Falling down the rabbit hole of Stoicism has been an intriguing journey into a philosophical practice that’s contributing towards the development of a positive mental health routine for myself.
In my hunt to discover new resources about Stoicism I came across the Stoa app, which has plenty of insightful content for people who’re new to the philosophy and for those who’ve been practicing it for years.
Meditations, interviews and Stoic theory
Named after the porch that the ancient Stoics used to discuss their views out in the open, Stoa is a phone app that provides a deep dive into the lifestyle through meditation exercises, interviews with modern Stoics and thoughts on Stoic theory from the minds of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.
The meditations section of the app is split into morning and evening routines. These are short 5 minute + soundbites that encourage a deeper thinking of principles like wisdom, courage, self-control and justice.
An example of a morning meditation that I’ve found to be helpful through the app is the meditation on Premeditatio Malorum, or the premeditation of evils, which encourages you to imagine what the worst possible outcome of the day could be and thinking about the steps to avoid it.
This is then bolstered by evening reflections, such as a meditation on courage, which asks you to think about how you were courageous throughout the day and where you would improve for the next. It’s a useful form of reinforcement to take one step at a time.
Insights from veteran Stoics
Another part of the app that’s fun to listen to is the interviews from modern Stoics like Donald Robertson, Massimo Pigliucci, Brittany Polat, John Vervaeke and more. Each interview provides insight into how each person got into the philosophy, while providing helpful tips that can be used in everyday life.
For people who’re interested in learning more about the ancient Stoics, there’s also sections on Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, highlighting how they viewed life.
From my own perspective, I’ve found Stoa to be a really useful app that has helped to deepen my understanding of Stoicism. It’s a great source of information for feeding my inner history nerd, stoking my interest in philosophy and reinforcing my desire to promote positive mental health.
If you’re interested in Stoicism or would like to learn more about the app, there’s a free 7 day trial and then a payment that can be done on a monthly or yearly basis.
Learn more about the app here.