What Marcus Aurelius Can Teach Us About Coping with Stress

From The Stoic Question: Philosophy and Psychology by Donald J. Robertson

April 16, 2026 · 56 min

About this episode

The episode discusses insights from Marcus Aurelius and Stoicism on coping with stress, featuring guest Mark Forstater.

In this episode, I chat with Mark Forstater, the producer of over 30 films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He is the author of a number of books, including The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius, The Spiritual Teachings of Seneca, and The Living Wisdom of Socrates, as well as books on yogic philosophy and Daoism. His most recent book, The 7th Python: A Twat’s Tale, documents his experience of working with the Pythons, and a protracted legal battle that he found himself fighting, and winning, decades later. Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Highlights * How did you get into Marcus Aurelius and Seneca? What motivated you to adapt them for modern readers and what are the main ideas that you take from their writings? * You’ve also written about Socrates, how do you feel he compares with the Stoics as a guide today? * What, if anything, do you think that working in movies can teach us about how the mind works? * Have you found Stoic ideas helpful during stressful periods in your own life? During your legal battles for example? * Could you…

People in this episode

Host: Donald J. Robertson

Guest: Mark Forstater

Topics covered

Stoicism
Coping with Stress
Philosophy
Film Production
Mental Health

Keywords

Marcus Aurelius
Stoicism
Stress Management
Philosophy
Film

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius, The Spiritual Teachings of Seneca, The Living Wisdom of Socrates, The 7th Python: A Twat’s Tale