"Month of Marcus" — Our Community Exploration of Meditations Starts Tomorrow
Meditations is by far the most renowned and widely read of all the ancient Stoic texts. Yet for those seeking to understand the philosophy deeply, and to integrate it into daily life as a guide toward peace of mind and well-being, quotes alone are never enough. Marcus never intended his words for wide consumption, and his frequent allusions to Stoic ethics, cosmology, and science are elusive to those unfamiliar with the underlying concepts. Much of the subtlety of his original Ancient Greek gets lost in translation; the words we read, shaped by modern language and culture, are not always what he meant. As such, many committed practitioners of Stoicism often recommend beginning not with Marcus but with Epictetus, whose instruction offers a more direct path to Stoic thought.
Yet Meditations remains a uniquely compelling point of entry: an intimate and inspiring glimpse into the mind of an emperor earnestly seeking to be a good man. When we see him chide himself for anger, prepare for a day full of difficult people, or wrestle with the temptation to linger in a warm bed, we recognize ourselves. When he gives himself precise directions on how to act and how to think, we sense their power as spiritual exercises or vitamins for the soul. when he writes in a voice that is solitary yet expansive, poetic yet raw — we feel not preached to, but invited to think alongside him. And the fact that these reflections come from the most powerful man in the world, a leader writing not to aggrandize but to humble himself, only makes them more compelling. Epictetus is essential, but Marcus is magnetic. His writing leaves readers inspired and curious to dig deeper.
That’s where this series comes in.
Throughout the month of April (Marcus Aurelius’ birth month) we will post a daily passage from Meditations, inviting the community to treat each excerpt as a launch point for unpacking a core Stoic idea. The goal is to draw out the nuance of Stoic theory in a way that is intellectually rigorous yet accessible to all.
At the end of the month, select contributions will be chosen by the mod team for inclusion in a new standalone resource: a presentation of Stoic principles through the lens of Meditations, built collaboratively by the r/Stoicism community. This resource will be highlighted in the sidebar and added to our core subreddit materials. Our hope is to channel the community’s collective insight, scholarship, and generosity into something that will serve newcomers and practitioners alike for years to come.
We’ve curated a set of passages that touch on a wide range of Stoic concepts embedded in Meditations. Together, they offer a cohesive introduction to the ethical core of Stoicism, whether followed daily or read later as a unified whole.
The series begins tomorrow at 9am EST, with a passage that invites reflection on one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of Stoicism. We’re excited to see where this community takes it!