tamhonkhoe.comCourses · Stoicism · Course KK2 · Open
Epictetus’ three disciplines
The disciplines of desire, action and judgement through eight weeks of journaling.
Lessons with a link are published. Lessons without a link are still a planned outline; their titles and passages may change during writing and review.
| For | Adults learning on their own; each lesson has a short kids’ corner |
|---|---|
| Length | 8 weeks · 20–30 min/day |
| Level | 2 |
| Status | Open – All 8 weeks published |
| Publishing | Published once the project owner approves |
| Expected | Nov 2026 |
Plan: 8 weeks
| Week | Lesson | Passages | Measurable goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What belongs to us | Discourses III.2, I.1 | Three-column journal on 5 of 7 evenings |
| 2 | Not things, but our opinions of them | Encheiridion 5 | At least one situation a day in three columns, on 5 of 7 days |
| 3 | The inner retreat | Meditations IV.3 | At least three inner retreats a day, on 5 of 7 days |
| 4 | Reading a few books deeply | Seneca, Letter 2 | Copy one sentence and write one line, on 5 of 7 days |
| 5 | Practising mild hardship | Seneca, Letter 18 | Two simple days a week; journal on 5 of 7 evenings |
| 6 | Acting for the common good | Meditations VI.30 | One small act for someone a day, on 5 of 7 days |
| 7 | Attachment and loss | Discourses III.24 | One thing ‘on loan’ each evening, on 5 of 7 |
| 8 | Review | Encheiridion 48, 50 | Rate the three disciplines and choose three habits |
What science finds
- 146 randomised studies of writing about experiences and feelings: a positive but very small overall effect (r = 0.075). (Frattaroli 2006, Psychological Bulletin 132(6) · source)
- Pre-registered study, 1,307 people in 3 countries: a popular but mistaken reading of Stoicism (wanting to show fewer emotions and to feel less) went with lower well-being. This is a correlation. (Karl et al. 2022, Journal of Happiness Studies 23(7) · source)
- Review of 20 meta-analyses: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) works for anxiety, depression and chronic pain, about as well as CBT. This is guided therapy. (Gloster et al. 2020, Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science 18 · source)
- 39 randomised trials, 1,821 people: ACT did better than control conditions (g = 0.57), with no clear difference from CBT. (A-Tjak et al. 2015, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 84(1) · source)
- 47 randomised trials, 3,515 people: mindfulness meditation programmes reduce anxiety and depression by a small-to-moderate amount; not better than other active treatments. (Goyal et al. 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3) · source)
- 33 studies of self-control training: a small effect, smaller still after correcting for publication bias. (Friese et al. 2017, Perspectives on Psychological Science 12(6) · source)
- 27 experiments, 4,045 people: acts of kindness raise well-being by a small-to-moderate amount; the studies are often small. (Curry et al. 2018, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 76 · source)
Limits, honestly
‘Practising hardship’ means small things like a day without shopping or walking instead of driving; no eating less, no fasting, no sleeping less. No study has evaluated this programme directly.
Stop practising if
Stop or shorten practice and talk to a professional if you notice: rising anxiety or panic; low mood that lingers; feeling that you or the world is ‘not real’; flooding memories of trauma; several nights of poor sleep; hearing or seeing things others do not; thoughts of harming yourself. People with a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe PTSD should ask a doctor before practising more than 20 minutes a day.