I recently finished reading “Meditations” by March Aurelius. This book is filled with countless thought seeds and timeless wisdom.
Why Read “Meditations?”
Marcus Aurelius, the author, was a historic Roman emperor. His reign in Rome was marked by Stoic philosophy. The personal reflections he documented in “Meditations” resonate with many thinkers. He offers insight into leadership, resilience, and the human condition. His thoughts have remained relevant throughout history.
“Meditations” explores cultivating mindfulness. Aurelius urges the reader to thoughtfully navigate life’s challenges.
Practical Stoicism For Daily Life
The stoic framework found in “Meditations” empowers the reader to approach challenges in life with a calm and rational mindset. Aurelius urges us to learn to control our reactions to external events. To do this, he recommends that we turn to our inner selves in a quest to foster peace.
Elegance In Prose
I was stunned by the beauty of Aurelius’s prose. Even though he wrote in an ancient time he words carry an enduring elegance and wit. Each passage in “Meditations” contains a seed of wisdom, prompting us to reflect on our actions, values and the impermanence of life.
The book is structured so that you can return to individual passages again and again. The way Aurelius breaks the meditations into digestible passages invites the reader to pause and reflect on each thought. This contemplation allows the reader to consume at leisure and later integrate the teachings into daily life.
I Recommend!
I would rate this 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend it to anyone who is seeking personal growth or enjoys the study of philosophy.
“I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others. If then a god or a wise teacher should present himself to a man and bid him to think of nothing and to design nothing which he would not express as soon as he conceived it, he could not endure it even for for a single day–So much more respect have we to what our neighbours shall think of us than to what we shall think of ourselves.”
Marcus Aurelius in “Meditations”