BOOK REVIEW: Stoicism’s Amor Fati: A Stoic Guide on Loving Your Misfortunes by Plurence June

Pages:  127

Ideal Reader:  Anyone looking to practice acceptance, build resilience, and have a peaceful mind, Students of Stoicism

Ideal Issues:  

• Facing Adversity
• Managing Negative Emotions
• Building Resilience
• Developing Self-Control

Summary:

This book takes an in-depth look at Stoicism’s concept of Amor Fati or loving one’s fate.  The author explains that Amor Fati is to fully embrace and accept one’s past, present, and future, as it changes and encourages us to grow through adversity.  Each chapter provides insight into how various Stoic practices and principles can be utilized to work toward loving what is and developing a more resilient spirit and a peaceful mind.  Many of the chapters provide exercises to help the reader to practically apply Stoicism to their life and develop an attitude of Amor Fati.  There are also so many marvelous quotes and gems of knowledge that the reader can carry with them as a reminder on how to love one’s fate.  I even made my own little list of them!  Overall, this book promotes the ideas of acceptance of yourself, the world, and adversity, radical self-responsibility, and empowerment through taking adversity head-on.  I’ll leave you with one of these great nuggets of wisdom from the book that exemplifies this attitude, “You can’t expect a peaceful mind if you cause your own chaos.”

How it Helps:

• Presents new ways of approaching difficult situations
• Offer exercises to practice new concepts
• Provides a framework for building resilience and creating a calmer state of mind.
• Empowering you through radical self-responsibility

Therapist Reflections:

First of all, full disclosure, I was contacted by the author to write an honest review and received an advance reader copy for free.  However, even if I hadn’t received that copy I’d still be writing a review and adding it to my bookshelf list for clients to use.  It’s no secret I am a HUGE fan of Stoicism.  There is so much information out there from the classics to modern interpretations and explanations, and so much more!  I was excited to read on hyper-focused on one concept of Stoicism and discussed how Stoic practices and principles contribute to the attitude of Amor Fati.  Amor Fati can be an elusive concept that is hard to understand and practice, but one worth practicing.  Accepting the world as it is, can lead to a much more peaceful existence in the world.  It can be applied to the situations around us, to our own emotions, and the people with whom we love and interact with.  Acceptance of self, the world, and others can also be empowering.  Deep within the concept is the flavor of boundaries, recognizing what we do and do not control and focusing on that which we have control, which is ultimately ourselves.  Amor Fati puts the power back into our own hands by telling us, you have no control here.  I find that so freeing.