Philadephia Stoa

Come join the Philly Stoa as we continue our journey through A Handbook for New Stoics, focusing this session on Weeks 36, 37, and 39. These weeks fall under the Stoic discipline of assent, the practice of examining the impressions that arise in our minds before we agree to them. Together, they invite us into foundational Stoic exercises: catching our judgments before they take hold, and managing our impressions and impulses.

Week 36 takes up Epictetus's counsel to meet each impression at the door rather than letting it walk straight in. We practice noticing the snap judgments and emotional reactions that color our experience, then questioning whether they accurately reflect what is happening. This work creates a small but crucial pause between stimulus and response, the space in which freedom and reason live. Week 37 deepens this practice by asking us to engage with our impressions and impulses in more…