Part of my summer reading this year has focused on Stoic Philosophy.  It's a school of thought that dates back to the 3rd century that has now become popular with artists, politicians, and entrepreneurs all over the world.  Notable figures such as Bill Clinton, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson have all used the words of ancient stoics like Marcus Aurelius, Cato, Seneca, and Epictetus to guide them through the best and worst of times. I started pulling on this particular mental thread after picking up on it a few times on Tim Ferriss's blog and podcast.  He describes it as "a simple and immensely practical set of rules for better results with less effort." High praise indeed from one of the leading minds in performance and lifestyle design.

The Roman Emperor guiding modern-day politicians, creatives and entrepreneurs

I also enjoyed reading Gregory Hays's translation of 'Meditations' by the last of the great Roman Emperors, Marcus Aurelius.  Marcus's wartime journals have been described as one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written.  It's accessible and surprisingly applicable to the world we find ourselves in here in the 21st century.  Pretty much in tandem, I read Ryan Holidays 'The Obstacle is the Way'.  Ryan draws on the philosophy of the Stoics to show that what blocks our path actually opens one that is new and better - challenging us to turn adversity into advantage.  On my quest to find out more, I'm happy to say I also found an enlightening and useful podcast by my fellow altMBA alumni, Scott Perry called 'Meet the modern Stoics'.

(Stoic Philosophy)...a simple and immensely practical set of rules for better results with less effort - Tim Ferriss

My own interpretation is that it is a philosophy for people who are interested in applying a set of principles to their lives that are anchored in action, realism and the true definition of nature.  This isn't a practice for navel gazers, this is a system that encourages you to take ownership for your own thoughts and actions and to set your ego to the side.

A Brief Guide to Stoicism by steven.thomas8

Check out my poem: Stoic 101

This New York Time piece by Scientist and Professor of Philosophy, Massimo Pigliucci is a great place to start.  He also writes an "evolving guide on how to be a stoic in the 21st century" over on his blog.

Ryan Holiday's books  The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy are both highly recommended and go deep on applying the philosophy to creative, work and personal challenges. He also has a great site called The Daily Stoic and I recommend signing up to his newsletter.

If you want to go deeper, there is also a load of information and discussion over on the Stoicism channel on Reddit.

Scott Perry has a great podcast and video series called 'Meet the modern Stoics' where he interviews leading advocates who share the value and virtues of modern Stoicism.

Jonas Salzgeber has also gone deep on his site and has accompanied his work with some smart illustrations.

Man image: Jace Grandinetti

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Source: www.thegutsygirl.org/

I caught a recent podcast from Tim Ferriss where he interviewed Caroline Paul.  Caroline is a former San Franciscan Firefighter and has also written four published books.  The most recent is called The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure which has become a New York Times bestseller. According to her bio, Caroline was once a young scaredy-cat but has grown up to fly planes, raft rivers, climb mountains, and fight fires.  Her book is full of inspiring stories, activities and tips to help girls to pursue a life full of adventure and empowerment.

Listening to the podcast I was was really impressed by the positive message that Caroline is sending to girls.  Through her career, hobbies and now her book she's made it her mission to help girls all over the world to become daredevils, doers and dreamers... fantastic stuff.

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"Meditation is evolution's strategy to bring out our full potential." - Tara Brach

Can you remember a time when you felt completely in control and at ease with the situation you've found yourself in?  Maybe you've been delivering a presentation on your favourite subject. Or you've been out for a run and have felt totally connected to with your body and the environment around you.  You've found your flow, you're relaxed, alert, in control and, well, happy. For me, that's exactly what the practice of meditation or mindfulness can bring and I see it as a great tool to help innovate yourself.

I'm not sure how I originally found meditation but I remember at the time thinking that anything that helped me take on the challenges of the day to day was worth trying.  When coaching others (and myself) I frame it as a way of offsetting the stress that inevitably can build up in us all.  Like you're filling up your emotional bank account ready to pay out with each challenge.

 I've now been practicing for five years or so and whilst I've yet to crack it on a level I know I can, I regularly use several of the techniques I've picked up from a couple of teachers to cope with what's coming at me daily.

I'm a fan of the Tim Ferriss podcast where he "deconstructs world class performers". From the hundreds of people he's interviewed there have been very few who don't use some form of meditation, including Tim himself.

My three key insights on meditation:

1. There is a load of scientific evidence to show that meditation can change the brain in a positive way leading to a happier self.
2. By practising meditation you can become more connected with your entire body, particularly the breath... Turns out we can all breathe better.
3. Meditation can improve just about anything including sleep, concentration levels, listening skills, adapting to change and creativity.

How to get started:

There are lots of free ways to introduce yourself to meditation with more and more becoming available. Here are some that focus on guided meditation...

Headspace

Andy Puddicom is a former Buddhist Monk who has used technology and community to teach the world to practice mindfulness and meditation.  You can find out more about Andy here.  He offers a free guided 10-minute meditation course which is well worth taking if you're even a little curious.

Tara Brach

Tara Brach is a leading western teacher of Buddhist (mindfulness) meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening. She is also the author of Radical Acceptance (2003), and True Refuge (2013).  I enjoy jumping into her podcast from time to time where she offers free talks and meditations.

Nestmaven.com

The good people over at Nestmaven.com help readers with their sleep related challenges (think insomnia, bad sleep hygiene etc.) and give helpful tips for a better sleep.  They've kindly assembled  the Best Guided Meditations For Sleep: Unlock Inner Peace And Deep Relaxation For The Best Sleep Of Your Life

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