Books that Matter: the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

A new 12-lecture course by yours truly, published by The teaching Company

Marcus Aurelius, bust at the Baths of Diocletian, Rome. Photo by the Author.

[The course is now available from The Teaching Company. You may also be interested in checking out my previous course for the same outlet: Think like a Stoic—Ancient Wisdom for Today's World.]

One day, about 18 centuries ago, a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders wrote some notes to himself in a journal. He wrote about becoming a better man. How should he act? What would a truly good life look like? How did he feel about death? Over several years, he would fill a dozen notebooks with thoughts on these and similar questions. The author of these journals never intended to publish a book. He gave it no title, no internal structure, and took no care to remove his many redundancies. But none of that mattered. He wrote for himself, and his only goal was self-improvement.

We now know these writings as Meditations, penned by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor of the second century CE. It is estimated that many millions of people have read his “private” philosophical journals and that several million people worldwide follow Stoic philosophy today.

What is it about Stoicism that Marcus found so important then—and that millions find relevant today? In the 12 fascinating lectures of Books That Matter: Meditations, I explore the questions Marcus believed were crucial to address in a life of value, the answers he proposed, and the many ways in which you can apply Stoic philosophy to your own life.

What Can Meditations Teach Us?

Marcus did not invent Stoicism, although he was familiar with the philosophy before he wrote a word in his now-famous journals. He grew up in a wealthy home, and his family made sure he had a broad education. But, of everything he studied, nothing attracted him more than philosophy. His tutors included the major Stoics of the day, as well as proponents of other philosophical schools, and he drew on their teachings throughout his life.

Experts believe Marcus wrote what would become Meditations during the 170s CE, while he was emperor and leading the fight against several Germanic tribes. He certainly could have journaled about issues faced by military or government leaders. Instead, Marcus wrote down his thoughts about the meaning of life and death in a manner that is useful to all people.

Marcus’ writings centered around three broad questions throughout Meditations:

What is a person? He answers that a person is made of flesh, spirit, and intelligence. Of these, he says intelligence is most important because it allows us to understand the cosmos and to live according to that understanding.

How should we think about the past, present, and future? Marcus says we should focus our efforts in the present because that is the only place we can act. We cannot change the past, and when the future arrives, we will be able to influence it only then.

What is the real difference between virtue and vice? He concludes that vice is the only real problem to overcome, and virtue the only appropriate guide in life.

Practicing An Action-Oriented Philosophy

Marcus was not interested in philosophy for its own sake; philosophy had value only if it could guide him to become a better man. In Meditations, he is clear that he doesn’t plan to theorize about the world and simply wait for Plato’s (or any other) Utopia to arrive. Instead, he is happy to work toward incremental improvements in this world. But what is the best way to do that?

Although Marcus was the single most powerful person in the Mediterranean world, he wrote about himself as simply one individual member of the entire human family, the cosmopolis. Meditations tells us that we came into this world for the each other’s sake. To live up to our true nature, then, we need to be kind and helpful and recognize that the only thing we can control in this world is our own decisions.

But self-control is not an easy task—especially for an emperor who was known to have anger-management issues. Consequently, Marcus includes many spiritual exercises in Meditations to help him stay focused on the virtuous tasks at hand. I share detailed directions for practicing the following exercises, among others:

Take Another’s Perspective. We tend to think that other people’s actions are reflections of their character, while our own actions always have some kind of justification. As a result, we forgive ourselves quite often but are much less charitable toward others.

Question Every Action. This exercise is meant to improve Stoic mindfulness—to train ourselves to always think before acting. Why are we planning to take a particular action? Is it rational and social-minded?

Catch and Examine Your Judgments. This exercise helps us make sure that our actions are undertaken with temperance and with the understanding that the outcome of those actions might not be in our control.

The Impact of Stoicism in the Modern World

There are many references to God and gods in Meditations. But these are neither the traditional Roman gods nor the God of any monotheistic religion. For the Stoics there is one God, which is the cosmos itself, and we are literally bits and pieces of that cosmic deity.

With so many references to God, the soul, and piety, could Stoicism be considered a religion? Experts say no. When Stoics ask, “What makes a good life?” their answers never include worship, faith, or prayer. Instead, Stoics focus on rational thought and action. However, Stoicism has had significant impact on religion, especially the nascent religion of Marcus’ time, Christianity. In fact, we can see the impact of Stoicism in many aspects of our modern world, including:

Christian Spiritual Life. Ignatius of Loyola’s book Spiritual Exercises, written in the latter Middle Ages, is used worldwide today by Christian spiritual directors and retreat leaders. Many of the exercises he included came directly from the Stoics.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Stoicism—particularly the version articulated by Epictetus and Marcus—was the inspiration for the beginnings of CBT in the 1950s and early 1960s. CBT focuses on cognitive restructuring of negative thought patterns or irrational beliefs, with an emphasis on compassion and emotional regulation, all concepts central to Stoic philosophy. Some consider it one of the best evidence-based psychotherapies ever devised.

Self-Help and 12-Step Programs. Many 12-step programs use the famous Serenity Prayer, written by a Protestant theologian in twentieth century, with the idea borrowed from the Stoics—understanding how to act for the good when you can, and recognizing situations over which you have no control.

Meditations was originally written for an audience of just one. But what Marcus wanted to examine certainly still applies to us today. What exactly should we be mindful of in life? To act reasonably and with others in mind is the Stoic approach to a life worth living.

Here is a trailer for the course:

LECTURE TITLES AND SUMMARIES

1. The Meditations as Philosophical Journal

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus starts his personal philosophical journal by thanking people who brought him to that moment, including his mother and the Roman emperor who adopted him, Antoninus Pius. He also thanks his tutors, including two of the foremost teachers of Stoicism of the day, Epictetus and Quintus Junius Rusticus. Explore Marcus’ character by discovering whom he thanks and why.

2. Marcus Aurelius: Emperor Philosopher

Marcus was a product of the Roman Empire at the time of its greatest expanse. Explore how events in the Empire itself affected Marcus’ thoughts about divine providence, duties to the great family of humanity, the notion of virtue, and the metaphysical relationships between wholes and parts.

3. Marcus Aurelius Becomes a Stoic

Marcus only mentions Stoicism directly in one passage of Meditations. But whether or not he used the specific word, Meditations is filled with Stoic ideas. Learn what Marcus and the Stoics before him say about wisdom, courage, justice, temperance, role ethics and cosmopolitanism—and how they can guide us to live according to our one true purpose in life.

4. Marcus Aurelius on Preparing for the Day

The Stoics believed in God—and they believed God was the same thing as the cosmos itself. Learn how humanity fits into this grand view and how we can determine what is truly important in our lives. You’ll be surprised to learn how much of what we typically care about is labeled by Marcus with the apparently oxymoronic phrase “preferred indifferent.”

5. Personal Character and the Inner Citadel

If you’re trying to get away from your problems by going on vacation, Meditations has a bit of strong language for you: You need a change of soul, not a change of scenery. Marcus suggests turning inward to your “Inner Citadel” where you can analyze what’s bothering you and then realize why it’s not really a problem. Discover why Marcus writes: “The universe is change; Life is opinion.”

6. Make the Best of the Present Moment

One of the most significant distinctions made by the Stoics is the separation between that which we can control and that which we cannot. But once you identify what you can control, then what? Marcus tells us that we must always act to benefit the cosmopolis. Discover the relationships between spirit, reason, and happiness—and Marcus’ rational thoughts on death.

7. Anger Management in the Meditations

Anger management wasn’t “invented” any time recently. Even Roman emperors weren’t immune from this destructive emotion, and it’s certainly addressed in Meditations. Stoicism tells us that emotions, including anger, are aspects of our cognition and so can be overturned by a reasoned analysis. Explore the details of the Stoic path from anger to equanimity.

8. Marcus Aurelius Does Not Wait for Utopia

The Stoics saw the world around them as being their only opportunity for action, and the present as the only time to act. They did not aspire to, nor believe in, any afterlife. Neither did Marcus believe that prosocial behavior included waiting for Utopia. Learn why the Stoics believed we are, in essence, our rational decisions—nothing more and nothing less.

9. The Ten Commandments of Marcus Aurelius

In the eleventh notebook of his journals, Marcus compiles his own version of Ten Commandments. These are not orders for anyone else, however. They are only for his own self-imposed ethical training. Learn what he believes to be the reason we came into the world and explore one of the spiritual exercises he recommends.

10. Historical Impact of the Meditations

Stoicism has had enduring appeal because it is a philosophy practiced across the wide spectrum of human conditions, and because its three over-arching themes have not lost their relevance. Explore these themes with your professor’s guidance: the ontology of parts and wholes, the nature of time, and the opposing binary of vice and virtue.

11. The Meditations as a Spiritual Exercise

It’s clear in Meditations that Marcus had no interest in Stoicism as a theoretical exercise. Instead, he saw it as an active path to living his most appropriate life. Discover many of the spiritual practices Marcus included in his journals to help his right actions become second nature for himself. I will offer detailed directions about their practice, and tips on determining whether they’re working for you.

12. The Meditations in the 21st Century

In addition to Stoic philosophy being the inspiration for the beginnings of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, there are many aspects of Stoicism that certainly translate to twenty-first century use. In this lecture, however, you’ll discover which parts of the original Stoicism do not translate well to modern use without significant update, and why.