STOICISM | How Marcus Aurelius Keeps Calm

As emperor of Rome, he was the most powerful man on the planet. Yet, as opposed to many of his successors and predecessors, Marcus Aurelius aimed to live virtuously on a consistent basis. He followed a philosophical school called Stoicism. Part of Stoic philosophy is the ability to keep a calm mind. As a matter of fact, the Stoics believe that humans in a state of flourishing have attained true happiness, which always goes together with inner peace.

Needless to say, Marcus Aurelius was a busy man, carrying the burden of leadership over an empire, and all the stress that comes from this. His work, Meditations, gives us an idea of how he coped. Marcus Aurelius is famous for his negative visualization, which modern Stoics use as a meditative practice to start the day. Since I’ve got a separate video about this, I’d like to focus on his lesser-known teachings that we can use as practical advice for more tranquil lives.

This first one is very simple: (1) Do less. It’s a no brainer, right? In order to become calmer, we should simply do less. Now, it’s important to mention that the Stoics hold productivity in high regard, as they see it as a virtue to be industrious. On the other hand, moderation is a virtue as well. So, how, exactly should we do less, when we’re supposed to be industrious?

Marcus Aurelius observed that people do many things that aren’t necessary. In the current age, we have access to almost unlimited entertainment, so it’s very easy to get caught up in all kinds of non-productive activities. With ‘doing less’, Marcus Aurelius also meant: talking less. Many conversations are nonsensical, lead to nowhere, and only waste our time and energy. So, ‘doing less’ means doing the essential.

And doing the essential not only means that we cut out the nonsense, but also that we work more intelligently and efficiently. A big advantage that we gain from this, besides tranquility, is that we can do less, better. Doing the essential consistently takes a mindful approach. I quote: “If you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time, and more tranquillity. Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’” But we need to eliminate unnecessary assumptions as well, to eliminate the unnecessary actions that follow. End quote.

A good habit that helps to stay focused on our daily endeavors, is making a list of tasks the night before. This way, we premeditate on what we have to do when we get up in the morning, which has a calming effect on the mind. Because when we design our days beforehand, there’s one less thing for the mind to worry about.

(2) Short escapes. In another video, I’ve explained that the Stoics aren’t too fond of traveling for recreational purposes, and don’t see it as a good way to seek tranquility. The reason for that is that wherever we go, we take ourselves with us. So, the effects of traveling are only temporary. Thus, as soon as the novelty subsides we’ll be confronted with our own minds again.

Marcus Aurelius was critical of people seeking refuge from daily worries by traveling or residing in quiet places like the mountains or beaches. In his mind, this was an idiotic thing to do, because why should we travel when we can get away by going within? “Nowhere you can go is more peaceful—more free of interruptions—than your own soul,” he said.

There’s nothing wrong with changing scenery once in a while to facilitate our mental retreats, as long as we keep these escapes basic and brief. What Marcus Aurelius proposed reminds me a lot of meditation. Or perhaps, moments of reflection and contemplation, in order to renew ourselves so we can calmly proceed in our daily lives. He gave us two things to ponder over if we choose to briefly retreat in our minds.

I quote: “(1) That things have no hold on the soul. They stand there unmoving, outside it. Disturbance comes only from within—from our own perceptions. And two: (2) That everything you see will soon alter and cease to exist. Think of how many changes you’ve already seen. ‘The world is nothing but change. Our life is only perception.’” End quote.

Which brings us to the next piece of advice, which is… (3) Remembering that all shall pass. The Stoics are infamous for remembering the frightening reality of life: that it’s going to end. Memento Mori means the remembrance of death, which is the ultimate acceptance that the changing nature of the universe also means the decay and vanishing of ourselves.

Marcus Aurelius tells us to keep in mind how fast things pass us by; we can be immersed in something in one moment, and in the next moment it could be something totally different. Trends come and go in the blink of an eye, and when we look at the history of this planet, human life is just a tiny, little hiccup in this cosmic evolution.

The fact that everything is in flux could be a source of anxiety, because nothing is stable, and eventually we will be separated from our possessions and loved ones. But it can be a source of calm as well. The realization that everything is temporary, means that there’s no point in clinging to good times and being strongly averse to bad times. Happiness is a relative thing. Even in prison, there are good and bad days. And even millionaires experience joy and suffering.

This means that our inner world, thus, the way we perceive our life situation and how we react to that, is also in flux. Moreover, we can influence how we react to change. So: why should destiny concern us so much? As Marcus Aurelius wrote: “The infinity of past and future gapes before us—a chasm whose depths we cannot see. So it would take an idiot to feel self-importance or distress. Or any indignation, either. As if the things that irritate us lasted.”

Thank you for watching.