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The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius: Ancient Stoic Wisdom―A Philosophy Guide for Modern Life
What is the right way to live? Socrates
While camped by the frozen Danube River defending his empire against invading 'barbarian tribes,' Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 to 180 and one of the most influential of the Stoic philosophers, inscribed his thoughts on the right way to live. Written as a personal diary for spiritual development, his 'meditations' as they have been called, were not meant for publication for posterity, yet the Golden Emperor's insights on all aspects of the human condition have provided inspiration and guidance for more than eighteen centuries.
Now, after nearly two thousand years, Mark Forstater has adapted the ideas and principles relevant to the Roman world of the second century and made them accessible to twenty-first century readers. Selecting key meditations, or teachings, he offers a contemporary reinterpretation of this influential philosopher. "Marcus Aurelius' truth remains alive, and the clarity of his mind and being filters down to us almost undiminished by time. We can see mirrored our own attempts to deal with whatever life throws at us without letting ourselves be overcome by the pain and despair that often accompanies life on earth," Forstater explains.
Conveniently arranged into eight thematic sections that will appeal to readers searching for spiritual and philosophical guidance, The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius is a book that can be dipped into to find new thoughts or consolations, or can be read according to subject, to reflect on the events that are happening in one's life and how to handle them. Dealing with topics from hope, tolerance, and self-sufficiency to change, greed, and discipline, and from reason, courage, and the nature of good and evil to ambition, civility, and man's position in the universe, this powerful, moving work explores questions we all have and offers the answers we all need to perfect our souls and better our lives today and every day.
[From the cover flap.]
While camped by the frozen Danube River defending his empire against invading 'barbarian tribes,' Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 to 180 and one of the most influential of the Stoic philosophers, inscribed his thoughts on the right way to live. Written as a personal diary for spiritual development, his 'meditations' as they have been called, were not meant for publication for posterity, yet the Golden Emperor's insights on all aspects of the human condition have provided inspiration and guidance for more than eighteen centuries.
Now, after nearly two thousand years, Mark Forstater has adapted the ideas and principles relevant to the Roman world of the second century and made them accessible to twenty-first century readers. Selecting key meditations, or teachings, he offers a contemporary reinterpretation of this influential philosopher. "Marcus Aurelius' truth remains alive, and the clarity of his mind and being filters down to us almost undiminished by time. We can see mirrored our own attempts to deal with whatever life throws at us without letting ourselves be overcome by the pain and despair that often accompanies life on earth," Forstater explains.
Conveniently arranged into eight thematic sections that will appeal to readers searching for spiritual and philosophical guidance, The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius is a book that can be dipped into to find new thoughts or consolations, or can be read according to subject, to reflect on the events that are happening in one's life and how to handle them. Dealing with topics from hope, tolerance, and self-sufficiency to change, greed, and discipline, and from reason, courage, and the nature of good and evil to ambition, civility, and man's position in the universe, this powerful, moving work explores questions we all have and offers the answers we all need to perfect our souls and better our lives today and every day.
[From the cover flap.]
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
45 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 6, 2011
I'm trying to read as many incarnations of Meditations as possible, so as to internalize them. When did I get so interested in philosophy?
"If it's not right, don't do it: if it's not true, don't say it." (p. 144)
"For the power of mind is as universal and pervasive to the person willing to draw it in, as is the power of air to the person able to breathe." (p. 172)
"Remember that to change your mind and to follow someone who corrects your error is not to be less free. For this change is your own, an action taken according to your own desire, judgment, and understanding." (p. 179) Need to remember this. Pride is one of my largest failings.
"Even if your heart should burst, the world will carry on just as before." (p. 198)
"All particles of matter soon disintegrate into the substance of the whole; and every form or cause integrates into the primordial; and the memory of all things is swiftly overwhelmed in eternity." (p. 218)
"If anyone despises me, that's their problem. My only concern is not doing or saying anything deserving of contempt." (p. 265) Yes and yes. Need to keep this in mind.
"If it's not right, don't do it: if it's not true, don't say it." (p. 144)
"For the power of mind is as universal and pervasive to the person willing to draw it in, as is the power of air to the person able to breathe." (p. 172)
"Remember that to change your mind and to follow someone who corrects your error is not to be less free. For this change is your own, an action taken according to your own desire, judgment, and understanding." (p. 179) Need to remember this. Pride is one of my largest failings.
"Even if your heart should burst, the world will carry on just as before." (p. 198)
"All particles of matter soon disintegrate into the substance of the whole; and every form or cause integrates into the primordial; and the memory of all things is swiftly overwhelmed in eternity." (p. 218)
"If anyone despises me, that's their problem. My only concern is not doing or saying anything deserving of contempt." (p. 265) Yes and yes. Need to keep this in mind.
January 14, 2016
This book consists of two parts. First, there is a section that lines out how the book came to be, how it is structured, the life of Marcus Aurelius and the basic tenets of the Stoic philosophy. Second, there is a selection of about half the meditations Marcus Aurelius wrote, which have been re-categorized and are in updated language. Section One seemed somewhat overlong and in need of tighter organization, but fulfilled its role with a light touch that is beneficial to newcomers. The actual meditations were accessible, well chosen and a few were incredibly memorable in and of themselves. Overall, this is a gentle introduction to Stoicism in general and Marcus Aurelius more specifically.
March 20, 2021
This books is calming and good to read when you feel stressful. It teaches you that it’s ok to be human and to be kind especially to yourself.
November 18, 2019
This book is a lot more enjoyable to read if you don't know much about Marcus Aurelius' thinking and writing than if you do. The author, who obviously is far more fond of stoicism than I am and of the delusion that the ancient and sterile and self-contradictory worldview is relevant to contemporaries in a way that biblical religion is not, does not make this book an easy one to enjoy. On the one hand, Marcus Aurelius is certainly an enjoyable philosopher to read regardless of one's background, given the fact that he had a lot of genuinely quirky and insightful things to say, but a book like this is not quite as groundbreaking as the editor would wish, and Aurelius is not quite as noble a figure as the editor would like the reader to believe. Readers will come to a book like this with their own background knowledge and interests and perspective, and those who desire more from a book than fortune cookie advice that mimics much of the New Age Buddhist thought that is currently en vogue and want to know Marcus Aurelius' thinking as he himself conceived it would do best to seek his sources in another form than this book.
This book of more than 250 pages is divided into two parts. After acknowledgements and a preface, the author spends about 90 pages discussing the right way to live as if Marcus Aurelius was able to provide insightful examples as to how one should live that go beyond conventional morality. It is in this part that the author attempts (not very successfully) to make the case for stoicism as a compelling worldview for contemporary readers. The second part of the book, which takes up the majority of the book's contents, is an edited and rearranged selection of what the author considers to be the most topical and relevant thinking of Marcus Aurelius. This fortune cookie wisdom is divided into various sections, including living in the world (1), cultivating the self (2), the inner spirit (3), the universal mind (4), contemplating death (5), everything changes (6), being at one with nature (7), and peace is in your hands (8). Each of these sections includes some of the short reflections that Marcus Aurelius wrote during his eventful and busy reign as Roman emperor, although not in the same context in which the author himself wrote down his private thoughts without any thought of publication.
This book is an example of an unfortunate but not very uncommon phenomenon in that those who seek to package a thinker's writings to make them relevant often make them particularly dated. After all, what is relevant to a particular time comes off as cliched and uninteresting to those who are bored with the perspectives of the past. It was precisely Marcus Aurelius' attempts to write in his time and with his own experiences and perspectives, even if I do not share them, that makes his writing compelling. And this author views all of those quirks and individual elements as precisely that which is least worthwhile to share with the reader of this book. Again, this book depends mainly on context. To the extent that the editor of this work seeks to encourage others to share Marcus' stoicism, he is doing the reader a great disservice. If he had wished to convey something of the ancient philosopher emperor of Rome as he in fact was in all of his complexity, it would have been far easier to appreciate this book and endorse it to others, even those who are not as enamored with the classics as I am.
This book of more than 250 pages is divided into two parts. After acknowledgements and a preface, the author spends about 90 pages discussing the right way to live as if Marcus Aurelius was able to provide insightful examples as to how one should live that go beyond conventional morality. It is in this part that the author attempts (not very successfully) to make the case for stoicism as a compelling worldview for contemporary readers. The second part of the book, which takes up the majority of the book's contents, is an edited and rearranged selection of what the author considers to be the most topical and relevant thinking of Marcus Aurelius. This fortune cookie wisdom is divided into various sections, including living in the world (1), cultivating the self (2), the inner spirit (3), the universal mind (4), contemplating death (5), everything changes (6), being at one with nature (7), and peace is in your hands (8). Each of these sections includes some of the short reflections that Marcus Aurelius wrote during his eventful and busy reign as Roman emperor, although not in the same context in which the author himself wrote down his private thoughts without any thought of publication.
This book is an example of an unfortunate but not very uncommon phenomenon in that those who seek to package a thinker's writings to make them relevant often make them particularly dated. After all, what is relevant to a particular time comes off as cliched and uninteresting to those who are bored with the perspectives of the past. It was precisely Marcus Aurelius' attempts to write in his time and with his own experiences and perspectives, even if I do not share them, that makes his writing compelling. And this author views all of those quirks and individual elements as precisely that which is least worthwhile to share with the reader of this book. Again, this book depends mainly on context. To the extent that the editor of this work seeks to encourage others to share Marcus' stoicism, he is doing the reader a great disservice. If he had wished to convey something of the ancient philosopher emperor of Rome as he in fact was in all of his complexity, it would have been far easier to appreciate this book and endorse it to others, even those who are not as enamored with the classics as I am.
February 6, 2009
The assorted notes and reflections of the great Stoic emperor, Marcus Aurelius, with an introduction and notes on Marcus' brand of Stoicism. An interesting selection, which could be much improved by reference to the original Greek text.
December 17, 2019
Excellent!
October 14, 2016
Gedaan op FB.
A very interesting read which provides a lot of food for thought.
Marcus Aurelius' spiritual teachings is the type of book you want to keep lying around and read a page or two at a time. His stoic type of philosophy is very clean and concise, his ideas are easy to understand and give us new insights. They are usable in daily life, at home as well as at work.
A very interesting read which provides a lot of food for thought.
Marcus Aurelius' spiritual teachings is the type of book you want to keep lying around and read a page or two at a time. His stoic type of philosophy is very clean and concise, his ideas are easy to understand and give us new insights. They are usable in daily life, at home as well as at work.
March 19, 2017
Una edición de textos seleccionados por Forstater con un cuidado exquisito para hacer especialmente pertinente y penetrante el mensaje estoico del emperador.
Un libro de cabecera para vivir y morir.
Existe una magnífica y cuidada edición española de RBA, aunque hasta donde sé es dificilísima de conseguir.
Un libro de cabecera para vivir y morir.
Existe una magnífica y cuidada edición española de RBA, aunque hasta donde sé es dificilísima de conseguir.
March 22, 2014
Forstater gives a great introduction to Aurelius' meditations.
July 4, 2024
An interesting discussion on the theory and history of stocicism and Marcus Aurelius, but then it feels like a significant amount of American christianity has been injected into the practice; it feels like stocicism applied to the Bible.
Read
October 14, 2012I am not loving this Roman emperor.
His writings were referred to in the last two novels I read, East of Eden and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
One character in Potato Peel book, referring to this book of thoughts, says:
"Marcus Aurelius was an old woman---forever taking his mind's temperature---forever wondering about what he had done, or what he had not done. Was he right--or was he wrong? Was the rest of the world in error? Could it be him instead? No, it was everybody else who was wrong, and he set matters straight for them."
That's about what I'm feeling on these teachings right now.
***
I skimmed through this. I always seemed to land on teachings that seem to not sit with me right now. Perhaps another time, Marcus.
His writings were referred to in the last two novels I read, East of Eden and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
One character in Potato Peel book, referring to this book of thoughts, says:
"Marcus Aurelius was an old woman---forever taking his mind's temperature---forever wondering about what he had done, or what he had not done. Was he right--or was he wrong? Was the rest of the world in error? Could it be him instead? No, it was everybody else who was wrong, and he set matters straight for them."
That's about what I'm feeling on these teachings right now.
***
I skimmed through this. I always seemed to land on teachings that seem to not sit with me right now. Perhaps another time, Marcus.
November 19, 2014
A lot of philosophy that I have been reading seems to have been written by people who really, really, really like math. I really like math, but not enough to want to have to revisit high school algebra and geometry to understand what they are trying to say. Marcus Aurelius doesn't say anything about math, and that alone makes this a good book. Very well edited, easy to read, certainly the type of book to keep handy and flip through a few pages at a time. Obviously the book is more enjoyable if you already agree with his stoic type of philosophy, but by keeping his thoughts concise, they are easy to understand even if they aren't your cup of tea.
August 8, 2007
maybe i like the author's foreword more than the Emperor's wise words - but it's quite remarkable that his majesty had time to ponder and wrote all these in between fighting wars against the barbarians at the borders. To think that modern day leaders of free nations like Dubya can send troops abroad, had time for holidays, and can't be bothered to even contemplate his own decisions. The book provides quick relief to those who sometimes feel "lost" in the fast pace of life in the 21st century.
April 4, 2014
This book gives an overview of stoicism and then catalogues short-to-medium length quotes from the roman emperor's personal journals. So you're basically getting life advice from the philosopher king, but it's in the form of him trying to psyche himself up, which is kind of adorable.
The translation and the book's format are not the most amazing, but it's great material and a good book to have for quick reference.
The translation and the book's format are not the most amazing, but it's great material and a good book to have for quick reference.
April 8, 2020
This is a good book if you don’t yet intend to read the entire of ‘Meditations’ because this book has the introduction to start and then a collection of lines from ‘Meditations’. I recommend to get the most out of this book that you read the first 100 pages and then go on to reading the official copy of ‘Meditations’.
October 27, 2013
I had high expectations for this classic book and did get a few useful quotes from it, (e.g. "If it's not right, don't do it: If it's not true, don't say it. Keep your impulses in reserve."), but was generally underwhelmed.
November 23, 2013
A collection of musings in the stoic tradition. Some wise others mysterious, but not a cogent philosophy or even organized in anyway. Some good quotes, but if your looking for sustained dialogue, this isn't it.
July 9, 2020
Interesting, and some powerful quotes, but I feel like one needs to have read the Meditations first to get the full benefit, which I unfortunately hadn't. Hopefully that will change soon and I'll give this book another go.
October 11, 2007
Men like Marcus Aurelius come along once in a lifetime. Our leaders today would do well to look to him for inspiration.
January 19, 2016
Read before on 1/11/14.
February 28, 2013
Enjoyed reading these quotes. This is one of those books that is nice to have on your bookshelf to refer to and flick through from time to time.
May 31, 2013
I enjoyed the Marcus parts of the book more than the Mark parts, but Mark's short history of Stoicism has prompted me to seek out other books about Stoic Philosophy.
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December 27, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14338731
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14338731
June 18, 2023
Viva Marco Aurelio. El placer destruye al hombre
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews