The timeless wisdom of an ancient Stoic can become a companion
for your own spiritual journey.

Stoicism is often portrayed as a cheerless, stiff-upper-lip philosophy of suffering and doom. Yet as experienced through the thoughtful and penetrating writings of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 180 CE), the Stoic approach to life is surprisingly rich, nuanced, clear-eyed and friendly.

With facing-page commentary that explains the texts for you, Russell McNeil, PhD, guides you through key passages from Aurelius s "Meditations," comprised of the emperor s collected personal journal entries, to uncover the startlingly modern relevance his words have today. From devotion to family and duty to country, to a near-prophetic view of the natural world that aligns with modern physics, Aurelius s words speak as potently today as they did two millennia ago.

Now you can discover the tenderness, intelligence and honesty of Aurelius s writings with no previous background in philosophy or the classics. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical background of Stoicism, as well as the ways this ancient philosophical system can offer psychological and spiritual insight into your contemporary life. You will be encouraged to explore and challenge Aurelius s ideas of what makes a fulfilling life and in so doing you may discover new ways of perceiving happiness.

Classic teachings on the art of living by the great Roman emperor, statesman, and general.

The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius originally wrote the meditations collected here in the form of a personal journal during his military campaigns in the second century. In them, he reflects with great beauty and simplicity upon the Stoic virtues that lead to a happy life: self-mastery, moral strength, duty to oneself and others, detachment, and acceptance of the divine order and the way of Nature. His words of wisdom and courage continue to inspire all who struggle to live a meaningful and productive life in a troubled age.

This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.

The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

"Meditations" is Marcus Aurelius' private book of reflections, written over a series of years in far-flung places as he led the Romans in military campaigns, quashed revolts, and dealt with the other tribulations of governing the Empire. It is best described as a spiritual journal, containing a record of Marcus' philosophical exercises. The book is interesting as an example of Stoic thought and is valuable for historical reasons as a document of the inner life of a remarkable Roman emperor. It remains compelling, however, because it bears witness to a profound journey of the human spirit and speaks to us across the millennia about perennial human problems.

The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote down his thoughts between 170 and 180. He was a late Stoic Philosopher and this one of the few examples of this type of literature that exists today. The book is written as personal notes to himself and his thesis is that one can obtain inner calm irrespective of outer adversity. The text considers good and evil, solidarity, adversity and inner freedom. It is a book that offers wisdom, comfort and inspiration. As well as the thought, this edition contains a biographical sketch and summary of the philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, a number of illustrations and both an index and index of terms.

Epictetus was an ancient Greek philosopher who lived between 55 and 135 AD and taught the philosophy of stoicism. Stoicism is the school of philosophy that teaches one to detach oneself from ones emotions so that truth may be derived from ones reason. To the stoic this detachment allows the natural law of the universe to reveal itself and harmony with the world can be achieved. This philosophy is exemplified in the "Enchiridion," which serves as a manual for the everyday practice of this philosophy. A more detailed examination of the philosophy of stoicism can be found within the discourses of Epictetus, of which a representative selection is presented here in this volume translated by George Long.