Practical Stoicism

In this episode, I discuss Meditation 17 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius reflects on the transient and uncertain nature of life. Marcus reminds us that our lives are brief and unpredictable, with the physical and spiritual aspects of existence constantly in flux. In the face of this, Marcus asserts that only Philosophy can serve as our guide through life, providing us with the means to keep our spirit unharmed, act with purpose, and accept the inevitable changes and dissolution of Nature without fear. Marcus highlights the importance of focusing on the present moment, the only time we truly have control over. While the past can inform our decisions, and the future must be considered for virtuous planning, neither should overwhelm the present. By living according to a guiding philosophy—one that emphasizes virtue, rationality, and alignment with Nature—we ensure that our choices lead us closer to the Good. I also explore how adopting a coherent and virtuous philosophy, like Stoicism, helps us frame our actions and emotions, avoiding the pitfalls of nihilism or harmful ideologies. "Of man's life, his time is a point, his existence a flux, his sensation clouded, his body's entire composition corruptible, his vital spirit an eddy of breath, his fortune hard to predict, his fame uncertain. Briefly, all the things of the body, a river; all the things of the spirit, dream and delirium; his life a warfare and a sojourn in a strange land, his after-fame oblivion. What then can be his escort through life? One thing and one thing only, Philosophy. And this is to keep the spirit within him unwronged and unscathed, master of pains and pleasures, doing nothing at random, nothing falsely and with pretence; needing no other to do aught or to leave aught undone; and moreover accepting what befalls it, that is, what is assigned to it, as coming from that other world from which it came itself. And in all things awaiting death, with a mind that is satisfied, counting it nothing else than a release of the elements from which each living creature is composed. Now if there is no hurt to the elements themselves in their ceaseless changing each into other, why should a man apprehend anxiously the change and dissolution of them all? For this is according to Nature; and no evil is according to Nature." - Meditations 2.17 -- Go ad-free : https://stoicismpod.com/members Join the Discord Community : https://stoicismpod.com/discord Follow the print publication : https://stoicismpod.com/print Take my free courses : https://stoicismpod.com/courses Order my book : https://stoicismpod.com/book Source Text : https://stoicismpod.com/far Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I examine Meditation 16 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius reflects on the ways in which a person’s soul—or daemon, in Stoic terminology—can harm itself. Marcus lists five key actions that damage the soul, emphasizing that such harm occurs when we act contrary to Nature and our rational purpose. The first way we harm ourselves is by separating from Nature, acting as though we are independent of the Universe’s interconnected system. The second is by turning against others with the intent to harm, which undermines our duty to cooperate within the Cosmopolis. Third, we damage ourselves when we allow pleasure or pain to control our actions, forsaking rational decision-making for hedonism or avoidance. Fourth, we harm our character by engaging in lies or fostering illusions, as these actions habituate vice. Finally, we cause harm when we act without purpose, neglecting our roles and responsibilities within society. Marcus reminds us that living in alignment with Nature requires continuous effort and self-reflection. This meditation highlights the Stoic commitment to personal accountability and the importance of cultivating a virtuous character. "The soul of a man does violence to itself, first and foremost when it becomes so far as in it lies, a separate growth, a blain as it were upon the Universe. For to turn against anything that comes to pass is a separation from Nature, by which the natures of each of the rest are severally comprehended. Secondly, when it turns away from any human being or is swept counter to him, meaning to injure him, as is the case with the natures of those who are enraged. It violates itself, thirdly, when it is the victim of pleasure or pain; fourthly, when it acts apart, and says or does anything both feignedly and falsely. Fifthly, when, failing to direct any act or impulse of its own upon a mark, it behaves in any matter without a plan or conscious purpose, whereas even the smallest act ought to have a reference to the end. Now the end of reasonable creatures is this: to obey the rule and ordinance of the most venerable of all cities and governments." - Meditations 2.16 -- Go ad-fee for life : https://stoicismpod.com/lifer Get a free signed copy of my book : https://giveaway.whatisstoicismbook.com Join the Discord : https://stoicismpod.com/discord Follow the print publication : https://stoicismpod.com/print Take the free course : https://understandingstoicism.com Order my book : https://stoicismpod.com/book Source Text : https://stoicismpod.com/far Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I reflect on Meditation 15 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius emphasizes that “all is opinion.” This principle, shared by the Cynic philosopher Monimus, suggests that our perception defines our reality. While this concept is intuitive, its true power lies in recognizing the control we have over how we frame our experiences. By adjusting our perceptions, we can transform how we respond to life’s challenges, even in situations of profound loss or injustice. I explore how framing can help us endure grief, such as the death of a loved one, whether it occurs naturally or through tragic circumstances like a murder. While emotional responses are natural, Marcus reminds us that we always have the power to choose how we think about such events. Viewing loss as part of Nature’s causal chain rather than as an unfair tragedy helps us avoid bitterness and remain aligned with virtue. This ability to reframe events extends beyond personal loss, shaping how we navigate disagreements, relationships, and our roles within the Cosmopolis. "Remember that all is opinion. For what was said by the Cynic Monimus is manifest: and manifest too is the use of what was said, if a man receives what may be got out of it as far as it is true." - Meditations 2.15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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In this episode, I examine Meditation 14 from Book 2 of Meditations, where Marcus Aurelius reflects on the nature of time and the present moment. Marcus emphasizes that we cannot lose the past, as it no longer exists, nor the future, as it has yet to arrive. The only thing we can truly lose is the present moment, which is fleeting and finite. He reminds us that regardless of the length of one’s life, everyone loses the same thing in death: the ability to exist in the present. This meditation encourages us to focus on the now without disregarding our responsibilities to others and the Cosmopolis. While the present moment is the only time we can act, we must also consider the impact of our actions on the future. A Stoic life involves planning and considering our role in society, rather than becoming isolated or overly focused on personal resilience. Marcus’ reflections also critique the tendency to reduce Stoicism to simplistic, individualistic ideas that ignore its foundational emphasis on service and community. "Even were you about to live three thousand years or thrice ten thousand, nevertheless remember this, that no one loses any other life than this which he is living, nor lives any other than this which he is losing. Thus the longest and the shortest come to the same thing. For the present is equal for all, and what is passing is therefore equal: thus what is being lost is proved to be barely a moment. For a man could lose neither past nor future; how can one rob him of what he has not got? Always remember, then, these two things: one, that all things from everlasting are of the same kind, and are in rotation; and it matters nothing whether it be for a hundred years or for two hundred or for an infinite time that a man shall behold the same spectacle; the other, that the longest-lived and the soonest to die have an equal loss; for it is the present alone of which either will be deprived, since (as we saw) this is all he has and a man does not lose what he has not got." - Meditations 2.14 -- Go ad-free : https://stoicismpod.com/members Follow the print publication : https://stoicismpod.com/print Take the free course : https://understandingstoicism.com Order my book : https://stoicismpod.com/book Source Text : https://stoicismpod.com/far Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices