If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.
Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up
if thou wilt always look there.
Remember this-that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in
the performance of every act of life.
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly;
and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue, and reasonable nature.
Waste no more time talking about great souls and how they should be. Become one yourself!
How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks,
but only at what he does himself,
Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word
or lose your self-respect.
The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
You will find rest from vain fancies if you perform every act in life as though it were your last.
Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up
if thou wilt always look there.
Remember this-that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in
the performance of every act of life.
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly;
and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue, and reasonable nature.
Waste no more time talking about great souls and how they should be. Become one yourself!
How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks,
but only at what he does himself,
Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word
or lose your self-respect.
The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
You will find rest from vain fancies if you perform every act in life as though it were your last.
Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
19 comments:
Beautiful and thought provoking words.especiall liked these lines"Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." so true.
Hi Kuan, thanks for this energizing gear for life. I do enjoy Marcus Aurelius and his words have kept my fires burning today. Take care.
Steve
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
I awoke this morning battling a demon - telling it "You hold no power over me."
It left...
Thank You for words of confirmation.
Libra Moon
As always, thanks for the virtual breath of fresh air.
I was with Marcu on some of it, but not all. Perhaps it has something to do with the proverbial, "You had to be there", otherwise known as a requirement of context, in order to accept it as profound wisdom.
My fundamental issue with this quoted philosophy is the imagery of "meeting the present armed with the weapons of reason". With my life experience I find that amusing. Maybe if I had lived Marcu's life, in his time, I would feel... scratch that... more than likely I wouldn't be feeling much at all. Stoicism discourages that. Without my feelings I would probably be a good "reasoner" like the rest of them.
Basically, I've got my money on 'passion and instinct' in a duel with stoic 'reason' any day!
Thank you for the post Kuan. I enjoyed my own little private debate with it :-)
Hi Kuan,
words of wisdom... and they ask you to become wise yourself....
very nice picture too!
wow, this is so beautiful. we always anticipate the future and loose the present!!
;-))
yvery well written, keep it up
oh!! Kuan, did i need this, ever so much, right now!! :)
Hi starry...same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." ...living in the moment...if we could only master that!
He's an interesting man indeed steve...thanks!
How true libra moon...so very true, we assign the level of power!
Hi tiesha...I see you never slow down in life! You do some great things!
eileen, kind of like the theory of relativity compared to the flow of the subatomic realm where things react much differently...quantum theory
Warm greetings neers...
deepsat..how so very true that is!
Thank you silent waves!
Great stuff Kuan!
...Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up
if thou wilt always look there...
ahhhhh... yes....!
An excellent post...words to live by...and it all begins with acceptance-accepting that each person is a part of the Many that make up the One
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