What we’re about
Welcome to Orlando Stoics! We are a very active group, with over 3,700 members and five meetings a week. Some meetings are held online, while others are in-person. All classes are free. We also have annual events, like "Stoicon-X Orlando" in November (for the Modern Stoicism movement) and our Winter Social in December (Stoics are allowed to have fun, too).
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 adjust the email and notification settings to suit your preferences. 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 whenever you want.
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 significant influence on Shakespeare, JD Salinger, Tom Wolfe, and Nelson Mandela. It has also attracted political and military leaders, such as Frederick the Great, President Bill Clinton, and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who stated that he has 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
20
•OnlineRevisiting Stoic Beauty
OnlineThis week, we explore a theme revived at Stoicon 2023: the Stoic idea of beauty not as surface appeal, but as harmony, proportion, and functional coherence. In his talk, Massimo Pigliucci asks the question: Did the Stoics get their theory of beauty wrong? His answer is “yes,” but in a way that helps us to deepen our understanding.
The ancient Stoics grounded beauty in summetria, the harmony of parts within a whole, drawing on Polycleitus’s canon of sculpture and a cosmic worldview guided by Logos. But as Pigliucci argues, this vision of a providential universe no longer fits what modern science reveals. Just as we’ve corrected Stoic views on the heart as the seat of the hegemonikon or the validity of divination, we may need to update their aesthetics as well.
Pigliucci suggests evolutionary aesthetics as a new path—beauty as an adaptive response shaped by natural selection, not a metaphysical property built into the cosmos. Modern psychology reinforces this shift, warning us about the attractiveness halo effect and reminding us to separate appearance from character. Yet summetria remains valuable as a human lens: a way of perceiving pattern, coherence, and functional integration in the world around us.
This week, we’ll discuss how Stoicism can honor the spirit of summetria while embracing the clarity offered by contemporary biology and psychology.
Reading Material
Did the Stoics Get Their Theory of Beauty Wrong?
https://modernstoicism.com/did-the-stoics-get-their-theory-of-beauty-wrong-by-massimo-pigliucci/
Did the Stoics get their Theory of Beauty Wrong? - Massimo Pigliucci
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Bhd6dQLOY
Time (USA)
7:00 PM Eastern
6:00 PM Central
5:00 PM Mountain
4:00 PM Pacific
Zoom Link
Join Here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82614503102?pwd=LISakya47ExKBIL3HRv5LzET2oqSDl.1
Join by Phone:
+16465588656,,82614503102#,,,,*204338# US (New York)
+16469313860,,82614503102#,,,,*204338# US
About Our Group
We welcome open-minded, respectful conversation on Stoicism and its relevance to daily life, personal growth, and modern thought. Our discussions connect ancient philosophy with contemporary science, psychology, and culture—always with the aim of cultivating wisdom together.
This meeting is free and open to the public.21 attendees
•OnlineONLINE / SPANISH: CARTAS A LUCILIO DE SENECA
OnlineEsta reunión es cada miércoles a las 7 p.m. EST
CALENDARIO
12/3/2025
Carta 36: Aprendizaje del desprecio a la muerte
Carta 63: Moderación en el duelo por el amigo muerto
12/10/2025
Carta 70: Frente a la vida humillada, la muerte deliberada
Carta 82: Los falsos silogismos de Zenón sobre la muerte
Carta 99: Debemos perseverar en el recuerdo en la muerte de un ser querido
V. Otras cartas
12/17/2025
Carta 40: El discurso de la verdad debe ser sencillo y sin adornos
Carta 47: Trato humano con los esclavos
Carta 75: Sencillez en el estilo.
Carta 84: En la lectura debemos imitar a las
ZONAS HORARIAS
Hora de encuentro (EE. UU.):
19:00 h, hora del este
18:00 h, hora central
17:00 h, hora de las montañas
16:00 h, hora del Pacífico
Para nuestros amigos internacionales:
Conviertan la hora con la herramienta gratuita
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
ENLACE ZOOM
HAGA CLIC PARA COMENZAR LA REUNIÓN - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7156108004
Si no tienes una computadora con cámara, también puedes marcar usando un teléfono. Elige uno de estos números y agrega el ID 7156108004#
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
Nuestro grupo disfruta de conversaciones abiertas y respetuosas sobre el estoicismo y su relación con la ciencia, la cultura, la filosofía, otros sistemas de creencias e incluso la cultura popular (libros y películas). A veces "acordamos estar en desacuerdo", pero el objetivo a largo plazo es mejorar nuestras mentes a través de debates grupales.
En general, el estoicismo nos enseña cómo manejar personas y eventos difíciles, cómo evitar la ira y la preocupación y, sobre todo, a utilizar la moderación en todos los aspectos de nuestra vida.
Esta reunión es gratuita y abierta al público.1 attendee
IN-PERSON: The Enchiridion by Epictetus (Stoic Saturdays)
Panera Bread, 2415 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL, USThis is our IN-PERSON Stoic discussion and reading (no Zoom link available). We meet every 2 weeks on Saturdays.
READING
The entire Enchiridion is 51 paragraphs. The site below offers a free, public domain version. It's optional to read in advance. You can download the outline for this meeting here: Outlines .
Link to public domain Enchiridion: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45109/45109-h/45109-h.htm
SCHEDULE
9-13-2025: 1-10 (I-X)
9-27-2025: 11-20 (XI-XX)
10-11-2025: 21-30 (XXI-XXX)
10-25-2025 and 11-08-2025: 31-40 (XXXI-XL)
11-22-2025: 41-44 (XLI-XLIV)
12-06-2025: 45 - 51 (XLV - LI)
VENUE
The location is Panera Bread, 2415 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32804. It's on the FIRST FLOOR of the AdventHealth medical building.
Parking is free. As you drive north on Orange Avenue, you will see the AdventHealth building on the right. Turn right, go 2 blocks, and then turn right again into the parking garage (free parking). Most parking spaces are open; avoid the reserved spaces.
You can park on the first floor and walk outside, or park on the third floor of the garage and use the air-conditioned bridge to walk to the building.
TIME
The meeting is from Noon to 2 PM. No worries if you're late... It's better to be late than not show up. Also, we take a break halfway in the meeting for refreshment and a bathroom break.
ZOOM LINK
Since the meeting is in-person only, no Zoom link is available.
GUESTS
If you want to invite a guest, please ask them to RSVP separately. We have a limited number of seats in the room.
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.7 attendees
Past events
1588
Group links
Organizers
Members
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