Emperor Marcus Aurelius was a philosopher. For him being “a lover of wisdom” was more important than anything else in the world. He was a Stoic and lived this philosophy daily as an empowering Path which endowed him with the freedom to rely on himself and to be independently righteous. Marcus Aurelius ruled the world’s most powerful empire in those days, however, above all else, he treasured the ideals of justice and humaneness.
Philosophy flowered spontaneously out of Hellenistic thinking, mystical awareness, spirituality and a spirit of enquiry. The ideal and the will to achieve goodness and perfection came through exercising the right way of living.
Socrates walked barefoot and wore the same coat all year round. He lived frugally and took no money from those he taught. He was totally dedicated to seeking the truth and living a moral life. The Athenian youth and aristocracy flocked to his feet. He was arrested for leading the youth astray, for introducing new gods after having denounced the old ones. Socrates did not flee Athens but stood firm and resolute, even in the hour of his death.
Epictetus taught us to say the following on our death beds:
“I leave full of gratefulness to you, for you have judged me worthy of celebrating the festival with you, of contemplating your works, and of following together with you the way in which you govern the world.”
From the Stoics we’ve learnt that the keys to inner and outward tranquility as well as inner peace are in our sole possession and care. Philosophy teaches us how to find them and how to use them to the benefit of all.
These words of Marcus Aurelius are some of the most significant I’ve ever read. They speak to my Soul and my very fiber.
“Constantly regard the Universe as a single living being, having one substance and one soul; observe how all creation relates to the cosmic consciousness of this one living being.
Observe too how everything moves with its impulse, working together to create all events, continuously spinning its delicate thread in the amazing complexity of its web.”
“Our universal Nature is the Nature that pervades all existence, and everything that now exists has kinship to all other things that will come into existence. This universal Nature is called truth, and is the original creator of all truths.”
The all-comprising Universal Intelligence has the Gods and the Soul of Man as its emanations. The divine ruling principle makes all things co-operate for the collective good of the whole. The highest good Man can aspire to is to consciously work for this common good. The Stoics lived in harmony and accord with the whole. Virtue in the individual enables us to do this. Providence rules the Universe and Virtue in the Soul therefore should rule Man.
As Pagans we are known to be seekers of something spiritual, rich in meaning, but which is devoid of dogma. We have arrived “here” at this spiritual destination, seeking wisdom without rules and regulations, without limitations and dictated injunctions that stifle and frustrate our noble and freedom-loving spirits. Stoicism answers our needs perfectly. It has no ritual but it provides us the means to obtain that which we seek, to take ownership of our lives and leads us to the harvest of happiness and fulfillment.
Plato said that Philosophy is like the training school for the ultimate human experience: death. Socrates, his beloved teacher demonstrated courage in the face of death. He demonstrated his belief in the immortality of the Soul remaining cheerful even after he had quaffed the hemlock.
Philosophers like the Stoics and Socrates saw Mind and Reason as the organizing forces of the Universe. Mind operated through Nature and everything happened through Reason. Reason was behind and immanent in everything. It was God, the ultimate and harmonious Sagacity of the Mind. Human reason is an emanation of Universal Reason and humans reflect its Divine Order and Rationality, Inner Spirit and Intelligence.
In our frenetic day-to-day living, we need to admit that our Spirituality has taken a back seat to discontent, disharmonious living, competitiveness, profit-chasing, crumbling morality, etc. I firmly believe that our Western spiritual traditions are in great need of the therapeutic influence of Philosophy, so that we too may strive for wisdom, goodness, virtue, perfected strength, beauty and the fruits of its Love.
References:
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Socrates Crito
Socrates Phaedo
The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius – Mark Forstater