When it comes to philosophy, Stoicism has some of the most interesting lessons to teach in terms of how to live life to the fullest. Founded on the four principles of justice, courage, wisdom and temperance, there’s a thriving worldwide community of Stoics who’re doing their best to live up to the ideals set out by people like Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus.
One such organisation that’s championing Stoicism in the modern day is the Aurelius Foundation. Based in London, The Aurelius Foundation is helping to inspire a new generation of Stoics and their story is worth hearing.
Creating a vision
Set up by business magnate Justin Stead in 2019, the aim of the Aurelius Foundation is to not only spread more awareness about Stoicism around the world, but to inspire young people to embrace philosophy as well.
It was that mission that truly resonated with me and the idea that the pursuit of ideals can start from any age.
These values are reflected on the foundation’s mission statement as being “dedicated to youth and youth development through the education of higher principles and values of Stoic philosophy to bring positive and constructive change through their life contributions to improve upon the many challenges in the world today.”
To that end, the Aurelius Foundation features regular workshops and webinars involving young Stoics and the most relevant issues of our times. There’s a wonderful seminars library on the website which features recordings of events that deal with social media addiction, navigating uncertainty, applying Stoicism to relationships and more.
Following in the footsteps of wisdom
For those who’re interested in learning about the founding of Stoicism, there’s also a wide number of resources at the Aurelius Foundation. From suggesting Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations to reading Epictetus’ Discourses, there are plenty of texts to help broaden the mind.
Another great aspect of the foundation’s mission is that they want to bring Stoicism into the business setting and run Stoic wellness weeks for brands who’re looking to change their processes and embrace new methods of thinking.
Epictetus said that “it is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows” and that dedication to self-improvement is a core principle of Stoicism. The Aurelius Foundation is inviting people of all ages, backgrounds and creeds to get involved.
The future is bright for Stoicism.