“Meditations of Marcus Aurelius”
The Journey of a Rational Mind
After diving into business-oriented books I decided to go back to stoic philosophy to help keep us grounded. finding contentment is easy when business is going well. You may be making great money and you may even be growing a reputation (fame). However, we must realize that life is chaotic and things hardly go to plan. So you can quickly fall into a trap of depression when that business starts failing you (as it probably will). I read this book at a perfect time as I, myself, have been experiencing the negating emotions caused by a “failing” business.
I hope that this article helps you cultivate mental fortitude to be able to not only withstand misfortune but thrive.
Author
Marcus Aurelius was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers. known as the Five Good Emperors, and the last emperor of the Pax Romana, an age of relative peace and stability for the Roman Empire. He served as Roman consul in 140, 145, and 161.
Summary
Meditations is a collection of 12 books written by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who’ll introduce you to Stoic philosophy, the concept of logic, self-discipline and give you faith that the course the world runs is a good one.
Analysis
I was doing chapter summaries then decided in chapter 6 that I wanted to stop (lol). So I summarized the 5 main points that I found and placed that below the summaries I did make haha.
Book I
The book intros with Book One (chapter one) which is the preface for what is to follow. It is a summary of Marcuse’s life, his upbringing, the source of his virtues, an introductory outlook on his perspective of life.
Gratitude
He lists the appreciation of his mother and Great -Grandfather who advised Marcus to avoid public education and pursue tutoring. There he learned to work hard and not to desire materialistic goods.
Marcus is grateful to the gods that he has money so that he can always help someone out of financial distress if he wants to. Money has also allowed him to hire the best tutors for his children.
Finally, Marcus is thankful for his lovely, submissive wife, Faustina. He is also thankful for all the help the gods have sent to him through dreams.
Just to make sure we understand, Marcus tells us that he’s grateful for his sexual timidity. He’s especially glad that he never indulged with either his male or female slaves
He lists several philosophers that heavily influenced him directly or otherwise indirectly and lists the virtues taught by them:
- Rusticus: Promotes diplomacy & avoids rhetoric to more easily communicate with the population he served and introduced Marcus to Epictetus.
- Apollonius: As philosopher he promoted the idea of contentment and patience.
- Sextus: A physician and philosopher taught Marcus the value of traditions, tolerance, and humility.
- Alexander of Cotiaeum: He demonstrated the power of correcting ignorance with a gentle and compassionate heart.
- Fronto: One of Marcus’s tutors taught him to avoid tyranny.
- Cinna Catulus & Alexander the Platonist: The philosophers both taught Marcus to cherish friendships, and relationships in general.
- Severus: He emphasized equanimity, equality and freedom of speech. He also valued family, truth and justice for each citizen.
- Claudius Maximus: A stoic politician exhibited self-control, humor, frankness, forgiveness, and generosity.
- Lastly, Antoninus Pius (adopted father), and of the gods.
His Adopted Father
Antoninus exhibited humility to Marcus in early childhood. His power never corrupted his inner virtues and he reinforced his inner mindfulness even in moments of anguish and stress. Marcus observed that Antoninus practiced moderation. He never overindulged in his wealth while simultaneously enjoying the pleasures his life offered. The key message delivered was that modesty did not meant to sacrifice pleasure and satisfaction with materialistic wealth so long that materialistic things were the primary source of satisfaction.
Book II
This book was written during the defense battle fought on the northern border of his empire against the Quadi (had to look this up, it was a Germanic tribe).
Marcus quickly deviates from describing the battle scene to exploring the positive and negative valence found in human behavior. He states that his privilege to observe positive (good) behavior allows him to recognize that for most people their personal experience and lack of understanding is the reason that most act “bad”. He also states that to appreciate the good you must understand that the bad must be tolerated. This stems back to Petersons perspective of good and bad both being a part of the chaos, a part of the divine.
His privilege gives him the opportunity to recognize that the human is comprised of 3 main elements, the flesh (matter/biology), breath (external substance: O2, food), and directing the mind (Reason/logic). Logic is the most important component according to Marcus.
“Live each day as if it were your last” This is the motto that Marcus lives by as the contemplation of that truth places life and its misfortunes and its pleasures into perspective. Our time on earth is finite therefore it is important to cultivate a mind of reason to place more emphasis on the “right things” and to practice contentment.
I enjoy this book because it describes Marcus’s decisions to prioritize the objective and the correct decision over his pride and self-love. His practiced capacity to think logically and create “principles” allows him to prevent making impulsive decisions.
Destructive Emotions
Marcus places extra emphasis on the need for cultivating and nurturing more empathy and states that understanding how others are feeling “inside” is crucial and important. Regarding the significance of nurturing empathy, Marcus explored the irrational emotions of lust and anger. After citing Theophrastus Marcus came to the conclusion that lust is worse than anger because lust leads for weak-willed to surrender to their temptations such as consumerism and sexual impulse. Whereas anger is more of a reaction from a situation (usually emotional pain and frustration). To summarize, anger is evoked externally while lust is more intrinsic and is an “urge”. Lust is a demonstration of someone with weak discipline skills.
Marcus and the Gods
I’ve noticed that Marcus places major significance towards his affection and admiration (and gratitude) towards the gods. He reverberates a lot of concepts talked about by Peterson regarding the diving being comprised of both good and bad. The difference is that Peterson is talking more about the meta myth while Marcus is literally speaking of the god's divine plan. The gods have a benign impact on humanity. They usually allow humanity to act with free will, which allows for bad to occur but also for the possibility for good to flourish.
He states, similar to the Dalai Lama’s suggestion, that regardless of the outcome (divine or human imposed) humanity has the innate ability to determine the attitude towards their situations, thus crafting their reality.
He then starts to pontificate the need for placing less significance towards materialistic things. Eventually, everything and everyone will die and dissipate. Do not fear death as it is expected, rather fear the life of unfulfillment. Remember, nothing transcends beyond the physical realm to “heaven” or the “gods” — so to speak — so do not place much gravity on material things. They may bring temporary happiness but do not expect them to fulfill you, especially since they are temporary.
The importance is that “divinity” is in each and every one of us. Therefore we must focus on that rather than emphasizing on our neighbors. Divinity is both orders in chaos so you must focus on the “light” or else the “dark” or “dirty” will consume you (innate sin?).
Time & Life
Time is linear. The mortality of humans makes it certain that only one life can be lived and that the span from birth to death is irrelevant. Time in immutable and you cannot lose a future he doesn’t have, nor can the past be taken from him.
The Mind
The mind, according to Marcus, is amazing at shaping the “experience of the man”. His assertion on negative outcomes based on the situation was a major revelation to me. He states that resenting anything (a person or outcome) is resenting the whole (order in chaos, divinity, religion, and spirituality). “Resenting your fate means that you think you’re an exception to the rules of the Universe, which makes you an excess growth.”
He emphasizes the importance of cultivating a strong mind to be able to effectively execute his teachings, stoicism, and philosophy as a whole. We advocate for us to control our “passions”. You must focus on the inner divinity which is comprised of both good and evil. Focus on blunting the evil and nourishing the light. In doing so, you are showing immense reverence for the divine — the “Whole”.
BOOK III
Written in Carnuntum
The Divine Spark is something that Marcus frequently talks about pertaining to ethics, morals, and other virtues associated with being a “good” person.
The emphasis of this book was to focus on living towards a life of divinity. Regardless of your interpretation of religious dogmas, the idea is to pursue ethics and rational without succumbing to life’s pleasures and passions.
The same thought is extended towards executions and intentions. One can do just and kind things as an act of altruism but without the proper intentional — intrinsic motivation. If there is not a nefarious reason for conducting acts of good (i.e. for fame or praise) than you are acting in accordance with the Divine Spark.
Such a person is happy with his or her lot in life and is totally focused on what he or she should be doing: caring for all people as rational creatures — but not caring about fame or reputation.
Marcus argues that something that makes you do “bad things” cannot be beneficial for the actor.
Discernment
A disciplined life is a well-ordered life. Having the self-discipline to keep your promises and manifest your desired outcomes is what Marcus talks about pertaining to the “God Within”.
He then diverts into talking about our powers of judgment. We are able to determine and autonomously judge decisions to make certain that they align with the inner god. Judgment does not mean judging others rather than yourself, your thoughts, and your actions. “If your judgment colors outside those lines, it’s time to rethink your perception of things.”
The Daily Struggle
There are basic commandments to follow habitually according to Marcus: follow the path of reason, stay focused, maintain the purity of your inner spark of divinity — and keep struggling to do all this.
The purpose of philosophy is to be used as a tool to perceive life objectively so that you can respond to situations appropriately — without your passions convoluting your thought process.
Many people will not attain such enlightenment. They may be impaired by biology or circumstances. Regardless of the reason, we do not wish to become like “them”. The majority of those who lack a strong Moral I.Q. to be good.
a good person accepts his or her fate without complaint and takes care of that “divinity within” by respecting the gods and behaving justly.
BOOK IV
Ruling Power
The concept of our ability and varying capacity to direct our mind is the ruling power that each one of us possesses. We have the ability to turn dire circumstances into something fruitful and beneficial.
He creates an amazing analogy with the mind and a fire The fire that consumes whatever it is fed. The brighter the fire, the more hungry it is for fuel. And when it “overcomes” what comes its way, it grows brighter.
THis is to assume that all actions should be goal-oriented and motivated.
Inner Refuge
This is something that I struggle with immensely. Marcus talks about having the ability to retreat into your inner mind so that you can find refuge. The more you can become comfortable alone and inside yourself the more powerful your ruling mind becomes.
Every element of humanity is dwarfed by the cosmic scale of time. We are just a blink of the eye to the universe as a whole. We must realize how lucky we are to be here and how insignificant we truly are in comparison to the Whole. This realization can easily make us feel “small”. While this is true Marcus attempts to go even smaller. He recludes to his inner landscape to evaluate life objectively practicing compassion and impermanence.
According to Marcus, the other parts of his being (earthy, watery, fiery, etc.) come from the elements (earth, water, fire, etc.), but the mind comes from the cosmos.
If something doesn’t disturb the inner divinity, no harm can be done to a person. External stuff has no real power to hurt.
Self-Worth
A big portion of this chapter is talking about Marcus’s opinion on acting with divinity in mind. Like is finite. He is not fixated or paralyzed by fear of death. He knows it is inevitable and just a natural process form the Whole. This prompts him to believe that popularity doesn’t matter as even with great success your existence will soon be forgotten. This is another reason he does things to benefit humanity, even if contrary to popular opinion.
Marcus says that praise never actually improved the goodness of anyone or anything. He also states that like gold you should not lose value and depreciate in the void of praise. Everything from humans to animals is recycled through decomposition and used for the Whole.
Marcus reminds himself to be a good man by being content with what the Universe has sent him and what he is capable of doing.
Universal Order
Marcus presents the current debate about the order of the Universe. Is it deliberately ordered by a governing power, or is it a random collection of atoms with some version of order?
He believes the importance of cosmic order is necessary for humanity to thrive and prosper. But accepting this truth is to accept that the bad that occurs in your life is also a part of the Whole. As a result, Marcus condemns of bad moral characters in an effort to preserve your inner divinity.
Marcus claims that in order to be in harmony with the universe, a person needs to recognize that “social principle” is crucial. You can’t run away from your social duty, or you risk alienating yourself.
Marcus’s antidote is to stay focused on that which is important and not waste time on anything of little importance.
Marcus compares creation to a river and time to a stream. The idea is that things are brought in and swept away quickly and continuously.
In the end, Marcus encourages himself to keep on the straight path of reason (STAY ON THE PATH), since it is the easiest for humans — it keeps him from worrying about what other people think.
BOOK V
This book opens with some self-discipline. He talks about waking up early and getting after it. Just as a bird gets food and the lion hunts his prey you to do you instinctive instruction, its only natural.
Self evaluates your situation like Marcus, who discusses this matter in his book. He scolded himself for willing to indulge in pleasures while resisting good(productive) actions. This goes back to the existential vacuum talked about by Viktor Frankl. With purpose, you are truly concerned with your universal fate.
Good Deeds
Marcus categorizes people into three sections:
- Those who think about what’s now owed to them;
- Those who think that the helped person now in their debt;
- Those who completely forget that they’ve done a good deed.
He adds a beautiful analogy to group # 3 comparing them to a grapevine: it produces good fruit, and that is both its purpose and its reward.
He then lists more creatures that execute their purpose without expecting a reward: bees, racehorses, hunting dogs. It is in their nature to pursue a purpose and instinct so we must fulfill our nature as well.
Marcus spearman's himself by asking “Shouldn’t we make people aware of their social duties by calling attention to our own good deeds?” He continues to reply by saying that is of the substance found in category one and two. They only do good to benefit themselves.
He adds another great prescription for us to remember, “Don’t be discouraged if you fail to act on all your principles. Try, try again.”
Making a mistake is inevitable and that is okay. He appends his statement by stating that his philosophy should not be seen as a schoolboy thinks of his tutor, rather the way a patient thinks of his medicine.
Mental Inventory
Marcus asks himself regularly “What am I doing with my life(soul)?” He does this with the intention to get an inventory of what is going on personally so that he can identify the type of person that he is becoming.
Then Marcus conceptualizes what true goods are. To many, goods are material items that people can possess and worship — so to speak. To Marcus, goods are qualities like wisdom and generosity. He rather accumulates what he defines as good (ethical virtues) so that he can furnish his soul rather than clutter his house with shit he doesn’t need.
“souls are dyed by thoughts.” This is a common statement found in many books I've read in that your thoughts become your actions. Thoughts are things. What you imagine in your mind's eye will be manifested in your life. If you cultivate evil fruit you will bear it just as if you cultivate positive ethical virtues then you too will manifest such things.
Marcus is reminded that material items are transient just like him and the universe, so it is meaningless to hold much affinity towards such objects. Things of this world are simply toys. A man shouldn’t indulge in extremes of emotion — even less so an emperor.
Adversity Is Relative
In judeo Christianity God says, “ no man is given more than he can endure.” This concept is reverberated by Marcus when he states that, “people suffer the same fate as he, but they take it better than me.”
Just like Job, Marcus acknowledges that it’s hard for humans to accept that the universe (God) only gives what the nature of a human can handle. However, this recognition is difficult to grasp by most people. So they end up feeling defeated.
The rebuttal is that this is what the mind does: “it works hard to turn a difficulty into an asset.”
Like the meta myth of religion and heroic stories suggest, the divine power was replicated and resides in us. The power is always available but only through hardship can it become accessible. These twin powers (cosmic and individual) rule all else.
He ends by stating that luck is something that is created by the self. You can foster good luck by being objective and disciplines while maintaining a wealthy balance of ethical key virtues. He adds that “it flows from a well-intentioned soul.”
Key Take-Aways
1. Innate Sin & Your Capacity for Compassion
In Judeo-Christianity sin means to “miss the mark”. People may be innately good but act out in sinful manners as it is human nature to gravitate towards the path of least resistance. Such paths usually lead men towards temptations and succumbing to their passions. John, in the Bible, talks about not taking a spec out of a man’s eye when you possess a whole damn log. Analogously, Marcus affirms that we should try to politely correct others but love unconditionally if they fail to miss the mark. I’d argue that who am I to judge others in such a manner but it is also seen more as a tool with friends you are close with (that’s my assumption).
When interacting with individuals who miss the mark we must guard our inner key virtues so that we do not become corrupt in the process. Additionally, we should not be surprised with “wicked deeds” are acted on against us as their innate sin and capacity for extreme malevolence is already known. (There is a good quote that I used in #5 talking about this).
This idea is amazing because it resembles a similar sentiment from the Dalai Lama when practicing forgiveness and compassion. Like the Dalai Lama, Marcus believes that people’s “evil” actions (even if committed towards us) are substrates from their own flawed perception of reality, ignorance of ethical virtues and morality, and mixed and reinforced by personal experiences. Compassion is derived by understanding people are wired differently (the way I interpret it is that irrational people are not capable of being mindful and pursuing positive virtues). He then gets very altruistic by stating humans like other animals need to coexist in harmony.
This concept of interdependence also extends to the Dalai Lama’s teachings. Just like the Church in Christianity is the collective sum of Christians Marcus believes that we all are connected like a massive organism. Each person is a sub-organism a must-do its tasks to improve the whole. Since we are interdependent we must also realize that hurting one person is similar to hurting everyone. This like a pebble in a pond. A small focal point can create cascading waves of destruction. With the same logic, you actually hurt yourself. You are corrupting your inner values by attempting to inflict harm on others.
He adds, “What injures the hive, injures the bee. The best revenge,” he said, “is not to be like that.”
Instead of judging, complaining, attempting to see revenge, etc etc we should focus on cultivating our inner key values. Self-improvement is the key to divinity.
“It is a ridiculous thing for a man not to fly from his own badness, which is indeed possible, but to fly from other men’s badness, which is impossible.”
It’s impossible to change and correct other people’s mistakes, so we should only focus on avoiding our own flaws.
So, take the log out of your eye before you judge others. You have things you KNOW that you need to work on. That is more than enough to keep you busy. Worrying about other people and their mistakes is only interference and a distraction to your problems. Comparing yourself to others misfortune is a cheap escape and the act does not improve your situation. Stay in your lane and stay on the path. We are innately flawed creatures that succumb to our temptations and passions. Be compassionate and understanding and focus on improving yourself.
2. Praise and Temptations
A big section from his book is talking about how life is ephemeral. We are transient beings and humanity is just a blink of the eye in relation to the time scale of the universe. Therefore, he postulated, that you should not worry about attaining fame and you should not succumb to your passions if they corrupt your morals — your inner divinity. He adds that many famous individuals have long been forgotten:
“Consider that as the heaps of sand piled on one another hide the former sands, so in life, the events which go before are soon covered by those which come after.”
The narcissistic ego in all of us engenders us to pursue fame. Regardless of the status achieved your accomplishments, like the sand of dunes, will soon fade into oblivion.
He then focuses on the idea of getting praise for doing good deeds. He adds a beautiful analogy to group # 3 comparing them to a grapevine: “it produces good fruit, and that is both its purpose and its reward. When you’ve done well and another has benefited by it, why like a fool do you look for a third thing on top — credit for the good deed or a favor in return?”
Just like the bee collects pollen for honey your task on earth is to be a better version of yourself and try to help others along the way. Why should you be praised for doing what is your obligated task? He then talks about how humanity is interconnected and what negatively affects one can affect the Whole which also hurts you. So do not harm others in the process of life as well. This concept is called Karma by the Dalai Lama which literally means action. Future results based on present actions. You can cultivate a prosperous future or a negative one. Your actions dictate your karma.
Temptations far exceed the concept of attaining fame. The desire for fame is merely one of the countless desired found in the abyss. Succumbing to one's desires is seen to be more blasphemous than acting out evil from your passions (i.e. anger). If an individual was harmed then it is logically justified to act out evil. However, one who succumbs to one’s inner desires is disregarding the wellbeing of others and corrupting their inner mind palace. Their temple of divinity and sanctity. The desire their temptations more than they desire to be virtuous. It makes sense, we as humans gravitate towards the path of least resistance. It’s easy to want to do nothing, do drugs, and sex. It takes mental fortitude and discipline to be able to object such temptations (although I think they are extreme. Find a balance. Everything in moderation including moderation).
He ends with the description of his prayers. “I wish not that the gods to satisfy a desire or prevent what is to be feared, rather I ask them if they can remove the desire and be content with what the Gods have blessed me with.” Contentment and strong mind so that it is deterred from temptations.
3. The Cosmic Cycle of Change
The cosmos are continually in an eternal time loop. Life and death are mere cycles of the Whole. Acceptance of such truth is powerful in that you do not need to be fixated on past events as they have happened and cannot be changed. Worry caused by anxiety form the past clouds your judgment, preventing you from taking the proper course of action. Similarly, the future is not yet determined. We can make plans and strategize but we should once again not become fixated on what is not yet here. This also prevents disappointment because you should always expect the unexpected which is usually a plan of action failing. In saying this, we ONLY have the present moment.
Our time on this earth while alive is undetermined. We can live past a hundred or we can die today. So he employs us to live each day as if it were our last. “Not to live as if you had endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you’re alive and able — be good.” this reminded me of Steve Jobs, “Live each day as if it were your last because one day you will most certainly be right.”
In accepting our fleeting existence we should consider pursuing a well-lived life. Marcus teaches us that we can achieve this by staying virtuous, continually nurturing our inner divinity. “Thou wilt soon die, and thou art not yet simple, not free from perturbations, nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things, nor kindly disposed towards all; nor dost thou yet places wisdom only in acting justly.”
It is the way of our world that substances should change into new things. The changing of anything into something else is never harmful to the universe, and Marcus applies that lack of harmfulness to every part of the universe,
He affirms that “Nothing is evil which is according to nature.” When we die we undergo change. We are recycled into the Whole. Change is not inherently evil it is natural.
Change is not only pertaining to death but maybe change in your job or relationship life is occurring currently and the change has you worried. Think back to this quote by Marcus, “Is any man afraid of change? What can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal nature? And canst thou take a bath unless the wood undergoes a change? And canst thou be nourished unless the food undergoes a change? And can anything else that is useful be accomplished without change?”
4. The Mind is a Powerful Tool
Once you have accepted that the bad is also a part of the whole, and without the bad, the good cannot even exist then you can focus solely on nurturing key values.
Our perception of reality determines our attitude. This means that events that seem problematic and anxious inducing are not the true sources of unhappiness. The root problem is our attitude. We can shape and mold the attitude to perceive obstacles with humility, gratitude, and a way for you as an individual to improve.
We have the ability to cast shadows in our mind as easily as we can clear those clouds of gloom. Practicing attentiveness and awareness leads to mindfulness. You can determine the outlook of the situation. You are the determining factor on whether or not a situation makes you upset or not. He adds,
“Choose not to be harmed — and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed — and you haven’t been.”
Unseen circumstances that are not ideal are common in life. It is a part of the Whole as he describes, so why should we be bothered by what is to be expected? Anxiety is the cause of unknown entering into the domain of your planned ideal future. However, the unknown negatively interfering with our desired plans of action is abundant in this chaotic universe so do not succumb to such negative destructive emotions. He gave this quote to help you better understand. “Let not future things disturb you, for you will come to them, if it shall be necessary, having with you the same reason which you now use for present things.”
So long that you stay true to yourself and continue pursuing a nurturing environment in your mind palace than you were never truly affected.
He used precious metals as an analogy to describe how they possess value even if not praised. Similarly, just as you should not worry about what happens around you as it does not degenerate your inner values.
If you read my commentary on Ryan Holidays “The Obstacle is the Way” then you understand what I am about to go into. If not, then continue reading nonetheless.
“Our actions may be impeded . . . but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting,” and he finished with “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Unexpected misfortunes are to be expected. When such problems arise we know that just like your existence, the human existence as a whole, they are impermanent too. Taking that truth allows you to find the opportunity within the obstacle.
You have the ability to determine your state of happiness. “The space between stimulus and response is your freedom to choose.” Viktor Frankl. You can create a state of mental peace even in anxiety-inducing situations. You may feel overwhelmed but stop and breathe. Realize that this too will pass like a river down a stream. Now we must not misconstrue such prescriptions as a delusion to not taking action and deny such events. Rather, we must find the opportunity hidden within the obstacle. Even if that opportunity is merely humility. Take that humility with much gratitude.
I practiced this over the summer when we lost $319,000 in one day. THAT WAS BRUTAL. On top of that many other negative things were happening. I realized that being angry and panicking would only magnify the situation and that it would not improve the situation. So I started to look at the situation more objectively and also teared up when I truly felt grateful for the humility that this brought me. Long story short we got it fixed and addressed the problem and implemented proper steps to improve the situation. If I could do this, you can too.
5. Your Rational Mind is Your Greatest Asset
We have developed a prefrontal cortex for a reason. This allowed us to think rationally while our animal counterparts are acting purely out of instinct. Therefore we must nurture and foster the rational mind.
This goes back to his concept of the future. When we fail to attain the desired plan we experience disappointment (suffering). Not saying be complacent goalless being with no aim or ambition. NO WAY! Just create a plan with the understanding that things may not go to plan and this brings you to find the opportunity within the obstacle, take the learning experience with humbled humility. Our rational mind is in control of our opinions, attitude, and perception of life. If we remove the veneer of emotions covering our reality then we can see clearly.
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Here he is stating that you cannot control much but what you can control is the mind and that is all you need! Think and you shall become. Using a rational mind allows you to create principles expressed by Dalio. This by extension makes life operate more frictionless and wat a higher optimal level.
I was reading supplementary information on this book for my writing and I came across this: “Marcus teaches that our mind is a thing that controls itself completely and is separated from the world; it cannot be affected by events unless it makes itself be affected.” You are the determining factor on whether or not you are negatively or positively affected by such events
He ties this concept back to the gods (Nature) by stating they gave us the Whole. The Whole consists of both good and bad. The Whole also gave us the ability to rationally discern what we perceive to be good and bad. Regardless of what nature provides, we should take it with gratitude.
10 Best Marcus Aurelius Quotes from Meditations
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”
“If it is not right, do not do it, if it is not true, do not say it.”
“The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
“Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.”
“We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.”
“Not to feel exasperated, or defeated, or despondent because your days aren’t packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human — however imperfectly — and fully embrace the pursuit that you’ve embarked on.”
“How easy it is to repel and to wipe away every impression which is troublesome or unsuitable, and immediately to be in all tranquility.”
“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”
“Ambition means tying your well-being to what other people say or do…Sanity means tying it to your own actions.”
“Discard your misperceptions. Stop being jerked like a puppet. Limit yourself to the present.”
Conclusion
Values to Live By
- Balanced/moderate: Opposed to extreme views and actions (especially in politics or religion)
- Humble: Having a modest estimate of one’s importance, accepting one’s own fallibility
- Simple: Doing only what is necessary, speaking clearly
- Austere: Not requiring comforts or luxuries; having a plain and unadorned appearance
- Accepting: Receiving people and happenings as they are without striving against them
- Open: Receptiveness to change or new ideas, especially in letting go of one's current beliefs
- Diligent (esp. in planning): Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties
- Energetic: Showing or involving great activity or vitality
- Persistent: Not giving up in the face of adversity, however great
- Patient: Able to accept delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious
- Pragmatic: Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
- Mindful: Consciously aware of internal and external circumstances in the present moment.
- Purposeful: Having or showing determination or resolve towards a defined purpose
- Having integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
- Dispassionate (esp. in pain, in anger): Not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial
- Silent (in thought, word, and deed): ‘Being’ over ‘doing’ or ‘having’, patience to observe clearly before acting, knowing when not to act at all and not drawing attention to oneself by one's actions
- Rationale: Based on or in accordance with reason or logic
- s: Open and willing to be of assistance in working towards a common goal, working as part of a team
- Forgiving: Feeling no anger about or not wishing to punish offenses, flaws or mistakes
That’s pretty much it!
