Over two thousand years ago, around 300 BCE, a wayward merchant named Zeno of Citium founded the school of Stoicism on the steps of the Stoa Poikile in Athens. Based on his deep love for the philosophies of Socrates and borrowing ideas from the unpretentious teachings of the Cynics, Zeno would extol the virtues of living a life of temperance, wisdom, justice and courage unaffected by the influence of others. Over the next five hundred years, Stoicism would grow in popularity and produce some of the greatest purveyors of these ideals in both Greece and Rome. Epictetus, Chrysippus, Musonious Rufus, Lucius Seneca and Marcus Aurelius left behind a plethora of writings, teachings and letters that laid the foundations for a life free from the bondage of excess wealth, the chains of depression and anxiety, and the crippling effects of the lack of self-control. These ideals hold as true today as they did over two thousand years ago and make up the foundations of The Octad program. Simply put, The Octad is 8 days of reacquiring the things that matter most to you and your family. 8 days of rediscovering the meaning of what it is to be happy by shifting your paradigm on what happiness is. 8 days to understand that virtue is of greater wealth than money. 8 days to reinforce self-discipline and understand that you can in-fact, demand the best of yourself for those around you. 8 days, 8 activities, 8 stoic principles to set the path to a life less of self and a life full of happiness.
