Tranquillity, the stillness of the mind

Our faulty judgments lead to disturbance

While watching mindless videos on YouTube, I came across one that caught my attention: A plane in mid-flight, caught in serious turbulence. The aircraft shook violently before suddenly dropping a few feet. Some passengers clutched their armrests, some gasped, others prayed. Amid the chaos, the camera captured one man calmly finishing his sandwich, listening to music through his headphones as if he were lounging at home.

Later, when asked how he managed to stay so composed, he shrugged and said, “I can’t control the weather, but I can control myself.”

He was right. I don’t know if he was a Stoic, but his stress response was unmistakably Stoic. The turbulence was beyond his control, but no one could stop him from enjoying his music and his sandwich.

Tranquillity is active, not passive

Tranquillity is not merely the absence of disturbance. It is not a passive state of calm but an active and resilient state of mind. The passenger wasn’t just avoiding stress; he was enjoying his music and snack while others panicked.

Seneca describes tranquillity as a "settled calm" and "lasting peace of mind, achieved through the mind's ordering.” It is a state of inner harmony, rooted in reason and virtue, that remains undisturbed by external chaos.

Some people are naturally more tranquil than others. But tranquillity can be cultivated. You can attain it by understanding what disturbs your peace, identifying what stands in your way, and learning to move past it to develop a tranquil mind.

1. Our judgments disturb our tranquillity

What unsettled the passengers in the incident above? Don’t be too quick to say it was the turbulence. Every passenger on that plane experienced the same event—the man listening to music, the person filming, and the rest of the travellers. Yet, they judged the experience differently.

• The man enjoying his music thought, “I can’t change the turbulence anyway.”

• The woman filming was more concerned about capturing content for TikTok.

• The remaining passengers panicked, fearing the plane was going down.

Clearly, it wasn’t the turbulence itself that disturbed their tranquillity—it was their judgment about the turbulence.

The Stoic view on judgment

This principle is foundational to Stoicism: External events don’t disturb us—our interpretation of them does.

If you are pained by anything external, the pain is not due to the external thing. It is due to the way you look at it. You have the power to change this at any moment. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.47

“Most distress comes from false opinions of things.” - Plutarch, On Tranquillity

“Nothing else is the cause of anxiety or loss of tranquility except our own opinion.”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 3.19.3

Consider social media: Many experience distress over likes, comments, and curated images of seemingly perfect lives. A Stoic would argue that the platform itself isn’t the issue—our judgment that external validation is necessary for happiness is what disturbs us.

2. We can drop our faulty judgments

Since our judgments cause our distress, we have the ability to drop them. If we can form an opinion, we can just as easily change or abandon it.

It is within your power to cancel that judgment at any moment. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.47

How to know what judgments to drop?

Identify what’s disturbing your tranquillity. Is it under your control?

• If not, you don’t have to label it as good or bad—it simply is.

• If yes, and a desirable alternative exists (like enjoying music instead of panicking), who stops you from choosing peace?

“If something in your character is causing pain, who stops you from correcting it? If you aren’t doing anything to change it, why complain instead of acting?”
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.47

3. We gain tranquillity by focusing on what we control

Tranquillity is lost when we fixate on what we can’t control and ignore what we can. In the plane incident, most passengers focused on the uncontrollable turbulence, while one person focused on enjoying his sandwich and music.

“If you think you can control things you have no control over, then you will be hindered and disturbed. You will start complaining and become a fault-finding person.”
- Epictetus, Encheiridion, 1

How to apply this?

Whenever you lose tranquillity, examine what you're focusing on:

• If it's out of your control, let it go.

• If it’s within your control, direct your attention there instead.

4. We gain tranquillity through virtue

Virtue is not just moral uprightness—it is excellence in action. It is the highest good and the true source of tranquillity. Practicing virtue means living in accordance with nature, exercising reason, justice, courage, and self-control.

Marcus Aurelius constantly reminds himself of the importance of virtue:

“Let no emotions of pleasure or pain affect your supreme part—your mind. Keep emotions confined to their place, away from it. If they enter, don’t resist them—just use reason. Don’t think of them as good or bad.”
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 5.26

Epictetus is even more direct about virtue as the sole path to tranquillity:

“There is only one way to tranquillity of mind and happiness, and that is by seeing that nothing outside of us or our choice can hinder or change our choice.” - Epictetus, Discourses, 4.4

Tranquillity doesn’t depend on external factors like career success, the economy, or other people’s opinions. Your flight may be caught in turbulence, but you can keep your peace.

5. Tranquillity through adversity

Many lose their tranquility in times of hardship, yet Stoicism teaches that challenges are not obstacles to peace—they are opportunities to practice virtue.

“Remember that human life is a thing of small consequence, and if you are moral, the immoral have no advantage over you.” - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 2.17

What truly matters is your character, which remains untouched by external events.

Takeaways

1. We lose tranquillity by misinterpreting reality.

2. Our faulty judgments—not events themselves—cause our distress.

3. We can regain tranquillity by dropping harmful judgments.

4. Focusing on what we control leads to peace.

5. Building virtue over time leads to right judgment and inner harmony.

6. Even in adversity, we can remain tranquil.

Try this simple exercise

Identify something that’s bothering you.

• List what aspects of the situation are within your control.

• List what aspects are beyond your control.

• Evaluate your initial response—was it influenced by emotion or faulty judgment?

• Rewrite a more rational and balanced response to the event.

---

THE POWER TO CHANGE

“Chakrapani’s insights are both enlightening and actionable, making this book a must-read for anyone seeking to transform their life through Stoic philosophy.” - Donald J. Robertson, bestselling author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

Available Tuesday, June 3: https://amzn.to/4k1pzxW

---

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF STOICISM—ACHIEVE LASTING PEACE OF MIND

Become a paid member to get the most out of Stoic ideas such as the above. What do you get when you become a paid member? In addition to what you receive now, you will also receive:

1. Every weekday: Prokopton Daily.A specially written email containing thoughts for the day and an action plan.

2. Every Saturday: Prokopton Letter: Blog dealing with our everyday life.

3. Every Sunday: Prokopton Monthly: Lesson for the month, Exercise for the Month, and special articles spread over four Sundays.

Here’s what we’ll be discussing this week in our daily weekday emails:

Monday: Every day is a complete life

Tuesday: Be your master, wherever you are

Wednesday: You cannot have everything

Thursday: Weep but do not wail for your loss

Friday: If it can happen anytime, it can happen today

I look forward to welcoming you!

Stoic practice has the power to change your life.

If you are not yet a part of the prokopton community, please consider becoming a paid member.

It may be one of the best decisions of your life.

310525