Chapter XVI
by Epictetus • Book 16
This chapter helps you navigate the sorrow of others without absorbing their destructive interpretations. It guides you to offer compassionate support externally while maintaining inner peace and emotional boundaries.
“What hurts this man is not this occurrence itself—for another man might not be hurt by it—but the view he chooses to take of it.”
Related Remedies for Grief
See allChapter III
This chapter helps you confront the painful reality of impermanence by gently reminding you of the mortal, fragile nature of everything and everyone you cherish. By accepting this truth in advance, you can cultivate deep appreciation for the present while developing the emotional fortitude needed to withstand inevitable loss.
Chapter XI
This chapter helps you reframe devastating loss by seeing the loved ones and possessions in your life as temporary gifts rather than permanent property. By viewing parting as a gentle restoration rather than a cruel deprivation, you can find quiet solace and acceptance in your sorrow.