Someone lent me this because they thought it might help me feel better/change my thinking. I was like sure I'll give it a chance but like sorry to say it did nothing. I feel as though many of the things in there that might be helpful are things I've already gotten elsewhere by this point or attitudes I already hold. Also I'm not sure but was this written at the end of his life because he just seems like he's mostly grappling with his impending mortality and what it means to be alive and how one

In many important ways, the reflections of Marcus Aurelius (121 AD-180 AD) crystallize the philosophical wisdom of the Greco-Roman world. This little book was written as a diary to himself while emperor fighting a war out on the boarder of the Roman Empire and today this book is known to us as The Meditations.The Roman philosophers are not as well known or as highly regarded as Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, or Zeno the Stoic - and for a simple reason: the Roman thinkers

Marcus Aurelius must have been a prolific reader. He sure was a prolific note-taker, for these meditations are surely his study-notes(?- after all he was a 'philosopher' from age 12). I don't know of the publishing system at the time but where are the detailed footnotes and references? Marcus Aurelius is quite a wise man or at least he read enough wise men. He sure nailed it as far as boring a reader is concerned. No better way to establish your book's wisdom quotient.I am being needlessly caust...

Look within: do not allow the special quality or worth of anything to pass you by. I love this quote and I love the wisdom that runs through this book. It’s such a simple idea and it is also a very true one. Make the most of everything and everyone, of every situation and chance that life throws your way because when they have passed, we may not get them again. Marcus Aurelius is full of logic and revealing comments about life, death and the universe. His meditations are very open and

This basically consists of Marcus Aurelius repeating, "Get it together, Marcus" to himself over and over again over the course of 12 chapters. SPOILER ALERT:-The time during which you are alive is very very brief compared to the time during which you did not exist and will not exist. -People who wrong you only do so from ignorance, and if you can correct them without being a jerk about it, you should do so.-You are a little soul dragging around a corpse. -Whether or not things injure you lies in...

Marcus Aurelius the wise Roman Emperor some said the greatest to ever reign, from A.D. 161 to 180, his ideas seemed baffling in an era that was noted for glorifying the soldier, their frequent triumphant marches through the huge capital sparked frenzy enthusiastic joyous response from the public honoring the vicious warrior conquering the barbarians , a strange mixture this human to be sure who felt the purpose of living is to help your fellow traveler find their destiny with the influence of st...

THINK ABOUT IT!Never before have I given a five star rating to a book of which I had only read 9%. However, this book is special in many ways, and if the beginning is any indication of the author's thoughts and reflections, it merits this rating. I eagerly await my future readings of this splendid work.Like the Bible, it can be opened to any page, and the passage will resonate with most people at various times in their life. Each passage stands by itself and is not dependent upon what had preced...

When I was a freshman in college, I lived in a dorm. My roommate was on the football team. He would write inspiring things on poster board and hang them in our room often on the ceiling above his bed to motivate himself. He favored straightforward sentiments like "never give up."The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius did not hang motivational posters for inspiration. Instead, he kept a journal in which he collected his thoughts about how to live well. MEDITATIONS is that book. Most people have heard

It's, of course, completely ridiculous to rate a nearly 2000 year old journal by a Roman emperor who never intended it to be read. As a book experience, the repetition of Aurelius's thoughts can be frustrating (the excellent introduction in this volume provides context for it, and for the concept of stoicism), but I found his challenges, his every-day worries remarkably human. When they're good, they're incredible:"At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: 'I have to go t...

Meditations were written by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius either for himself or for his son and were not addressed to the wider public. His work, however, has become one of the most important texts representing Stoic philosophy. The ancient book is divided into twelve chapters. They embark on exploring such eternal themes as life and death, aspirations and fears, a place of an individual in society, personal priorities, and ways of achieving peace of mind. As to the last point, the crowned p...

Marcus gives us wise advice about using the Internet, particularly social networking sites:“...because most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you'll have more time and more tranquillity. Ask yourself at every moment, is this necessary…”He shares his opinions on the worst types of modern professional. He does not approve of lobbyists and is rightly worried about their influence on the legislative process. We should heed his words:“...so long as the law is safe, so i...

Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν = Meditations, Marcus AureliusMeditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from AD 161 to 180, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy.The Meditations is divided into 12 books that chronicle different periods of Aurelius' life. Each book is not in chronological order and it was written for no one but himself. The style of writing that permeates the text is one that is simplified, straightforward, and perhaps reflecting

If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.Wearing Mismatched Socks at Work is Empowering: "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius, Gregory Hays (trans.)“Concentrate every minute like a Roman— like a man— on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can— if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop lett...

“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” After reading this book I realized that there was a wealth of wisdom from some of the greatest minds in history; all I had to do was take the time to meet them through books. Excellent first book for those wanting to become acquainted with the Stoics.

By today's standards, a bog-standard blog.The only reason that this was preserved in the first place is that the author happened to be a Roman emperor. (That, and that ancient Rome didn't have LiveJournal.) The only reason that Meditations is still being published today is that once a book gets labeled "classic," hardly anyone who reads it has the grapes to admit that it just wasn't that good. Well...the emperor has no clothes.

Another great influence in my life; this was the personal philosophical diary of the last "good emperor" of the Roman Empire. In this work Marcus Aurelius draws a picture Stoicism as a philosophy that I call "Buddhism with balls". It is a harsh self discipline that trains its practitioners to be champions (of a sort). Champions of what? Mastery of the self. The heart of the book is that in order to make oneself free, they must train themselves to become indifferent to externals. The externals ar...

"If you want to gain control of pain,open up this blessed bookand enter deep within it.Its wealth of philosophy will bring youto see with ease all the future,the present, and the past,and you will see that joy and distresshave no more power than smoke." - One of Marcus' Greek readers.

The thoughts of Marcus Aurelius recorded as private notes to himself and now widely known as Meditations shows us what a deep thinker and a great philosopher he has been. It is of little surprise that he had been one of the "five good Emperors" since he surely must have ruled the Empire by the principles reflected in his meditations. But it is surprising why no one has given heed to these advisory notes he is so painstakingly recorded since he is the last of the five good Emperors. It is strange...

Ah I had a far better review in my mind, but it has, like morning mist, cleared out from my mind leaving a jumble of words and impressions, so you will have to endure that, or skip to another GR update instead :)The weaknesses of Marcus Aurelius's jottings and musings, his inconsistencies, vaguenesses, intellectual messiness, the lack of exploration of any particular idea in detail are it's strengths. There is a Marcus Aurelius for everyone, or perhaps for everyday of the year (Selections from t...

Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic, a philosophy that is all about accepting the present moment as it is, and not letting the struggle to get away from pain and to acquire pleasure dictate our lives. This philosophy has always appealed to me, and obviously there are many similarities with Zen Buddhism to be found in Stoicism. This little book is the equivalent of a little diary one would keep on their nightstand, where they would scribble thoughts that they want to remind themselves of, and as the titl...