Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations: Selection from Book 4, Part 1 of 2

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor of the 2nd century, also known as the last of the Five Good Emperors, after Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. Marcus Aurelius wrote personal notes and ideas on Stoic philosophy and spirituality as a source of guidance for himself. These notes, originally written in medieval Greek, formed a collection titled “Meditations.” Today we’ll read a segment from Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations,” in which a very practical wisdom is simply put for everyone to understand and benefit from. “No random actions, none not based on underlying principles. People try to get away from it all – to the country, to the beach, to the mountains. You always wish that you could too. Which is idiotic: you can get away from it anytime you like. By going within. Nowhere you can go is more peaceful - more free of interruptions - than your own soul.”