Stoic Vibes.

The Wonders & Wisdom Of Marcus Aurelius.

Stoicism. Stoicmindset.

Marcus Aurelius is a name forever embedded in history. I want to share some of the wonders & wisdom from his historical quotes. I also want to share with you the mindset associated with stoicism, stoic vibes & stoic mindset.

Above is a link to a recent article from “THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER”.

Written by Donald Robertson.

The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the last famous Stoic philosopher of antiquity. During the last 14 years of his life, he faced one of the worst plagues in European history. The Antonine Plague, named after him, was probably caused by a strain of the smallpox virus. It’s estimated to have killed up to 5 million people, possibly including Marcus himself.

In the middle of this plague, Marcus wrote a book, known as The Meditations, which records the moral and psychological advice he gave himself at this time. He frequently applies Stoic philosophy to the challenges of coping with pain, illness, anxiety and loss. It’s no stretch of the imagination to view The Meditations as a manual for developing precisely the mental resilience skills required to cope with a pandemic.

First of all, because Stoics believe that our true good resides in our own character and actions, they would frequently remind themselves to distinguish between what’s “up to us” and what isn’t. Modern Stoics tend to call this “the dichotomy of control” and many people find this distinction alone helpful in alleviating stress. What happens to me is never directly under my control, never completely up to me, but my own thoughts and actions are — at least the voluntary ones. The pandemic isn’t really under my control but the way I behave in response to it is.

Much, if not all, of our thinking, is also up to us. Hence, “It’s not events that upset us but rather our opinions about them.” More specifically, our judgment that something is really bad, awful or even catastrophic, causes our distress.

This is one of the basic psychological principles of Stoicism. It’s also the basic premise of modern cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the leading evidence-based form of psychotherapy. The pioneers of CBT, Albert Ellis and Aaron T Beck, both describe Stoicism as the philosophical inspiration for their approach. It’s not the virus that makes us afraid but rather our opinions about it. Nor is it the inconsiderate actions of others, those ignoring social distancing recommendations, that make us angry so much as our opinions about them.

Many people are struck, on reading The Meditations, by the fact that it opens with a chapter in which Marcus lists the qualities he most admires in other individuals, about 17 friends, members of his family and teachers. This is an extended example of one of the central practices of Stoicism.

Marcus likes to ask himself, “What virtue has nature given me to deal with this situation?” That naturally leads to the question: “How do other people cope with similar challenges?” Stoics reflect on character strengths such as wisdom, patience and self-discipline, which potentially make them more resilient in the face of adversity. They try to exemplify these virtues and bring them to bear on the challenges they face in daily life, during a crisis like the pandemic. They learn from how other people cope. Even historical figures or fictional characters can serve as role models.

With all of this in mind, it’s easier to understand another common slogan of Stoicism: fear does us more harm than the things of which we’re afraid. This applies to unhealthy emotions in general, which the Stoics term “passions” — from pathos, the source of our word “pathological”. It’s true, first of all, in a superficial sense. Even if you have a 99% chance, or more, of surviving the pandemic, worry and anxiety may be ruining your life and driving you crazy. In extreme cases, some people may even take their own lives.

In that respect, it’s easy to see how fear can do us more harm than the things of which we’re afraid because it can impinge on our physical health and quality of life. However, this saying also has a deeper meaning for Stoics. The virus can only harm your body — the worst it can do is kill you. However, fear penetrates into the moral core of our being. It can destroy your humanity if you let it. For the Stoics that’s a fate worse than death.

This article gives fantastic insights into the methodology and process of a great philosopher of his time. The basic components of C.B.T are also raised within the outlook of his stoic mindset. As someone with ongoing mental health issues, it is a refreshing ideology to me that is easy to consume and not over-complicated to understand or grasp.

I am going to share some of my personal favourite quotes and also a link to his highly recommended “MEDITATIONS” creation.

Alternative treatments or methods like this is something I am researching and trialling myself as opposed to prescribed medication which after 15 years of consumption has left my mental & physical health in a poor state and lasting damage on a 41-year old man who has addiction issues yet you could argue 50 per cent plus damage has been caused by prescribed medication and its toxic and corrosive content vs alcohol and narcotics.

I do what is mine to do, the rest does not disturb me.

Pleasures become punishments when taken beyond a certain point.

A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.

Learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.

Do every last act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.

MARCUS-AURELIUS.

I am also including this exceptional quote and outlook below.

Which I believe has a thought-provoking approach with great substance.

• Research credits to Wikipedia & The Guardian.com*

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ONETEAM. ONEDREAM.

ILLUMINATION.

Brian Anthony Cumberlidge.