Relevance of ancient wisdom for the modern mind

The rapidly changing and fast-paced age of today brings uncertainty and unprecedented mental challenges. At times like these, ancient wisdom can become a beacon of clarity. Among the timeless voices that continue to resonate to this day, is one of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher whose record of the inward life, often called ‘Meditations,’ or ‘Commentaries’ or ‘Journal,’ or ‘Thoughts,’ has wisdom that is as relevant today as they was two millennia ago.

The Ageless Antique Wisdom

As we turn the pages of Aurelius’ journal, we come across the contemplations he penned during the times of solitude amidst the weight of imperial duty, intended solely for his own eyes. These words from a man, who had a passion for thinking and reading, offer a set of principles that act as a framework even in today’s turbulent world.

For instance, Marcus’s advice in times of suffering is to be mindful that ‘the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.’ These lines speak directly of the power of paradigm shift, flexibility and exercising control. His methods of focusing on the present provide us with solutions to deal with anxiety. Moreover, his advice to ‘be like the rock that the waves keep crashing over’ but remain steadfast offers a powerful reminder of the importance of emotional strength. He also emphasizes the need to change the perspective on a hurdle in his journal, “The impediment to action advances action, what stands in the way becomes the way.” To him, every obstacle is an opportunity to practice virtues such as wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. It was a workout for moral practice.

In a world where we often feel lost, the principles of Aurelius’ reflection on the unity of the cosmos and the idea that we are all part of a bigger picture not only brings a sense of purpose and fulfilment but also encourage empathy and compassion. He talks in-depth about ‘service’ being the ‘comfortable nature of man’ and a fruit in itself. His practice of continuous self-examination for personal growth is what we call introspection today. Aurelius repeatedly kept reminding himself not only to watch his acts but also his thoughts; “What hast thou now in thy thoughts?”

Perhaps the most interesting of all his records are in his first book, where he recites the names of the people he feels indebted to, enumerating the obligations he felt towards them. For instance, “From my tutor I learnt endurance of labour and to want little, and to work with my own hands, and to not meddle with other people’s affairs, and to not be ready to listen to slander.” Like a magnet drawing in iron filings, Aurelius suggests absorbing the good traits of those around him, to “think of the virtues who live with thee.”

He exhibits a resolute grateful attitude for several things; for instance, for having a father “who was able to take away all pride” from him; that his children were not “deformed in body;” that though his mother died young, “she spent the last years of her life” with him; that whenever he “wished to help any man in his need,” he was “never told that he had not the means of doing it.” His frequent expression of gratitude can act as a source of inspiration, fostering a sense of contentment and humility. It has been this very concoction of sympathy, and steadfastness that makes Aurelius a beautiful moralist.

The Timelessness of a Practical Philosophy

The words in Aurelius’ journal were personal and never intended for publication. This is the principal reason why the text became significant in philosophy as well as literature— simply due to its honesty. It has no attempt at style and no care for fancy writing. These limitations, which can often suppress the naturalness and sincerity of authorship, simply do not exist in this book. Aurelius didn’t want to print these and be a popular philosopher or a writer who would be immortalized through his works. That did eventually happen. But his intention behind writing these words was merely self-management through reflections on his life.

The essayist, Michel de Montaigne looked at Aurelius’ wisdom in his essays. He often mentioned Aurelius as an example of how it is possible to remain morally steadfast in positions of power. He frequently drew parallels and examined his own life through the lens of Aurelius’ wisdom and integrated stoicism with Renaissance humanism.

In the last essay of ‘Essays in Criticism,’ titled ‘Marcus Aurelius,’ the modernist poet and cultural critic, Matthew Arnold explored Aurelius’ life, particularly “Meditations.” He also compared its translations, mainly by Jeremy Collier and George Long, and how Aurelius should not be treated “as a Classical Dictionary hero, but as a present source from which to draw example of life and instruction of manners.” He also mentioned that Aurelius professed, “the highest possible standard of conduct” through his journal.

Contemporary Stoicism

The pursuit of ways to deal with the world is so eternal that even today, several philosophers and literary critics have revived this philosophy because it remains timeless and practical. Author of "The Daily Stoic" and "The Obstacle Is the Way,” Ryan Holiday continues to popularise Stoic philosophy through words and social media channels to provide practical advice for modern life by referencing Marcus Aurelius and other Stoic thinkers.

Biologist and philosopher, Massimo Pigliucci’s 2015 piece in the New York Times, “How to be a Stoic” remains one of the most shared articles to date where he talks of how Stoicism is relevant in the 21st century.

In his book, "How to Think Like a Roman Emperor,” psychotherapist Donald Robertson serves foundational principles of stoicism through the lens of Marcus Aurelius and provides practical techniques derived from Stoic practices that Aurelius used in his daily life, showing the readers how it can enhance psychological well-being. It is also interesting to note how the stoic philosophy is the root of many evidence-based psychological therapies, like Victor Frankl’s logotherapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

Apart from them, many other writers and philosophers of today, like William B. Irvine and John Sellars, contributed to the scholarly understanding of Stoicism and its current pertinence.

The principles of Stoicism have a more renewed relevance due to many reasons: The COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization, climate change, and international conflicts have collectively fostered a climate of doomscrolling depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. In such times, Marcus Aurelius’ teachings offer a skeleton to navigate solutions and confront contemporary challenges with a proactive approach dispensed with ethical integration; to focus on what we can do instead of things that are beyond us; and to deal with virtues in the face of adversities.

Conclusion

The evergreen luster of Marcus Aurelius' wisdom lies in its practical approach and immense simplicity. Citing Aurelius “Our life is what our thoughts make it,” we become what we focus on. If we focus on finding differences, we might not even find anything common with our siblings or parents. But if we focus on common ground, we might find that the solutions to our problems aren’t that different from that of a Roman emperor handling an unstable empire two thousand years ago. The only possible way to have a conversation with him would be one-sided and preserved in text that we are lucky enough to be exposed to if we choose to. These words can aid us; and help us see things from a perspective that we may not have held on our own, only if we are flexible and receptive. Understanding what to absorb and what to dissect from our ways of life encompasses the fundamental freedom of who we are, and we can choose who that is.

The author is Research scholar and has done her MA in English Literature