An Irishman’s Introduction to Stoicism Part One: Marcus Aurelius

My name is Frank Ó’hÁinle and as part of my return to writing following the completion of my law degree I will be creating a set of three posts focusing upon the ancient philosophy of stoicism which has its origins in Ancient Greece but proved immensely popular in Ancient Rome also. As a practising stoic myself I would like to present you with a meditation of sorts, which consists of a maxim from one of the primary stoic tests, in this case the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.

For you to successfully conduct this meditation, it will be required of you to give thought to the quote which I have chosen, pondering where it could be applied to your everyday words, thoughts and actions. I would first like to disclaim that I am not an expert in this area and that the insights I will be sharing with you come from my own readings in this area and personal exploration of the themes and practises of some of the wisest men in antiquity. I hope that you will enjoy the series and if the response proves to be positive, I will be able to share more of the pantheon of stoic greats and my thoughts on the area with you all on a regular basis. It also goes without saying that if you would like to learn more or even just talk about what I have posted feel free to contact me and I would be glad to oblige.