Stoicism

I have a new (old) resource in my bag of tricks. To help me in my life and in my writing. It's Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. It's a fairly meaty little book. And, like another favorite book of mine that I see as its modern counterpart, The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz, its material ranges from the pithy to the abstract.

In the case of Aurelius' Meditations, you can follow along as he explores ideas that are important to him. Testing them out in his journal. Trying to find universal truths among what are essentially stoic tenets. For Ruiz, he positions his work as having been derived from ancient Toltec wisdom.

If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.

In short . . . Aurelius reminds us that it's not the rock in your shoe, a late train, or a querulous family member who is causing you grief. It's your reaction to those external events. This is pretty heavy. But it ultimately lays at your feet the ability to choose how to respond to a given situation. Very similar to Ruiz's admonitions "Don't take anything personally" as well as "Don't make assumptions". Like Aurelius before him, Ruiz urges you to accept that the words and actions of others shouldn't affect you. He takes it to the extreme, "Even if someone got a gun and shot you . . . it was nothing personal." The point here is that you aren't responsible for the actions of others. So you shouldn't occupy your thoughts with them. In perhaps a more practical context for your daily life: don't assume you know the intentions of others, or carry someone else's baggage.

Marcus Aurelius believed that there was a universal morality, accessible within all cultures. And he continually stressed the importance of living a life of virtue.

Put an end once and for all to this discussion of what a good man should be, and be one.

Aurelius argues that when you act justly, and live honestly, you will carry no regrets. Similarly, Ruiz would say "Always do your best". He acknowledges that we all have moments of weakness and moments of strength. But he would also argue that making it a habit to do our best in every given moment will lead to a more fulfilling life, where we do not give ourselves, or others, any reason to judge us critically. Over time, our relative best will improve. And through regular practice we will become more consistently virtuous. 

Aurelius would say that pursuit of the truth is essential to living a just life.

If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.

Ruiz would say, "Be impeccable with your word." Only speak the truth. Your words are a manifestation of your intentions. So be sure that they represent your truth, what you stand for. Ruiz felt that this lesson was the most important of the agreements. Because it sets the stage for everything else in your life. If followed with rigor, a person of such integrity can live a life carrying no regrets.

These lessons, from authors writing thousands of years apart, carry many similar themes. That commonality supports Aurelius' notion of the universality of morality, and that they have survived so long demonstrates their inherent value. But these practices also require the work of a lifetime to achieve. When life is especially full of personal and professional responsibilities, many people seek escape in the latest episode of their shows on Netflix. I certainly do the same on many an evening. But I also fall back on reading works like Meditations, The Four Agreements--and others. And I urge you to do the same. Spend some time with a thoughtful and introspective book. Or perhaps write out your own thoughts in a journal. There's something more tangible about words on the written page. There's a reassuring permanence to them. Proof of that is the fact that I'm sharing the journal of a man written nearly 2,000 years ago with you right now. And his musings stand the test of time.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading!