What we’re about
Welcome to Orlando Stoics! We are a very active group, with over 3000 members and 5 meetings weekly. Most meetings are online and some are in-person. We also have an annual event "Stoicon-X Orlando" (for the Southeast USA and the Modern Stoicism movement), and we participate in Stoicon (the international event every year).
Why Stoicism? In our world of instant gratification, constant stimulation, and endless distractions, Stoicism offers a novel perspective on life. Interested in developing an unconquerable mind? Stoicism has the answers. We also link ideas to Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Existentialism, Minimalism, and other "lived philosophy" systems. We love in-depth discussions!
If you join our group, feel free to limit the emails and notifications. Since we have new meetings every week, those emails might be too much for your inbox. Feel free to turn them off (go to our meetup page, click "You're a Member", and then click group notifications). You can still check our meetup page for upcoming events, when you want to.
What is Stoicism? It's an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded about 300 BC in Athens. The first teacher was Zeno of Citium. The school taught that virtue (the highest good) is based on knowledge, and that wise people live in harmony with nature. The school also taught tolerance and self-control. Famous Stoics were Seneca the Younger, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. We also study modern Stoics.
The goals of our group:
1. We read the ancient books, plus the modern books on Stoicism.
2. We discuss Stoicism in the media, pop culture, and arts & literature.
3. We compare recurring themes in Stoicism to history, religion, and psychology.
There have always been people attracted to Stoicism. It was a major influence on Shakespeare, JD Salinger, Tom Wolfe, and Nelson Mandela. It’s also attracted political and military leaders, such as Frederick the Great, President Bill Clinton, and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who said he read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations over 100 times.
We hope you will join us. The group is open to the public and has no subscription fee. Stoicism can help you cope with life's stresses, while retaining your ethics & character.
We hope to see you soon!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- IN-PERSON: Stoic Wisdom by Nancy Sherman, Chap. 4Panera Bread, Altamonte Springs, FL
This is our IN-PERSON event for Saturdays (no Zoom link available). We meet every 2 weeks at Panera at Maitland Avenue and 436.
We are continuing our series on the book "Stoic Wisdom” by Nancy Sherman, one of the scholars in the Modern Stoicism movement. Her book is very readable and has many practical philosophy tips for modern living. We will cover one chapter in each meeting. The book is available on Amazon for as little as $10 for paperback or Kindle (buying the book is not required).
SCHEDULE
9-14 Chap 1: The Great Stoic Revival
9-28 Chap 2: Who Were the Stoics?
10-12 Chap 3: Finding Calm
10-26 Chap 4: Managing Your Emotions
11-09 Chap 5: Stoic Grit and Resilience
11-23 Chap 6: Healing Through Self-Compassion
12-07 Chap 7: Lifehacks
12-21 Chap 8: The Art of Stoic Living
1-04 Chap 9: A Healthy Modern StoicismREADING - The book is available on Amazon and other book sellers in Kindle, paperback, and hardback. Buying the book is optional:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197501834
No advance reading is needed. StoicDan will bring printed outlines to the meeting. If we run out of printed copies, you can access the Google Document. Go to the official web site (http://StoicDan.com) and click the link for "Saturdays" in the upper right corner.VENUE - The location is Panera Bread at the corner of Maitland Avenue and 436. We usually meet in the community room (in the back), but if we are not there, check other tables in the front of the venue. The address is 696 E Altamonte Dr, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701. Parking is free. Ordering food and drink is optional, but please consider buying something to support the venue.
TIME - The meeting starts at 5:00PM Eastern. No worries if you're late... it's better to be late than not show up. Also, we take a break half-way in the meeting for refreshment and a bathroom break.
ZOOM LINK - Since this is only an in-person meeting, no Zoom link is available.
TEMPERATURE - The community room might get cool, so please bring a sweater.
GUESTS - As some have requested, you can now bring 1 guest without clicking RSVP separately. If you have more guests, please ask them to RSVP so the host can prepare the room for everyone.
OTHER - If you'd like to plan something after the meeting, Altamonte Springs has many other venues, including movie theaters and the boardwalk at Crane's Roost park (1 mile walk).
COURTESY - This group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations. We don't talk over each other. If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics.