LETTERS FROM THE ANCIENT
A letter that listens.
Every month, a different philosopher writes to you. Sealed in wax by hand in Edinburgh, posted to your door. You write back. I read every word.
$34.99 a month, or all twelve letters for $335.88 paid once ($27.99 a letter) for the first 100.
Places open 17 November, 2pm UK (9am Eastern). First letters posted in December.
WHY I WRITE THESE
A few years ago, in the space of a few months, I lost my job, my relationship and my sense of who I was.
I didn't turn to a coach or another book. I turned to Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and all the great minds of philosophy. I studied them at university, then forgot about them.
They had been through worse and they left behind what got them through.
If you've scrolled for an hour and can't remember one thing you saw, felt alone in a full room, or said "I'm fine" so often it stopped meaning anything, these letters are for you.
The noise is new. The problem isn't. Their answers still work.
They were never lost, only forgotten.
Yana, Edinburgh
HOW IT WORKS
Next time you find yourself in an impossible situation...​
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Stop. Think. Write. Be heard.
Stop
The letter arrives. A small ritual, morning and evening, gives you a few minutes away from the screen.
Think
A philosopher writes to you about something you're living with now: control, time, fear, love, worth, value, desires, needs.
Write
Answer on the page inside, by hand. Post it to Edinburgh or email it. There's no right way to do it.
Be heard
Every ritual ends the same way: hold the key, and write one line about what it opens for you. I read every reply. From the second letter, each letter may open with What you wrote back, and one letter a month may be answered in full on LettersBack. No names, only with permission.
MONTH ONE * EPICTETUS
Read the first page before you decide.
​​"No one can give you freedom. And no one can take it from you.
The only territory that was ever truly yours lies between your ears.
Your judgment. Your response. Your choice made in the small, quiet moment before the world claims it."
This is the first page of the first letter, exactly as it arrives. Epictetus was born enslaved around 50 CE and died free. His letter is about the only freedom no one can take from you.
*The letters are written by Yana Yaneva in the philosophers' voices, inspired by their teachings.
INSIDE EVERY ENVELOPE
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The Letter. Written to you, about the life you're living now.
The Life. Who they were, what they lost, and why it matters now.
The Ritual. A small morning and evening practice.
The Key. A brass key no other reader receives that month. One for every philosopher who writes to you.
The Memento. Small enough to carry. Heavy enough to remember. Every reader's is different.
The Page That Comes Back. Your half of the conversation.
THE KEYS
Every philosopher leaves you a key.
Every month, one philosopher and one brass key. Each month's key is different for every reader. Nobody else receives the one you hold. Each opens something that month's philosopher guarded.
Epictetus leaves you the key to what's yours. The other eleven stay sealed.
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Whenever you join, you start with Epictetus and the first key. The letters arrive in order, so you collect all twelve.
I
EPICTETUS
SEALED
II
III
SEALED
SEALED
IV
SEALED
V
SEALED
VI
VII
SEALED
SEALED
VIII
IX
SEALED
SEALED
X
XI
SEALED
SEALED
XII
A new key is revealed here each month, once the first readers have opened it.
"I love that I get to collect twelve keys. It feels tangible, like I'm building something. I cannot recall the last time I had an actual letter."
Nanna Mertz, Global Operations Executive, Denmark
"Magical. Mysterious. Like I was getting access to something special. The seal, the key, the parchment - it screams richness and depth."
J. Clark, Bestselling Author,
UK
Our first readers received a test letter free and told us honestly what they thought.
WHY BY HAND
You can't scroll a sentence.
Writing by hand is slower, and that's the point. You choose every word. You see the one you crossed out. Somewhere in the second paragraph, you often find out what you actually think. No one to impress, no likes, no algorithm watching.
Psychologists have studied writing about feelings since the 1980s (Pennebaker & Beall, 1986). Writing is not therapy, but things do feel different once they're written down.
P.S. I love writing and getting inspired when I walk by the sea in Edinburgh, with a black coffee in hand. And yes, I once got attacked by a seagull trying to take a selfie.
CHOOSE YOUR LETTERS
Places open 17 November, 2pm UK
(9am Eastern).
Every plan starts with Epictetus as Month I. The Monthly Plan is charged each month until you cancel. The six and twelve-month plans, the Founding Circle and the Winter gift are paid once, when you order. Letters are posted by the 10th of each month. Orders placed on or after the 10th go in next month's post.
THE FOUNDING CIRCLE * FIRST 100 ONLY
All twelve letters for $335.88, paid once
Join as one of our first 100 readers and receive all twelve Letters of the first series for one payment of $335.88 ($27.99 a Letter). You'll be told your number, from 1 to 100. The offer closes when the 100th place is taken and is limited to one per person. This plan doesn't renew automatically.
Monthly
$34.99 a month
One letter and one key a month, starting with Epictetus.
Renews every month until you cancel. Cancel any time.
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Six letters
$191.94 paid once
Six letters and six keys over six months, starting with Epictetus. $31.99 a letter.
Ends after the sixth letter, and nothing renews.
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Twelve letters
$359.88 paid once
All twelve philosophers and their keys over twelve months, starting with Epictetus. $29.99 a letter, about $0.99 a day. Ends after the twelfth letter, and nothing renews.
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Winter Season gift
$89.99 paid once
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Three letters and keys, posted in December, January and February. Nothing renews. Your note goes with them, plus a printable card for Christmas morning.
Questions
How long does a letter take to reach the US? - Letters are posted from Edinburgh by tracked post by the 10th of each month, or the next working day if the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday. They usually take 3 to 7 working days to reach the US, and up to 3 working days within the UK. Orders placed before the 10th go in that month's post. Orders placed on or after the 10th go in next month's post.
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Where do you post to? -The US and the UK, for now.
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Is postage included? - Yes. Postage is included in every price.
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I'm joining later. Do I miss the first letters? - No. Everyone starts with Month One, Epictetus, whenever they join, and the letters arrive in order. You collect the twelve keys in order too.
Is my key really different from everyone else's? - Yes. Each month, every reader receives a different brass key. No two readers hold the same one that month.
What if a letter doesn't arrive? - If a letter hasn't arrived within 20 working days of posting, or arrives damaged, email me within 60 days of its posting date. If tracking doesn't show it as delivered, or it arrived damaged, I'll send a replacement, key included, at no cost.
What do I get back if I cancel? - Any letters you've paid for that haven't been posted yet are refunded, at the price per letter you paid. For the Winter Season gift, each letter not yet posted is refunded at a third of its price. Letters already posted aren't refunded, but a lost or damaged letter is replaced or refunded, as set out in our terms. If you live in the UK, you can also cancel within 14 days of your first letter arriving and get everything back, including postage. You'd pay to post the letter back.
When will a gift arrive? - The Winter Season gift is on sale until 11.59pm UK time (6.59pm Eastern) on 9 December. Its three letters are posted in December, January and February, and I'll email you a printable card to give on Christmas morning.
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I'm moving. How do I change my address? - Update it in your account or email me at least five working days before the posting date (the 10th, or the next working day). A later change may only apply from the following month.
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Does the monthly plan stop after twelve letters? - No. It carries on into the next series, with new philosophers, until you cancel.
Will I pay anything extra on delivery? - Not in the US or the UK. Any US import duty is included in the price, and if you're ever asked to pay it, tell me and I'll reimburse you. If you live in another country, it may charge import duty or tax, which you would need to pay.
How do I write back? - Email hello@pandorasoul.com, or post your page to Suite 1A, 121 Giles Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6BZ, United Kingdom. If you write by email, please include the words "I agree" so I may read and keep what you share.
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How can I pay? - By card, Apple Pay or PayPal. We support many payment options. All secured.
How do I cancel? - Monthly plan: cancel at any time under My Subscriptions in your account, or email hello@pandorasoul.com. Cancel before your next payment date and you won't be charged again. Six-month, twelve-month and Founding Circle plans, and the Winter Season gift: email me at any time.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Letters from the Ancient is a creative and educational subscription service.
The philosophical letters published through this service are written by Yana Yaneva, inspired by and based upon the documented writings, teachings, and known philosophies of historical figures including Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and many more.
These letters are works of creative interpretation and are not direct translations or authenticated writings of the historical philosophers named. Letters from the Ancient is provided for reflection, enjoyment and education purposes only.
It does not constitute medical advice, psychological therapy, clinical treatment, legal advice, or financial guidance.
If you are struggling, please speak to a qualified professional. In the United States, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org, and in an emergency call 911. In the United Kingdom, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123, and in an emergency call 999.
Subscribers write back entirely of their own free will. Your replies remain yours and may be published anonymously with explicit consent.
© Pandora PS Ltd, trading as PandoraSoul. All rights reserved.