Sharon Lebell - Philosophy & Musical Supposing at Stoicon 2023

"Long before the emergence of a modern Stoic movement, in the late 1980s Sharon Lebell happened to read a scholarly translation of Epictetus’ Enchiridion. At that time, the spiritual zeitgeist tilted toward a fascination with Eastern texts and philosophy, for instance The I Ching, the Upanishads, The Tao te Ching, Alan Watts, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. The Western philosophical canon was often viewed as “overly’ and insistently rational.
Against this backdrop, Sharon decided to write and submit for publication a modern interpretation of Epictetus’ key teachings, because she believed ordinary people and the philosophically-minded alike would discover accessible and useable wisdom to guide their daily thoughts, words, and deeds. The book, which was then called A Manual for Living wildly exceeded the publisher’s expectations and she was asked to expand her small book into a larger, volume titled The Art of Living. Since then, this concise guide has been a touchstone for readers the world over.
Sharon is also a composer and performing musician whose work has been enriched by Stoic and philosophical ideas from many traditions.”