Blog: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - Unpublished Selections Rewritten and Explained by Russell McNeil, PhD Russell McNeil | Create Your Badge Stoicism promises happiness by demonstrating how the contemporary metrics of the 'Good Life' - wealth, reputation, and material success - can actually deprive us of a meaningful existence. In this Blog I am systematically rewriting and annotating the unpublished Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (black links below) to supplement those one hundred and fifty key selections published in my book, The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained. The published selections - referenced in red by page and section heading - are organized in the book as an effective manual on the new Stoicism - a practical updated philosophy with stunning contemporary relevance to modern personal, spiritual, psychological, political, and environmental issues. The newly explained meditations are being added in reverse order beginning with Book XII. (more to come) Book I-V (to come) Book VI (more to come) Meditation VI.55 - Balance and Harmony Meditation VI.56 - Is this a Rhetorical Question. Meditation VI.57 - The Poison of Prejudice Meditation VI.58 - The telos or Purpose of Stoic life Meditation VI.59 - What kind of people do we try to please? Book VII Meditation VII.01 - What is Badness? Meditation VII.02 - The Power of Opinion V (Published in Book) Meditation VII.03 - Worth Meditation VII.04 - Body language Meditation VII.05 - Society and Social Collapse V (Published in Book) Meditation VII.06 - Tempus Edax Rerum Meditation VII.07 - Seeking Help Meditation VII.08 - Do Not Worry About the Future Meditation VII.09 - Imitating Nature in our Technologies I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.10 - The End of Time Meditation VII.11 - Serenity Meditation VII.12 - Our Task Meditation VII.13 - Do the Right Thing - for the Right Reason Meditation VII.14 - Sticks and Stones Meditation VII.15 - The Emerald King Meditation VII.16 - You are Perfect - You are a God Meditation VII.17 - Reflections Meditation VII.18 - Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution III (Published in Book) Meditation VII.19 - The Furious Torrent Meditation VII.20 - Repelling Fear Meditation VII.21 - The Bleak Horizon Meditation VII.22 - Human Invincibility Meditation VII.23 - Our Immutable Nature Meditation VII.24 - The Frozen Frown Meditation VII.25 - Embracing Change Meditation VII.26 - Personal Peace Meditation VII.27 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Meditation VII.28 - The Power of Opinion III (Published in Book) Meditation VII.29 - What Happens in Vegas... Meditation VII.30 - Stop Look and Listen Meditation VII.31 - Morality and the Role of Virtue I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.32 - Death is Annihilation or Change Meditation VII.33 - Rising Above Pain IV (Published in Book) Meditation VII.34 - How Empty is Fame Meditation VII.35 - Death is No Evil! Meditation VII.36 - It is Royal to Be Abused Meditation VII.37 - Think Before you Act Meditation VII.38 - Equanimity Meditation VII.39 - The Greatest Stoic Commandment Meditation VII.40 - Stoic Teleology Meditation VII.41 - The Empathic Cosmos Meditation VII.42 - The Good is with me Meditation VII.43 - The Triumph of Virtue Meditation VII.44 - Look to Yourself for Answers Meditation VII.45 - Never Desert your Post Meditation VII.46 - I found myself within a forest dark - Anticipating Dante Meditation VII.47 - Looking to the Stars for Inspiration Meditation VII.48 - Stoicism versus Existentialism: Anticipating (and Denying) Sartre Meditation VII.49 - Nothing New Under the Sun Meditation VII.50 - Stoic Physics and Chemistry Meditation VII.51 - Justice and War Meditation VII.52 - Humiliation Meditation VII.53 - Work Meditation VII.54 - Acquiescence Meditation VII.55a - Human Responsibility Meditation VII.55b - The Life of Virtue I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.56 - Medication or Meditation? Meditation VII.57 - One with Nature Meditation VII.58 - Feeling no Pain Meditation VII.59 - The Supremacy of Reason I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.60 - Physical Fitness Meditation VII.61 - Meditation, Prayer, and the Wrestler's Art I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.62 - Never Seek Praise and Never Blame Others I (Published in Book) Meditation VII.63 - Vanquishing Ignorance Meditation VII.64 - Rising Above Pain III (Published in Book) Meditation VII.65 - Inhumanity Meditation VII.66 - The Strange Man Socrates Meditation VII.67 - The Promise of Happiness III (Published in Book) Meditation VII/68 - On Misfortune, Death and Martyrdom V (Published in Book) Meditation VII.69 - Morality and the Role of Virtue II (Published in Book) Meditation VII.70 - We are Sovereign and Divine Meditation VII.71 - To Move a Star Meditation VII.72 - The Only Thing We Have to Fear Meditation VII.73 - Stoic Grace Meditation VII.74 - The Cozy Hearth Meditation VII.75 - Creation Book VIII Meditation VIII.01 - The Promise of Happiness I (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.02 - Think Meditation VIII.03 - The Folly of Power Meditation VIII.04 - Controlling Addictions to Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, Money and Power Meditation VIII.05 - The Evil of Realpolitik Meditation VIII.06 - The Big Crunch Meditation VIII.07 - The Human Project Meditation VIII.08 - Ignoring What Others Think V (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.09 - Grumble Not! Meditation VIII.10 - The Stoic Attitude Toward Pleasure III (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.11 - What is this Thing? Meditation VIII.12 - Blessed be the Peacemakers Meditation VIII.13 - The Three Stoic Pillars Meditation VIII.14 - The Art of Contradiction Meditation VIII.15 - Be Prepared Meditation VIII.16 - The Power of Opinion II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.17 - Act with Purpose Meditation VIII.18 - Einstein the Stoic Meditation VIII.19 - The Stoic Attitude Toward Pleasure II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.20 - Nature as Parable Meditation VIII.21a - The Stoic Science of Anatomy Meditation VIII.21b - Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.22 - The Wages of Stoic "Sin" Meditation VIII.23 - Just do it! Meditation VIII.24 - Celebrating Decay Meditation VIII.25 - Reputation as a False Value Meditation VIII.26 - The Stoic Carrot has no Stick Meditation VIII.27 - Body and Soul Meditation VIII.28 - Rising Above Pain II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.29 - The Power of Opinion VI (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.30 - Enquiry and the Practice of Philosophy IV (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.31 - Isolation Road Meditation VIII.32 - Stoic Equanimity Meditation VIII.33 - Fame and Fortune as False Values I (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.34 - The Power of Opinion VIII (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.35 - The Power of Opinion IX (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.36 - Live in the Moment Meditation VIII.37 - Death: Blood in a Bag Meditation VIII.38 - See Sharp - Look and Judge Wisely Meditation VIII.39 - Morality and the Role of Virtue IV (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.40 - Anticipating Cartesian Dualism Meditation VIII.41 - Overcoming Temptation Meditation VIII.42 - Don't Worry - Be Happy Meditation VIII.43 - The Virtue of Tolerance Meditation VIII.44 - Fame and Fortune as False Values II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.45 - The Soul Meditation VIII.46 - On Misfortune, Death and Martyrdom I (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.47 - Dying Contently Meditation VIII.48 - The Martyr's Mind Meditation VIII.49 - The Stoic Calculus Meditation VIII.50 - The Thorny Briar: A Stoic Parable Meditation VIII.51 - Morality and the Role of Virtue V (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.52 - Never Seek Praise and Never Blame Others II (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.53 - On Flattery and Pride I (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.54 - Cosmic Consciousness Meditation VIII.55 - Ubermensch Meditation VIII.56 - The Power of Opinion X (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.57 - The Light of Reason Meditation VIII.58 - Aging and Death IX (Published in Book) Meditation VIII.59 - Human Solidarity Meditation VIII.60 - Straight Thinking Meditation VIII.61 - Stoic Communion with Nature Book IX Meditation IX.01 - The Nature of Evil and Insignificance of Misfortune VI (Published in Book) Meditation IX.02 - Stoicism and Mental Health III (Published in Book) Meditation IX.03 - Aging and Death X (Published in Book) Meditation IX.04 - The Nature of Evil and Insignificance of Misfortune III (Published in Book) Meditation IX.05 - The Importance of Love and the Meaning of Justice IV (Published in Book) Meditation IX.06 - This is Enough Meditation IX.07 - Stoic Psychology, Alienation and Free Will I (Published in Book) Meditation IX.08 - The Cosmic Genome Meditation IX.09a - Nature and Climate Change I (Published in Book) Meditation IX.09b - Nature and Climate Change II (Published in Book) Meditation IX.10 - The Divine Meme Meditation IX.11 - What, me Worry? Meditation IX.12 - For Neda Meditation IX.13 - On Anxiety and Depression II (Published in Book) Meditation IX.14 - Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution III (Published in Book) Meditation IX.15 - Diamonds and Rust Meditation IX.16 - The Supremacy of Reason VI (Published in Book) Meditation IX.17 - Say Yes, to Life Meditation IX.18 - The Reptiles Amongst Us Meditation IX.19 - Evolution and Thermodynamics Meditation IX.20 - Preventing Metastasis Meditation IX.21 - Aging and Death XI (Published in Book) Meditation IX.22 - The Supremacy of Reason VII (Published in Book) Meditation IX.23 - Political Activism, Criticism and Dissent I (Published in Book) Meditation IX.24 - Mansions of the Dead Meditation IX.25 - Metamorphosis Meditation IX.26 - The Problem with Anger and Discontent III (Published in Book) Meditation IX.27 - The Wizard of Oz Meditation IX.28a - Clever and Cheeky Meditation IX.28b - Time, Motion, Cosmology and Evolution V (Published in Book) Meditation IX.29 - I, Marcus Meditation IX.30 - The Human Herd Meditation IX.31 - Teamwork Meditation IX.32 - Universal Consciousness Meditation IX.33 - The Calculus of Morality Meditation IX.34 - Ignoring What Others Think III (Published in Book) Meditation IX.35 - Let it Be Meditation IX.36 - Celebration of Decay Meditation IX.37 - Hell Meditation IX.38 - The Unforgiveable Sin Meditation IX.39 - The Reign of Reason Meditation IX.40 - On Sexuality and Addiction I (Published in Book) Meditation IX.41 - Epicurians and Stoics Meditation IX.42 - Intolerance Book X Meditation X.01 - On Knowing Yourself and 'Wolfish' Friendships I (Published in Book) Meditation X.02 - The Satisfaction of Natural Urges Meditation X.03 - Rising Above Pain I (Published in Book) Meditation X.04 - Inquiry and the Practice of Philosophy I (Published in Book) Meditation X.05 - Stoic Teleology Meditation X.06 - Society and Social Collapse III (Published in Book) Meditation X.07 - The Chemistry of the Universe Meditation X.08 - Rational Suicide Meditation X.09 - Scientific Method Founded in Stoicism Meditation X.10 - Stoic Attitude Toward the Exploitation of Nature Meditation X.11 - On Sexuality and Addiction II (Published in Book) Meditation X.12 - Stoicism and Doubt - Anticipating Descartes Meditation X.13a - Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You Meditation X.13b - Beware the Flatterer Meditation X.14 - The Divine Feminine in Nature (Published in Book) Meditation X.15 - On Misfortune, Death, and Martyrdom IV (Published in Book) Meditation X.16 - Born Again Meditation X.17 - Echoes of Buddha Meditation X.18 - To Die in the River Meditation X.19 - Meditation on Bodily Functions Meditation X.20 - Fate and Destiny (Published in Book) Meditation X.21 - The Importance of Love and the Meaning of Justice III (Published in Book) Meditation X.22 - Living, Dying, Euthanasia, and Suicide Meditation X.23 - True Opinion is Never Relative Meditation X.24 - Government and Political Duty III (Published in Book) Meditation X.25 - Job the Stoic Meditation X.26 - The Power and the Glory Meditation X.27 - Historical Cycles Meditation X.28 - The Screaming Pig Meditation X.29 - Aging and Death II (Published in Book) Meditation X.30 - Transforming Vice into Virtue Meditation X.31 - The Blazing Fire of Stoicism Meditation X.32 - Destruction of the Self - Anticipating Nietzsche Meditation X.33a - Society and Social Collapse VI (Published in Book) Meditation X.33b - Society and Social Collapse VII (Published in Book) Meditation X.34 - Invincibility Through Humility Meditation X.35 - Seeing Green Meditation X.36 - Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Meditation X.37 - Temperance Meditation X.38 - Government and Political Duty IV (Published in Book) Book XI Meditation XI.01 - The Supremacy of Reason I (Published in Book) Meditation XI.02 - The Supremacy of Reason II (Published in Book) Meditation XI.03 - The Tragic Christians Meditation XI.04 - Society and Social Collapse I (Published in Book) Meditation XI.05 - The Art of Being Human Meditation XI.06 - Comedy, Tragedy, and Stoicism Meditation XI.07 - A Stoic Must Engage in Philosophy Meditation XI.08 - The Stoic Forgives, but Never Forgets Meditation XI.09 - The Confident Stoic Meditation XI.10 - We Imitate Nature as Nature Imitates Justice Meditation XI.11 - Controlling Addiction and Compulsive Behavior Meditation XI.12 - The Perfect Sphere Meditation XI.13 - Ignoring What Others Think II (Published in Book) Meditation XI.14 - The Nature of Evil and Insignificance of Misfortune II (Published in Book) Meditation XI.15 - On Knowing Yourself and 'Wolfish' Friendships II (Published in Book) Meditation XI.16 - The Power of Soul Meditation XI.17 - Nature is Harmless Meditation XI.18a - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 1 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18b - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 2 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18c - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 3 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18d - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 4 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18e - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 5 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18f - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 6 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18g - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 7 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18h - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 8 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18i - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 9 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18j - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Flattery (Published in Book) Meditation XI.18k - Stoic Ten-Step Program in Anger Management: Step 10 (Published in Book) Meditation XI.19 - Stoicism and Mental Health I (Published in Book) Meditation XI.20 - The Five Elements Meditation XI.21 - One Morality for All Meditation XI.22 - Living According to Nature (Published in Book) Meditation XI.23 - The Bogeyman Meditation XI.24 - Stoic Hospitality Toward Strangers Meditation XI.25 - The Pitiful Tyrant Meditation XI.26 - The Stoic Sage Meditation XI.27 - Meditation on a Star Meditation XI.28 - Much Ado About Nothing Meditation XI.29 - Stoics Must Walk the Walk Meditation XI.30 - Free Speech Meditation XI.31 - The Foxy Stoic Meditation XI.32 - Persecution for Virtue Meditation XI.33 - Living in the Moment Meditation XI.34 - On Misfortune, Death and Martyrdom II (Published in Book) Meditation XI.35 - Changes Meditation XI.36 - Stoic Free Will Meditation XI.37 - Universal Human Rights Meditation XI.38 - Stoic Super-Ego Meditation XI.39 - Stoic Method Book XII Meditation XII.01 - Into the Mystic Meditation XII.02 - Physics and Morality Meditation XII.03 - Stoic Serenity Meditation XII.04 - Ignoring What Others Think I (Published in Book) Meditation XII.05 - Stoic Enlightenment Meditation XII.06 - Practice and Persistence Meditation XII.07 - Hopelessness Meditation XII.08 - Becoming Invincible Meditation XII.09 - The Gladiator and the Pancratiast Meditation XII.10 - Answers Written in the Wind Meditation XII.11 - Human Power Meditation XII.12 - Accepting Our Fate II (Published in Book) Meditation XII.13 - No Surprises in Life Meditation XII.14 - The Stoic Soul in Relation to the Gods Meditation XII.15 - The Stoic Soul Meditation XII.16 - The Presumption of Innocence Meditation XII.17 - The Nature of Evil and Insignifigance of Misfortune I (Published in Book) Meditation XII.18 - The Nature of Inquiry Meditation XII.19 - Overriding Emotion Meditation XII.20 - Society and Social Collapse II (Published in Book) Meditation XII.21 - Physics, Cosmology and Morality Meditation XII.22 - The Power of Opinion I (Published in Book) Meditation XII.23 - On Misfortune, Death and Martyrdom III (Published in Book) Meditation XII.24 - Hard Reality Meditation XII.25 - Cast Away Opinion Meditation XII.26 - Anxiety and Depression I (Published in Book) Meditation XII.27 - Pride Meditation XII.28 - The gods Meditation XII.29 - Living Rightly Meditation XII.30 - Universal Kinship Meditation XII.31 - Embracing Death Meditation XII.32 - Flattery and Pride II (Published in Book) Meditation XII.33 - Ashes and Smoke Meditation XII.34 - Contempt of Death Meditation XII.35 - Death is Just Meditation XII.36 - Nature is Just

"Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations implores human beings to exercise their 'divine' gift of reason to uncover the laws of nature. For Marcus Aurelius our reason is what defines our core humanity, and our reason is governed by the same physical laws that govern the stars. When we explore nature and when we visit the stars today we are doing what Aurelius commands, and in so doing we uncover those same laws that we were meant to live by. The Stoics demanded that we must 'live according to nature.' We cannot live according to nature until we understand what nature is. Our exploration of Mars is the latest stage in a complex human journey that we humans began nearly two thousand years ago." - Russell McNeil, PhD, Mars LIDAR pioneer & author "A stirring reinterpretation of Aurelius's Stoicism for our time. In Russell McNeil, Marcus Aurelius has at last met the colleague he has sorely needed for almost two millennia: a sensitive and systematic editor, and a loyal and lucid commentator." - John Black, professor of philosophy and liberal studies, Vancouver Island University

"Bloody brilliant! Everyone on the planet should read it, most especially those in positions of power"
Table of Contents and Excerpt

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The Original Self-Help Book: This book will not offer you instant wealth, nor does it proffer snake oil remedies for modern problems. It does show where real happiness lies - and that happiness does not stem from fame, fortune, or gratuitous pleasure. The original Meditations were written in twelve volumes, many repetitive, and in no particular order. Physicist Russell McNeil has rewritten and reordered the key meditations as a modern handbook on Stoicism designed for people with no previous background in philosophy. The Stoic approach to living is not contingent on the believe in a God, or faith, or divine "revelation," or fuzzy incoherent logic. Stoicism is rooted firmly in reason and sound argument - and reason is rooted firmly in thermodynamic and cosmological principles governing the physical laws of nature. Topics: Stoicism and War; Stoicism and Climate change; Stoicism and Drug Addiction; Anxiety Management through Stoicism; Stoicism in the Treatment of Depression; Stoicism and Alcoholism; The Joy of Stoicism; Buddhism and Stoicism Compared; etc.

Blog: The Stoic Path Stoicism applied to Current Issues The Stoic Path The Stoic Path: Stoicism and Nuclear Fusion The Stoic Path: Stoicism in a Nutshell The Stoic Path: Socrates. The First Stoic The Stoic Path: Barack Obama, Philosopher King The Stoic Path: The Power of Dissent The Stoic Path: The End of America by Naomi Wolf The Stoic Path: A Meditation on Hard Times The Stoic Path: Economic Fear The Stoic Path: The Meaning of 9/11 The Stoic Path: Religion and Magic The Stoic Path: Hurricanes The Stoic Path: The Path is Green The Stoic Path: God is Dead The Stoic Path: Mind over Matter The Stoic Path: War in Georgia The Stoic Path: Stoicism in China The Stoic Path: Suffering The Stoic Path: Scientology as Misappropriated Stoicism

Reviews

CBC Tapestry Interview - Barack Obama as Stoic - Listen to Podcast Feb 1, 2009 Review by J. Donald Hughes (U. Denver) - JSRNC, Vol 2, No 2 (2008) Review by David Wilson - South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) - Registration (free) required Review by Douglas Todd - Vancouver Sun Review by Goody Niosi - Victoria Times Colonist Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat - Spirituality and Practice Reading Social Review

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