Whats that?
Seeing it through a stoic lens, Askesis means to train your mind and strengthen your willpower, and through this to become more virtuous. Askesis is part of the non-theoretical portion of Stoicism; it translates wisdom gained from reading into daily situations. The Stoics always said that a truly virtuous life does not magically appear by reading books and studying philosophy — it is something forged in day-to-day life, and only through hard will and experience can one reach a higher level of wisdom.
Askesis comes from the Greek word ‘Askēsis (ἄσκησις)’, which literally translates to ‘training’ or ‘exercise’.
Historically it was used by ancient Greek athletes, but philosophers adopted it and reused it to express the training of the mind, not only of the body.