Day of the Icon

I'm facing some challenges right now, some I don't want to talk about here at this time and some others that have been only vaguely alluded to here. It's a drag getting old.

To be quite honest, though, Stoicism - that is, Stoic philosophy or at least my understanding and interpretation of Stoic philosophy - have gotten me through these challenges better than Zen practice and Buddhism have. Not that the practical efficacy of Stoicism take anything away from the teachings of Zen, but one vehicle seems far more useful than the other right now.

Having said that, I recognize that my understanding and embrace of Stoicism is rooted in my Buddhist studies, and that my Zen practice - that is, zazen, Zen meditation - is the way I manifest Stoic philosophy in my life. I call it "contemplative Stoicism."