Stoic Quote: Epictetus on Impressions: The Stoic Pause That Protects Your Peace

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.

In this Stoic Quotes episode, we turn to Epictetus and one of the most important passages from the Handbook (Enchiridion), 1. Epictetus writes:

“Practice then from the start to say to every harsh impression, ‘You are an impression and not at all the things you appear to be.’ Then examine it and test it by these rules … whether it has to do with the things which are up to us or with the things which are not. And if it has to do with the things which are not up to us, be ready to reply, ‘It is nothing to me.’”

This quote points to a core Stoic insight: events themselves do not disturb us, but the judgments we add to them do. Impressions arise automatically, but we always have the capacity to pause, examine them, and decide whether they concern what is truly up to us. This is where Stoic freedom begins.

The same idea appears throughout Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius urges us to remove opinion from events, while Seneca warns how unchecked impressions quickly turn into destructive emotions. Through the disciplines of Desire, Assent, and Action, the Stoics teach us to release attachment to externals, question our immediate reactions, and act from virtue rather than impulse.

In practice, this means learning to pause when something unsettling happens, asking whether it lies within your control, and letting go of value judgments where it does not. What remains is the freedom to respond well, no matter the circumstances.

For more, check out this related article with quotes on control:
https://viastoica.com/10-epictetus-quotes-on-control/
And if you’re looking for more Stoic sayings, visit viastoica.com, where you’ll find hundreds of quotes with full references to the original texts:
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https://viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
https://viastoica.com/epictetus-quotes
https://viastoica.com/seneca-quotes
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