The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Selections Annotated & Explained
- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Selections Annotated & Explained
About This Book
The timeless wisdom of an ancient Stoic can become a companion
for your own spiritual journey.
Stoicism is often portrayed as a cheerless, stiff-upper-lip philosophy of suffering and doom. Yet as experienced through the thoughtful and penetrating writings of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121ā180 CE), the Stoic approach to life is surprisingly rich, nuanced, clear-eyed and friendly.
With facing-page commentary that explains the texts for you, Russell McNeil, PhD, guides you through key passages from Aurelius's Meditations, comprised of the emperor's collected personal journal entries, to uncover the startlingly modern relevance his words have today. From devotion to family and duty to country, to a near-prophetic view of the natural world that aligns with modern physics, Aurelius's words speak as potently today as they did two millennia ago.
Now you can discover the tenderness, intelligence and honesty of Aurelius's writings with no previous background in philosophy or the classics. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical background of Stoicism, as well as the ways this ancient philosophical system can offer psychological and spiritual insight into your contemporary life. You will be encouraged to explore and challenge Aurelius's ideas of what makes a fulfilling lifeāand in so doing you may discover new ways of perceiving happiness.
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 The Promise of Stoicism
- 2 Stoicism and Virtue
- 3 Stoicism and Vice
- 4 Stoicism and the Body
- 5 Stoicism and the Mind
- 6 The Method of Stoicism
- 7 Stoicism and the Environment
- 8 The Practice of Stoicism
- 9 Society and Government in Stoicism
- Glossary
- Notes
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- About SkyLight Paths
- Copyright