Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. In this episode, we explore a powerful Buddhist concept that mirrors Stoic wisdom: the Second Arrow. The first arrow is the pain life throws at us - rejection, loss, failure. The second arrow? That's the one we shoot at ourselves through our reactions, stories, and judgments.

Michael Tremblay discusses the Buddhist parable of the second arrow and what it means for practicing Stoics.

***

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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

The Second Arrow (Episode 162)

Author and Podcaster Noah Rasheta explores the parallels between Buddhism and Stoicism with Michael Tremblay.

Whether you're seeking practical wisdom or philosophical insight, this conversation offers tools for living more skillfully – regardless of which tradition resonates with you.

From handling grief and identity to achieving wisdom, we uncover where these philosophies converge and diverge.

Noah breaks down core Buddhist concepts like the three poisons (desire, aversion, and ignorance) and the practice of mindful awareness, and Michael talks about how these ideas map onto Stoic ideas about reflection and living according to nature. He shares personal stories about losing his business identity and finding peace during difficult parenting moments.

Whether you're seeking practical wisdom or philosophical insight, this conversation offers tools for living more skillfully – regardless of which tradition resonates with you.

(01:24) The Goal Of Life

(13:11) Judging Ourselves

(19:23) Habitual Responses

(25:04) The Middle Way

(30:44) Identity

(43:37) Wisdom

(54:00) Practice

***

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Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

Noah Rasheta on Stoicism vs. Buddhism (Episode 161)

Caleb and Michael discuss Stoic epistemology—how to think well, avoid ignorance, and form justified beliefs. They explore the importance of skepticism, setting realistic standards for truth, and cultivating expertise to navigate complex decisions.

(00:00) Common Sense

(04:54) Default To Skepticism

(09:38) Criterion of Truth

(18:31) Common Sense

(29:10) Building Confidence Through Expertise 

(35:01) Epistemic Reserve Clause

(42:27) Takeaways

***

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If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/



Making Epistemology Cool Again (Episode 160)

Caleb Ontiveros makes the case that Stoicism is more intuitive than you might think. He argues that if minor setbacks don't ruin our lives, why should major ones? This episode explores how Stoic ideas about virtue, happiness, and adversity align with our deepest intuitions about living well.

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

The Intuitive Case for Stoicism (Episode 159)

Bryan Caplan, economist and bestselling author, discusses practical wisdom from modern economics and ancient philosophy.

He argues against medicalization of human behavior, champions personal agency, and reveals why appeasement often beats confrontation. Caplan shows how lessons from economics can serve as self-help and why creating a "social bubble" – the modern version of an Epicurean garden – might be the smartest way to navigate modern life.

The conversation spans Epicurean and Stoic perspectives on death, social obligations, and the thinker Thomas Szasz.

Self-Help Is Like a Vaccine [https://amzn.to/4fx6wIX]

The Myth of the Rational Voter [https://amzn.to/4fdRqrp]

Caplan on Szasz [https://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/pdfs/szasz.pdf]

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

Bryan Caplan on Epicureanism, Agency, and Self-Help (Episode 158)

Michael and Caleb explore how understanding ourselves as our faculty of choice—not our bodies, possessions, or reputation—transforms our approach to life's challenges.

Learn how clarifying what we are (and aren't) guides self-improvement and decision-making, unlocks insights in Stoic theory, and ultimately leads to a more tranquil existence.

(06:10) Why It Matters Who We Are

(09:30) What Are We?

(16:28) You Are Not Your Thoughts 

(24:25) Personal Identity And Indifferents

(30:29) Solving What Is Up To You

(34:34) So How Do We Live?

(43:22) We Really Really Cannot Be Harmed By Others

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

You Are Not Your Thoughts But You Are How You Think (Episode 157)

Why Epictetus tells us to compare our suffering to others.  This simple exercise can help you in times of crisis.  

Join Michael as he breaks down Epictetus’s Handbook 26.

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

The Stoic's Guide to Perspective: Epictetus’s Handbook 26 (Episode 156)

Has Science proven that the world is nothing more than a physical machine without overarching purpose?

Spencer Klavan’s most recent book answers with an emphatic no. Ancient philosophy and modern science reveal that the worldview of materialism is not enough.

Instead, our picture of the world must include mind as a fundamental ingredient – just as the Stoic and Christian worldviews do.

Light of the Mind, Light of the World [https://amzn.to/3UhhWYO]

Young Heretics Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-heretics/id1513602173]

(01:28) Resetting the Narrative About Science

(10:14) Science vs. Religion

(23:30) Secularism and the Sacred

(29:48) Genesis

(42:50) The Stoic View of the World

(49:48) Determinism

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

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If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

Spencer Klavan on Science vs. Religion (and Why the Stoics Were Not Materialists) (Episode 155)

What if the things you obsess over daily don't ultimately matter? The ancient Stoics had a radical idea: most of what we chase - wealth, fame, even health - is neither good nor bad. They called these things "indifferents."

In this episode, Caleb reads his short piece on indifferents and adds additional commentary.

Read the piece: https://www.stoaletter.com/p/indifferents

***

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Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

Why Most Things Do Not Matter: Indifferents (Episode 154)

In this episode, Michael and Caleb break down Handbook 42, where Epictetus lays out Socratic Intellectualism and explains why people's harsh words say more about them than you

This episode will challenge your assumptions about conflict and equip you with practical Stoic tools for navigating a world of criticism and misunderstanding.

(00:52) Epictetus's Handbook 42

(05:48) Empathy

(09:26) People's Words Say More About Them

(14:41) It Seemed So To Him

(18:48) This Applies To Everything

(23:36) Stoic Determinism

(26:22) Difficulty With Socratic Intellectualism

(33:40) Handbook 42

***

Subscribe to The Stoa Letter for weekly meditations, actions, and links to the best Stoic resources: www.stoaletter.com/subscribe [http://www.stoaletter.com/subscribe]

Download the Stoa app (it’s a free download): https://stoameditation.com/pod

If you try the Stoa app and find it useful, but truly cannot afford it, email us and we'll set you up with a free account.

Listen to more episodes and learn more here: https://stoameditation.com/blog/stoa-conversations/

Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations: https://ancientlyre.com/

Epictetus on Insults, Fortitude, and Doing Your Best (Episode 153)

Caleb Ontiveros and Michael Tremblay discuss how to build resilience, develop virtue, and make sense of the world through Stoic philosophy.

One episode a week.

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Stoa Conversations: Stoicism Applied