Neithan and I were very particular about the details of our wedding. We wanted it to be *our* wedding.
06.19.2021 was our blank canvas for us to paint the tanjen style.
We left no stone unturned in our quest to infuse every nook and cranny of our wedding with representations of our values and the things we love. It was in itself an artform we transformed from a mental picture into reality.
One such detail we were very particular about was the arras or the wedding coins…
Neithan and I started exploring Stoicism in 2016, and we were immediately drawn to its emphasis on living in the present moment. Its teachings and principles deeply resonated with us, particularly the idea of focusing on what we can control, accepting and embracing what we cannot control, and cultivating virtues like wisdom, courage, and self-control. We found these ideas to be both practical and meaningful, and they have since become guiding principles in our lives.
This shared interest opened the door to a unique addition to our wedding ceremony: the Stoic coins (or medallions).
These coins, each representing a different Stoic principle, serve as a reminder of the values that we strive to embody in our day-to-day.
"Sympatheia is the belief in mutual interdependence among everything in the universe, that we are all one. It is an invitation to us to take a step back, zoom out, and see life from a higher vantage point that our own."
Neithan and I are a team.
We will always have each other’s back.
"Summum Bonum, in Latin, means 'the highest good'. To the Stoics, this is virtue. If we are virtuously, they believed, everything else important could follow: Happiness, success, meaning, reputation, honor, love.'"
Try to do what is right.
Always.
"Premeditatio malorum ('the pre-meditation of evils') is the exercise of imagining things that could go wrong or be taken away from us. It helps us prepare for life's inevitable setbacks and develop resilience in the face of uncertaintly."
Be prepared for life’s challenges. Be ready to meet any fate. Raise the necessary defenses. Be ready.
"Ego is that toxic force that makes real teamwork, empathy, vulnerability and artistry impossible. Whatever we're doing in life -- whether we're aspiring to do something, experiencing success or in the middle of difficulty -- ego is the enemy every step along the way."
At any moment, our ego has the power to bring us down. Keep watch of your ego.
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way" - Marcus Aurelius One does not overcome one obstacle only to enter the land of no obstacles.
Good life, not an easy life.
Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, good (easy) life.
"Memento Mori ('remember you will die') is the ancient tradition of reflecting on mortality. To treat our time as a gift and not waste it on the trivial and vain."
You and the people you love dearly could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.
"Amor fati is a mindset that you take on for making the best out of anything that happens: treating each and every moment -- no matter how challenging -- as something to be embraced, not avoided. To now only be okay with it, but love it and be better for it. So that like oxygen to a fire, obstacles and adversity become fuel for your potential."
Love one’s fate, no matter what it may look like.
Salamat sa buhay! ☀️
☕ – jen
The Sacred Hour ⌛ jen casanoJanuary 24, 2024 Every day since November 4, 2023, in the late afternoon, Neithan and I...
Read More
Stripe and Yellow 🐛🐛 jen casano December 31, 2023 jen It seems I've been mad the entire of 2023. It...
Read More