Kesaloma [KESAL]

In his Discourses, Epictetus teaches us that every individual has a fundamental choice about living for inner or outer values. This is summed up by his famous doctrine:

There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power. Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, and in a word, whatever affairs are our own. Beyond our power are body, property, reputation, office and, in one word, whatever are not properly our own affairs.

Epictetus goes on to warn that, as long as a person occupies himself with externals he will neglect the inner self. Since one cannot control external issues, they must become “indifferents”—that is, they are outside our will. As Epictetus puts it, “he who craves … things not under his control can neither be faithful nor free, but must himself be changed and tossed to and fro and must end by subordinating himself to others”.