Stoic Philosophy and REBT
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Hi there REBT Mates!
In developing REBT, Dr. Ellis took inspiration from a number of sources including the Greek Stoic philosophers such as Epictetus and the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. The quote above could easily be taken directly from basic REBT texts. The same idea is also expressed in the Serenity Prayer written by an American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhras, and popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous.
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| Which I have taken the liberty of a minor edit to make it more secular and empowering. |
 I am growing the serenityto accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” |
Precursors also appear in Buddhist, Jewish and other traditions as well.
To me, the he principle and sentiment expressed would seem to be universal, and clearly strikes an intuitive resonance for many who come in contact with it. The real challenge however, is not simply to fawn over how “cool” it is. The real challenge is to apply it in one’s life on a daily basis.
By the way, the original meaning of the word stoic is a little different than the modern cliche of the British maintaining a “stiff upper lip” in the face of adversity. But that slight difference is significant and one of the first things to investigate on your journey.
How to?
Learning and being engaged with REBT-CBT is one obvious way. Mindfulness meditation and practice is another. Neither are the only ways, not hardly, but they are readily available and do not have a steep learning curve compared to some other disciplines and practices.
If you want to learn to practice stoicism, needless to say, going direct to the ancient and modern Stoic Philosophers is an obvious path. Here is a modest selection accessible and appropriate for beginners as well as those more advanced. As a start, I would recommend Stoicism and the Art of Happiness by Stoic philosopher and teacher, and CBT Therapist, Donald Robertson.
Let’s get started today, shall we?
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Meditations: A New Translation, ~Marcus Aurelius |
Discourses and Selected Writings of Epictetus |
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Letters from a Stoic, ~Seneca |
A Guide to the Good Life, ~William B. Irvine |
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How to Be a Stoic, ~Massimo Pigliucci |
Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy, ~Donald Robertson |
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by Donald Robertson |
The Daily Stoic, ~Ryan Holiday |
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Originally posted 2017-07-12 00:14:10.
Contact: Rex@REBTinfo.com
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