Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us once again look to Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, which he wrote himself to keep disciplined in his own Stoic practices. This is VII 56-57: “Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what’s left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love […]
Hello there, For this exercise, let us look at an excerpt from Epictetus’ Discourses I 6-1&2: “Show me someone who isn’t a slave! One is a slave to lust, another to greed, another to power, and all are slaves to fear…No servitude is more abject than the self-imposed.” Amor Fati…most of us have heard this core Stoic precept already, right? […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I will look for inspiration from the Moral Letters of Seneca to Lucillius CVIII 27-27: “Let us therefore set out whole-heartedly, leaving aside out many distractions and exert ourselves in this single purpose, before we realize too late the swift and unstoppable flight of time and are left behind. As each day arises, welcome […]
Hello there, This week, let us find some inspiration from the emperor himself, in keeping things simple and focusing on the one job we have. This is from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations VII 15: “Whatever anyone does or says, for my part I am bound to the good. In the same way an emerald or gold or purple might always proclaim: […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I wanted to remind everyone that we are not born with all the knowledge, answers and virtue. We learn it. Therefore, what we know can always be built upon, improved and flat our replaced. Let us look at Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations VIII 16: “Remember that to change your mind and to follow someone’s correction […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us find some inspiration from the last great emperor of Rome. This is from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations X 29: “In every act of thine pause at each step and ask thyself: Is death to be dreaded for the loss of this?” So powerful. So sobering. I say this all the time but […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, let us look for some inspiration from Epictetus. This is from his Discourses I 24.1&2: “It is difficulties that show what men are. Consequently, when a difficulty befalls, remember that God, like a physical trainer, has matched you with a rugged young man. What for? some one says. So that you may become an […]
Hello there, For this exercise, let us seek some inspiration on the perils of ambition, pleasure and possessions, from the man who was at the top of the social and political ladder. This is from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations VI 51: “The lover of glory conceives his own good to consist in another’s action, the lover of pleasure in his own […]
Hello there, For this week’s exercise, I will look for inspiration from Epictetus’ Discourses IV 1.141&142: “Be careful how you take the news – I won’t say that your child dies, because you couldn’t possibly tolerate that – but that your cruet of oil fell over. Or that someone drank up all your wine. Anyone finding you in despair might […]
Hello there, You’re a good person right? And you do good things for others, no? Well, here are some words from Marcus Aurelius to keep in mind then. Let’s get some inspiration from his Meditations IX 42: “For what more do you want when you have done a man a service? Are you not content that you have done something […]