Meditations

by Marcus Aurelius

Judge every word or action that is in harmony with nature (that is, with reason, justice, and integrity) to be right for you — no matter who disapproves. Don’t let other people’s blame or opinions distract you. If something is truly good, don’t think it’s beneath you. Other people follow their own inner drives and beliefs, which may be distorted — let them. You must follow your path, the path of your own nature and universal nature — and in the end, they are one and the same.

I move through life in harmony with nature, until the day I fall and find rest — exhaling my breath into the air from which I’ve drawn it daily, and returning to the earth that gave me everything: my father’s seed, my mother’s blood and milk, my food and drink for years, and the ground that has carried me, even while I used it for all sorts of human needs.

Maybe people don’t praise you for your intelligence — fine. But there are so many qualities that are within your power and part of your nature. Show those: honesty, seriousness, hard work, self-restraint, contentment, kindness, openness, simplicity, dignity. Don’t say you can’t — you can live these values right now. And yet, here you are, not doing it. Why? Is it nature’s fault that you complain, hoard, flatter others, hate your body, seek approval, show off, or stay mentally agitated? Of course not! You could have freed yourself from these habits long ago. And even if you’re naturally a bit slow or dull, that’s no excuse to give up — you must still try, and not make laziness a point of pride.

• One person does a good deed and wants credit — they treat it like a transaction: “You owe me now.” • Another doesn’t seek outward praise, but still remembers the deed and feels internally that the other person owes him. • The third is different: he does good naturally, without keeping score, like a vine producing grapes. The vine doesn’t brag about the grapes — it just grows. Similarly: • The horse runs, the dog hunts, the bee makes honey — and they don’t make a fuss. • A good person simply does good, and moves on to the next right act. Marcus says: Be this third kind.

Rain, rain, O dear Zeus, down on the ploughed fields of the Athenians and on the plains” — is short, simple, and grounded in real, collective need (like the survival of crops). Marcus then says: Either don’t pray at all, or pray like this — plainly, humbly, and for things truly necessary.

Just like a doctor might prescribe something unpleasant—like cold baths, exercise, or going barefoot—to help a patient heal, the universe sometimes “prescribes” challenges like illness, loss, or hardship to us. These things aren’t random; they’re part of a greater design, tailored to our lives and connected to the well-being of the whole world. Every event, even the painful ones, fits into the structure of reality, just like a stone fits perfectly into a wall. If we reject what happens or resent our fate, we’re resisting the natural order and trying to pull ourselves out of the larger purpose we belong to. So we should accept what comes not just because it was meant for us, but because it contributes to the health, harmony, and continuation of the universe itself.

Don’t get frustrated, discouraged, or disappointed with yourself if you fail to live perfectly according to reason or virtue. When you fall short, simply return to your principles—be glad if most of your actions still align with your human nature, and stay committed to that path. Don’t approach philosophy like it’s a harsh taskmaster, but treat it like medicine for the soul—like soothing tired eyes with a compress, or healing a wound with a salve. If you approach it that way, gently and consistently, you’ll stay aligned with reason and find peace in it. Remember, philosophy doesn’t ask for anything beyond what your nature already needs. It’s only when you chase things beyond that—things that aren’t truly natural—that you run into trouble. You might think, “But what could be more enjoyable than what I’m doing now?” Yet that’s exactly how pleasure tricks us. Ask yourself: aren’t strength of character, freedom, simplicity, calm, and reverence more satisfying? Isn’t wisdom itself the most pleasant of all, when you realize how it brings clarity, security, and harmony to everything it touches?

Things in life are so complex and wrapped in confusion that even great thinkers—Stoics included—have struggled to make full sense of them. Our beliefs and judgments constantly shift, because no one is entirely immune to change. So step back and look at the world clearly: the things people chase are short-lived and often end up in the hands of corrupt or shallow individuals. Then look at the character of the people around you—even the most pleasant ones can be hard to deal with, and often, we can barely stand ourselves. In a world this chaotic and fleeting, what’s really worth obsessing over? Instead of chasing after empty things, we should find peace in two truths: first, that nothing will happen to us that isn’t part of the natural order; and second, that we can always choose to act with integrity and never go against our inner guide. No one can take that power from us

What am I doing with my mind right now? At every moment, I should stop and ask myself: What kind of thoughts am I entertaining in my inner self—what people call the ruling part of the soul? Am I thinking like a child, immature and reactive? Or like a spoiled young man, selfish and entitled? Am I weak and complaining like someone who’s given up? Or am I being aggressive and unreasoning like a wild animal? This is the soul I’m choosing to embody—so I’d better be conscious of it.

can understand what most people think of as “good” by looking at how they react to certain sayings. Suppose someone really believed that things like wisdom, self-control, justice, and courage were truly good. In that case, they wouldn’t find it funny or acceptable to hear jokes that mock those virtues—they’d feel it was inappropriate. But if someone believes wealth, luxury, and fame are what really matter, then they’ll laugh and agree with jokes that poke fun at the excesses of rich people. This shows us something important: even ordinary people know, deep down, there’s a difference between real goods and superficial ones—because the same joke doesn’t land the same way depending on what you value.

We shouldn’t call something truly “ours” if it doesn’t belong to us as human beings. Things like wealth, status, or comfort aren’t necessary for being human, and human nature doesn’t promise them or need them to fulfill its true purpose. If they were really part of our nature or essential to our goal as people, then it wouldn’t make sense to admire those who give them up or endure their loss calmly. But in reality, the less a person depends on these things—or even when they lose them and remain steady—the more admirable they are. That shows these things aren’t truly good, because real goodness lies in what strengthens the human spirit, not what feeds ego or pleasure.

The nature of your thoughts shapes your character; your mind is colored by what you think about. So, fill your mind with thoughts that guide you toward virtue. For example, if a person can live anywhere, they can live well anywhere. If they desire a palace, they can live well in one, but it’s not the external surroundings that define how well we live—it’s how we live within them. Remember that everything has a purpose, and whatever its purpose is, it’s directed toward that end. For humans, our purpose is to live in society. As rational beings, we are made for interaction and connection with others, and society is where our true good lies. The superior things in life—things with life and reason—are meant to serve the higher purpose of this social life.

It’s foolish to chase after the impossible—and that’s exactly what bad people do. They expect things to be other than they are, or act as if they can escape the consequences of their nature. But to hope that wrongdoing won’t bring harm, or that vice will lead to peace, is to deny reality itself.

Nothing happens to you that you aren’t naturally equipped to handle. Other people experience the same hardships, and either they’re unaware of them or they face them with courage—and they come through unharmed. So, isn’t it a disgrace that ignorance or arrogance can give someone more strength than wisdom?

Things outside of us can’t touch or affect the soul directly—not even a little. They have no access to our inner being and no power to move it. Only the soul can move itself. It’s how the soul judges what it sees that gives those things meaning. Whatever interpretation it chooses, that’s what the thing becomes to it.

People are the closest beings to me because I must live with them, help them, and be patient with them. But if someone gets in the way of me doing what’s right, then that person is no different to me than the wind, the sun, or a wild animal—something outside my control. While they might block my actions, they can’t touch my mindset or character. My mind can adapt and turn any obstacle into something useful. What tries to hold me back can actually move me forward.

Respect what is highest in the universe—the guiding force that organizes and makes use of everything. Likewise, honor what is highest within yourself: your own reason and inner guide, which is of the same nature. This part of you is what uses everything else and gives direction to your life.

If something doesn’t hurt the community as a whole, then it doesn’t truly harm me as an individual citizen. When something seems harmful, I should ask: Is the state actually hurt by this? If not, then I shouldn’t feel harmed either. But if it does damage the state, I shouldn’t respond with anger toward the person responsible. Instead, I should try to correct them by showing them their mistake.

Keep in mind how quickly everything moves and fades away—both the things around us and the things we create. The world is like a river, always flowing and changing. Nothing stays the same for long, and everything is part of a constantly shifting web of causes. Think, too, of the endless past and future that surround this brief present moment. Isn’t it foolish, then, to be arrogant about any of it or to let it make you miserable? After all, whatever troubles you now won’t last—it’s only temporary.

Did someone wrong me? That’s their issue to deal with—their character, their choices. As for me, I accept what life gives me at this moment, and I act according to what my own nature tells me is right.

Let your rational mind stay calm and in control, untouched by the physical sensations of pleasure or pain. Don’t let your mind be overwhelmed or carried away by the body’s reactions—recognize them for what they are and keep them in their place. When these feelings reach the mind, don’t fight the fact that you feel them—it’s natural. But don’t let your mind decide that they are good or bad in themselves. They’re just sensations.

Are you angry at someone because their armpits smell, or their breath is bad? What’s the point of your anger? That’s just how their body works—such odors come naturally from certain conditions. But you might say, “Yes, but they have reason, and they should be able to fix it.” Fair enough—then use your own reason to help awaken theirs. Point it out to them kindly and guide them. If they listen, you’ve helped them—and you’ve done it without needing to get angry.

Live now as you wish to live when you’re gone—nothing stops you from doing it here and now. And if others won’t let you live according to your principles, then you can leave life calmly, as if leaving a smoky house—without anger, as if no harm has been done. But as long as nothing forces you out, stay. Stay free, and let no one prevent you from living as you choose to live: guided by reason and in harmony with your nature as a rational and social being.

The universe is governed by a rational intelligence that is inherently social. Because of this, it has created lesser things to serve the greater, and it has connected the greater things to each other in harmony. You can observe how everything in existence has been arranged with purpose—each thing given its role—and how the best elements have been brought into balance with one another.

Reflect on how you’ve treated the gods, your parents, siblings, children, teachers, caretakers, friends, relatives, and even your servants. Have you acted toward everyone in such a way that it could be truthfully said of you, “He never wronged anyone in word or deed”? Think also about all that you’ve gone through, all the hardships you’ve endured, how your life has unfolded, and how your duty is now nearly complete. Consider how many beautiful experiences you’ve had, how many pleasures and pains you’ve overcome, how many so-called honors you’ve rejected, and how kindly you’ve dealt with those who were unkind to you.

Why should those who are unwise and unaware disturb someone who truly understands? Who, then, has true understanding? It is the person whose soul grasps both the origin and the outcome of things, who understands the rational order that flows through all matter and governs the universe across all of time in recurring cycles.

Very soon, you’ll be nothing more than ashes or bones—maybe remembered by name, or not remembered at all. But even a name is just a sound, an echo. The things we chase in life—status, possessions, approval—are hollow, decaying, and petty, like dogs fighting or children arguing and crying. Meanwhile, virtues like loyalty, humility, justice, and truth have vanished from the world. So what keeps you here? The physical world is unstable and your senses can easily mislead you. Even the soul is just a fleeting vapor from the blood. Seeking fame or approval in such a world is meaningless. So why not calmly await your end—whether that means death or a transition to another existence? And until that time comes, what is enough? Simply this: to honor the gods, do good to others, and live with patience and self-control. As for everything else—your body, breath, and what lies beyond them—remember they are not truly yours and not within your control.

You can live a consistently peaceful and happy life—if you follow the right path, and think and act correctly. Two things are shared by all rational beings, whether divine or human: first, that no one can truly block or control your inner self; and second, that real goodness lies in being just and acting justly. When your desires aim at justice—and nothing else—you’ll find true contentment.

If this situation isn’t caused by my own wrongdoing, and it doesn’t damage the greater good, then why should it bother me? What harm does it really do to the world as a whole?

Don’t be swept away by first impressions—think carefully. Help others when you can, but make sure it’s appropriate. And if someone has lost something that isn’t truly important (like money or status), don’t treat it as a real loss. That mindset is a bad habit. Be like the old man who, when leaving, asked for his foster child’s toy back—because he remembered it was just a toy. Keep things in perspective.

The universe is made of a substance that willingly follows its natural order. The reason or intelligence that governs everything isn’t capable of evil—it doesn’t act out of malice, and it doesn’t harm anything. Instead, everything that happens is shaped and brought to completion by this rational principle.

Don’t let it matter to you whether you’re cold or warm, sleepy or well-rested, criticized or praised, or even dying or simply living your usual life—what matters is that you’re doing your duty. Dying is just another part of life, so even in death, your only task is to do what you’re doing with integrity and purpose.

The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like [the wrong-doer].

thou wilt have more mastery over the harmony by continually recurring to it.

return to philosophy frequently and repose in her,

outward show is a wonderful perverter of the reason,

Most people are drawn to things in stages: Some are so base that they admire only lifeless things—like stones, wood, or food. Some are a bit more advanced, and they love living things, such as animals. Others go further, and value rational beings—but still only for their utility or talents, like valuing a slave for their skills. But the wisest person sees the true worth of a rational being who is also social and communal—not for what they can do, but for what they are. This person tends to their own soul first, acting with reason and in harmony with others, always with the public good in mind.

Everything is either coming into existence or passing out of it—nothing remains still. What seemed whole just a moment ago is already partly gone. The world keeps renewing itself through constant change, just as time moves forward through endless cycles. So why become attached to anything that is rushing past so quickly? To fall in love with such things is like falling in love with a sparrow that flits over your head—you get only a fleeting glimpse, and then it’s gone. Life itself is fragile—just a vapor of blood and a bit of air. Breathing in and out, which sustains life moment by moment, ends with your final breath. That last breath is simply the conclusion of the same action you’ve repeated every second since birth.

What then is worth being valued? To be received with clapping of hands? No. Neither must we value the clapping of tongues; for the praise which comes from the many is a clapping of tongues.

to reverence and honor thy own mind will make thee content with thyself, and in harmony with society, and in agreement with the gods,

let us overlook many things in those who are like antagonists in the gymnasium. For it is in our power, as I said, to get out of the way, and to have no suspicion nor hatred.

If any man is able to convince me and show me that I do not think or act right, I will gladly change; for I seek the truth, by which no man was ever injured. But he is injured who abides in his error and ignorance.

Alexander the Macedonian and his groom by death were brought to the same state; for either they were received among the same seminal principles of the universe, or they were alike dispersed among the atoms.

These it is thy duty to observe, and without being disturbed or showing anger towards those who are angry with thee, to go on thy way and finish that which is set before thee.

Teach them then, and show them without being angry.

It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when thy body does not give way.

Keep thyself then simple, good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts. Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee. Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life.

now in thy waking hours look at these [the things about thee] as thou didst look at those [the dreams].

But to the understanding those things only are indifferent which are not the works of its own activity. But whatever things are the works of its own activity, all these are in its power. And of these however only those which are done with reference to the present; for as to the future and the past activities of the mind, even these are for the present indifferent.

Asia, Europe, are corners of the universe; all the sea a drop in the universe; Athos a little clod of the universe: all the present time is a point in eternity. All things are little, changeable, perishable.