The Cynics, a closely-related philosophy from which Stoicism was derived (Zeno of Citium was a Cynic before founding the Stoa), did practice asceticism ( askesis, meaning training) in order to train themselves to be able to act virtuously even under the most adverse of circumstances.Īristotelian philosophy would have been opposed to Cynic asceticism, presumably (noting that Aristotle considered wealth to be a good, for example), but as Stoicism did not require asceticism there would be no conflict there. However, many Stoics advise it (Marcus Aurelius wrote of sleeping on a plank bed Seneca discussed occasional periods of simple fare, as well as cold baths Epictetus described Cynicism-famous for its asceticism-as the short path to virtue). Stoics are not required to practice any form of asceticism moderation or temperance is a virtue, so Stoics do not go to excess, but nothing further is required. Meditations, Enchiridion, Seneca's essays: view and compare translations.We are a community committed to learning about and applying Stoic principles and techniques. View the subreddit without personal and advice posts For any clarification you can message the mods. Please consult our community rules before making a new comment or post. In the interest of creating a safe space to discuss Stoicism, especially for those new to Stoicism, posts and comments that grossly violate reddiquette will be removed. A summary of central themes in Stoicism.Recommended translations of Marcus Aurelius.Recommendations for introductory reading.Welcome! Please read our FAQ, which includes (but is not limited to) answers to questions on:

Hedonism vs asceticism