adv), involuntary (adj)

Synonyms: deliberate, intentional, self-chosen, uncoerced

Collocations: voluntary discomfort, voluntary action, on a voluntary basis

Example: Voluntary discomfort — deliberately taking cold showers or fasting — was a Stoic technique for building tolerance.

In the articleThe article describes voluntary discomfort as one of the Stoic practices with research support.

cosmic

/ˈkɒz.mɪk/|cos·mic

adjective

Relating to the universe or cosmos; vast in scale or significance.

Word Breakdown: Greek kosmos (universe, order) + -ikos (adjective suffix)

Word family: cosmos (n), cosmically (adv), cosmological (adj)

Synonyms: universal, infinite, vast, celestial

Collocations: cosmic perspective, cosmic indifference, cosmic scale

Example: The Stoics placed human suffering against a cosmic backdrop, arguing that most worries are trivial on a universal scale.

In the articleThe article notes the Stoic tendency to reframe problems against a cosmic perspective.

determinism

/dɪˈtɜː.mɪ.nɪ.z(ə)m/|de·ter·min·ism

noun

The philosophical doctrine that all events are determined by previously existing causes, leaving no room for free will.

Word Breakdown: Latin determinare (to fix limits) + -ism (doctrine suffix)

Word family: deterministic (adj), determinist (n), determine (vb)

Synonyms: fatalism, predetermination, necessity

Collocations: strict determinism, hard determinism, causal determinism

Example: Stoicism is sometimes confused with determinism, but Stoics maintained that virtue and rational choice remain within our control.

In the articleThe article distinguishes Stoic acceptance from passive determinism.

suppression

/səˈpreʃ.ən/|sup·pres·sion

noun

The action of forcibly holding back or preventing something, especially an emotion or thought.

Word Breakdown: Latin supprimere (to press under) → sub (under) + premere (to press) + -ion

Word family: suppress (vb), suppressive (adj), suppressor (n)

Synonyms: repression, inhibition, restraint, containment

Collocations: emotional suppression, thought suppression, suppression of feeling

Example: Research shows that emotional suppression — pushing feelings down — tends to backfire, increasing the intensity of what is suppressed.

In the articleThe article distinguishes Stoic equanimity from mere suppression of emotion.

contemplation

/ˌkɒn.temˈpleɪ.ʃən/|con·tem·pla·tion

noun

Deep reflective thought, often sustained and purposeful.

Word Breakdown: Latin contemplari (to survey, observe) → from con + templum (a marked-out space for observation)

Word family: contemplate (vb), contemplative (adj), contemplatively (adv)

Synonyms: reflection, meditation, pondering, deliberation

Collocations: quiet contemplation, in contemplation of, contemplation of mortality

Example: The Stoic practice of contemplation — pausing to consider what is truly within one's power — is central to the tradition.

In the articleThe article examines contemplation as a Stoic technique with modern research support.

equanimity

/ˌek.wəˈnɪm.ɪ.ti/|e·qua·nim·i·ty

noun

Calm composure, especially in difficult situations; mental calmness.

Word Breakdown: Latin aequus (equal) + animus (mind) + -ity → "evenness of mind"

Word family: equanimous (adj)

Synonyms: composure, serenity, calmness, steadiness

Collocations: face with equanimity, maintain equanimity, remarkable equanimity

Example: The Stoics aimed not at suppressing emotion but at cultivating equanimity — a stable composure that is not disturbed by circumstance.

In the articleEquanimity is described as the goal of Stoic practice, distinct from emotional suppression.

marketed

/ˈmɑː.kɪ.tɪd/|mar·ket·ed

verb (past participle)

Promoted or presented to an audience, often for commercial or popular purposes.

Word Breakdown: market (n/vb) + -ed (past tense/participle suffix)

Word family: market (n/vb), marketing (n), marketer (n)

Synonyms: promoted, packaged, sold, publicised

Collocations: heavily marketed, marketed as, marketed to

Example: Stoicism has been heavily marketed in the self-help industry, often stripped of its philosophical complexity.

In the articleThe article is critical of how Stoic ideas have been marketed and popularised.

Technical Terms

dichotomy of control

/daɪˈkɒtəmi əv kənˈtrəʊl/|di·chot·o·my of con·trol

noun phrase

Stoic distinction between what is and isn't in our power

Synonyms: Stoic control distinction, what-is-up-to-us principle, locus of control discipline

Collocations: apply the dichotomy of control, dichotomy of control teaches, misapply the dichotomy of control

Example: The dichotomy of control — distinguishing what is entirely up to us from what is not — is Epictetus's foundational Stoic principle: the path to tranquillity lies not in changing the world but in directing effort exclusively toward the domain the will actually governs.

negative visualisation

/ˈnɛɡətɪv ˌvɪʒuəlaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/|neg·a·tive vi·su·al·i·sa·tion

noun phrase

Stoic practice of imagining loss to increase appreciation

Synonyms: premeditatio malorum, adversity rehearsal, obstacle premeditation

Collocations: practise negative visualisation, negative visualisation counters hedonic adaptation, negative visualisation in Stoicism

Example: Negative visualisation — deliberately imagining the loss of what one values — is the Stoic antidote to hedonic adaptation, designed to restore appreciation for what has been taken for granted by temporarily inhabiting the imagined reality of its absence.

In the articleDon't dwell on the negative.

voluntary discomfort

/ˈvɒlənteri dɪsˈkʌmfət/|vol·un·tar·y dis·com·fort

noun phrase

deliberate exposure to hardship to build resilience

Synonyms: intentional hardship, chosen adversity, deliberate discomfort practice

Collocations: practise voluntary discomfort, voluntary discomfort builds resilience, voluntary discomfort in Stoicism

Example: Voluntary discomfort — deliberately choosing experiences of cold, hunger, or effort that are not necessary — trains resilience and reduces fear by demonstrating that what was dreaded is endurable, shrinking the psychological grip of anticipated hardship.

CBT

/ˌsiː biː ˈtiː/|CBT

noun phrase

cognitive-behavioural therapy, which draws significantly on Stoic techniques

Synonyms: cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive-behavioural approach, structured talking therapy

Collocations: CBT techniques, CBT and Stoicism, apply CBT principles

Example: CBT shares structural features with Stoic philosophy — both treat emotional distress as arising not from events themselves but from beliefs about events, and both offer techniques for identifying and revising the cognitions that produce unnecessary suffering.

In the articleThe CBT connection Modern cognitive behavioural therapy, developed from the 1950s onward, owes more to Stoicism than most people realise.

premeditatio malorum

/prɛˌmɛdɪˈtɑːtɪəʊ məˈlɔːrəm/|pre·me·di·ta·ti·o ma·lo·rum

noun phrase

premeditation of adversities, the Stoic rehearsal of possible difficulties

Synonyms: premeditation of evils, anticipatory rehearsal of adversity, negative visualisation (Latin)

Collocations: practise premeditatio malorum, premeditatio malorum in Stoic practice, the purpose of premeditatio malorum

Example: Premeditatio malorum — the premeditation of evils — is the Stoic practice of regularly imagining what could go wrong, not to generate anxiety but to remove the terror of surprise and cultivate the equanimity that comes from having already faced the worst in imagination.

In the articleOne of their central practices was called premeditatio malorum — the premeditation of evils.

Figurative Phrases

roll with the punches

To adapt flexibly to difficulties, setbacks, or unexpected changes without being overwhelmed; to remain functional despite repeated adversity. Drawn from boxing, the phrase captures the Stoic ideal of equanimity in the face of external pressure.

Etymology/Type: idiom from boxing

Synonyms: adapt to difficulties without being overwhelmed, recover from setbacks without losing composure, deal flexibly with whatever comes

Example: Rolling with the punches describes the Stoic ideal of equanimity in practice — not the absence of difficulty but the capacity to absorb adversity without allowing it to disturb the inner citadel that deliberate practice and the dichotomy of control are designed to protect.

take it in stride

To handle a difficulty or challenge calmly, absorbing it without excessive disruption to one's composure or routine. The phrase implies that composure is practised, not accidental — a behavioural expression of Stoic preparation.

Etymology/Type: idiom; not literal stride

Synonyms: handle calmly, manage without being disrupted, absorb without overreacting

Example: Taking adversity in stride is the behavioural expression of having practised the dichotomy of control — the person who has cultivated the Stoic distinction between what is up to them and what is not encounters obstacles with equanimity rather than frustration.

grin and bear it

To endure an unpleasant situation with composure and without complaint, accepting hardship stoically rather than seeking to escape it. The phrase captures a surface version of Stoic acceptance, though genuine equanimity involves more than suppression.

Etymology/Type: idiom; 'grin' figurative

Synonyms: endure something unpleasant without complaint, accept hardship stoically, suffer without expressing distress

Example: Grinning and bearing it in the Stoic tradition is not mere suppression but philosophical acceptance — the recognition that the external event is neither good nor bad, only the judgement one attaches to it, which means the appropriate response is equanimity rather than complaint.

above the fray

Removed from conflict, chaos, or emotional turbulence; maintaining calm detachment from heated disputes or distracting noise. The phrase describes the Stoic ideal of engaging with the world without being destabilised by it.

Etymology/Type: idiom; no literal position

Synonyms: removed from conflict and disturbance, maintaining calm detachment from turmoil, unaffected by surrounding disorder

Example: The Stoic practice of remaining above the fray — engaging with the world fully while maintaining an inner detachment from its outcomes — is what CBT calls cognitive distancing: the capacity to observe one's own reactions without being entirely defined by them.

weather the storm

To endure a difficult period, crisis, or prolonged adversity without abandoning one's course or values, emerging intact on the other side. The phrase implies a combination of patience, resilience, and the expectation that difficulty is temporary.

Etymology/Type: idiom; no literal weather

Synonyms: endure a difficult period, survive hardship without giving up, persist through adversity

Example: Weathering the storm is made possible in the Stoic tradition by premeditatio malorum — the prior rehearsal of difficulty that removes its capacity to surprise and overwhelm, because what has been anticipated can be met with a prepared rather than a reactive mind.

keep a stiff upper lip

To remain composed, stoic, and outwardly unemotional in the face of difficulty, suppressing visible displays of distress. The phrase describes a cultural ideal of emotional restraint that aligns superficially with Stoicism but differs in depth.

Etymology/Type: idiom; no literal lip

Synonyms: show no emotion in the face of difficulty, maintain composure under pressure, not show pain or distress openly

Example: The instruction to keep a stiff upper lip captures the outward dimension of Stoic emotional control — but the philosophical tradition is more interested in the inner transformation that makes emotional equanimity genuine rather than the performed suppression that the phrase sometimes implies.

Confusing Words

dichotomy vs dichotomous

These forms of the same concept serve different grammatical functions — one a noun naming the division, the other an adjective describing something divided.

  • dichotomy (noun) — a division into two contrasting and mutually exclusive categories. The dichotomy of control divides all things into those within our power and those outside it. The noun names the structure of the division.
  • dichotomous (adjective) — divided into two mutually exclusive categories; of or relating to a dichotomy. A dichotomous variable takes only two values. A dichotomous framework divides its subject into two exclusive options. The adjective modifies nouns.

If you need a noun to name the division itself, use dichotomy. If you need an adjective to describe something as being divided into two exclusive categories, use dichotomous.

voluntary vs volunteer

Both words relate to freely chosen action, but they serve different grammatical functions and describe different things.

  • voluntary — done, given, or acting of one's own free will; not compelled. Voluntary discomfort in Stoicism is chosen rather than imposed. Voluntary action is contrasted with compelled action. The word is an adjective describing the nature of an act or action.
  • volunteer (noun/verb) — a person who freely offers their services; or the act of freely offering. A volunteer gives their time without payment; to volunteer is to offer oneself for a task. As a noun it describes a person; as a verb it describes the act of offering.

If describing an action as freely chosen rather than compelled, use the adjective voluntary. If referring to a person who freely offers services or the act of making such an offer, use volunteer as noun or verb.

contemplation vs meditation

Both words describe practices of sustained mental focus, but they differ in the tradition they come from and the activity they describe.

  • contemplation — sustained, serious thought about a subject; also, in spiritual traditions, a form of non-discursive awareness. Stoic contemplation of what is not within one's control — premeditatio malorum — is a cognitive and imaginative practice. Contemplation implies sustained engagement with a specific content or object.
  • meditation — a formal practice of mental training, often involving focus on the breath or a mantra to develop non-reactive awareness. Meditation in the mindfulness tradition cultivates meta-cognitive awareness — the capacity to observe thoughts without being identified with them. The word carries specific technical associations with practice traditions distinct from Stoicism.

If describing sustained cognitive or imaginative engagement with a specific subject or problem, use contemplation. If referring to the formal practice of attention training — breath focus, body scan, mantra — use meditation.