An Unexpected Good read on spirituality

You could leave life right now. Let that (thought) determine what you do and say and think. If GOD exists, then to abandon human beings (to die) is not frightening; the CREATOR would never subject you to harm.  What would be the point of living in a world without Providence ? But HE exists, and cares what happens to us, and everything a person needs to avoid real harm they have placed within him (or her). If there were anything harmful on the other side of death, HE would have made sure the ability to avoid it was within you. If it doesn’t harm your character, how can it harm your life? Nature would not have overlooked such dangers through failing to recognize them, or because it saw them but was powerless to prevent or correct them. Nor would it ever, through inability or incompetence, make such a mistake as to let good and bad things happen indiscriminately to good and bad (people) alike. But death and life, success and failure, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty, all these happen to good and bad (people) alike, and they are neither noble nor shameful ? and hence neither good nor bad?

Can you guess who wrote that? It wasn’t Dr. Phil. Not Wayne Dyer. Certainly not Karl Rove.

Written sometime between 170 and 180 A.D., that excerpt comes from a little book called Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Yes, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The very same Emperor Marcus Aurelius depicted by actor Richard Harris in the 2000 film ? Gladiator? directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Russell Crowe.

The Greek philosopher Plato once wrote “States will never be happy until rulers become philosophers or philosophers become rulers“. Marcus Aurelius, it seems, dedicated himself to living up to the ideal of the philosopher-king. Oh, to have such dedication in our present-day rulers!

In Mediations, Marcus Aurelius shares his insights, not just about government and politics,  but also of personal integrity, leading a purposeful life, and spiritual well-being. His insights are keenly applicable to our present day existence. Meditations is an unexpectedly good read.

Meditations is a small book, only about 170 pages. The edition we’re reading, translated by Gregory Hays, was published in 2002 by the Modern Library.