THE MANUAL FOR LIVING is the first and best primer for living the best possible life -- as helpful in the twenty-first century as it was in the first. Epictetus's teachings rank among the greatest wisdom texts of human civilization. Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and dispassionately whatever happens. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline. By putting into practice the ninety-three wise instructions that make up The Art of Living, readers learn to successfully meet the challenges of everyday life.

Here is the revealing underground classic, a work that stands beside the "Seth" books as a delightful and invaluable guide to our inner spirit and our outer world. Emmanuel speaks to us through Pat Rodegast and shares his wisdom and insights on all aspects of life. Beautifully written and illustrated, Emmanuel's Book I is to be treasured, enjoyed and passed on to a friend. Emmanuel says: "The gifts I wish to give you are my deepest love, the safety of truth, the wisdom of the universe and the reality of God . . . . The issue of whether there is a Greater Reality or not, for me at least, has been settled. I know that there is. So I will speak to you from the knowing that I possess." Ram Dass, in the introduction, says: "Being with Emmanuel one comes to appreciate the vast evolutionary context in which our lives are being lived . . . And at each moment we are at just the right place in the journey. As Emmanuel points out, 'Who you are is a necessary step to being who you will be.'"

Epictetus was born into slavery about 55 ce in the eastern outreaches of the Roman Empire. Once freed, he established an influential school of Stoic philosophy, stressing that human beings cannot control life, only their responses to it. By putting into practice the ninety-three witty, wise, and razor-sharp instructions that make up The Art of Living, readers learn to meet the challenges of everyday life successfully and to face life's inevitable losses and disappointments with grace.

Being human is hard. Being a good human is even harder. Practicing kindness, honesty, and self-awareness in the face of doubt, failure, ambiguity, and vulnerability can feel insurmountable. How to Human is here to help. Alice Connor draws on nearly a decade of experience as a college chaplain to provide a tender and irreverent take on one of life's most fundamental questions: how to be a better human in a world dead set against it. Connor offers sage wisdom and no-nonsense realism through real-life examples that strike right at the rashes and rubs of the human experience. She'll take you by the hand, tell you what you need to hear, and encourage you to embrace the chaos. How to Human will help you see life as an experiment--not a quest for the right answers.

"If it is beyond your power to control, let it go.""Do not wish that all things will go well with you, but that you will go well with all things.""In this way, you will overcome life's challenges, rather than be overcome by them." Epictetus (c. AD 50-135) was a former Roman slave who became a great teacher, deeply influencing the future emperor Marcus Aurelius among many others. His philosophy, Stoicism, was practical, not theoretical--aimed at relieving human suffering here and now. Epictetus knew suffering--besides being enslaved, he was lame in one leg and walked with a crutch. The Manual is a collection of Epictetus' essential teachings and pithy sayings, compiled by one of his students. It is the most accessible and actionable guide to Stoic philosophy, as relevant today as it was in the Roman Empire.This new edition, published by Ancient Renewal, is rendered in contemporary English by Sam Torode.

Of all existing things, some are in our power, and others are not in our power. So begins the Enchiridion or Manual on the Art of Living of Epictetus, a collection of precepts that together provide a powerful philosophy for daily life. With practical grace and wisdom, the Manual addresses living with integrity, self-management, and personal freedom. The Manual is considered to be the pinnacle of Stoic philosophy, a school of Greek thought originating in the early third century BC, that holds that destructive emotions are the result of errors in judgement and taught an active relationship between individual will and cosmic determinism.