Barry Nesmith
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4 June 2013
“Meditation”
"Meditations" written by Marcus Aurelius, is best summarized as being the best person you can be. In being the best person, one must be moral and unchanging in their peaceful state of mind. The author mains concept about mediation is being at an equable temper even when the going gets rough. Although people may test you they will be defeated because you have the true capability of controlling yourself. To help explain his thoughts on meditation, Aurelius uses three main key points. According to Aurelius, “Every man has three relations to acquit himself in; his body, God, and his neighbors.”
Marcus Aurelius' philosophy of proper behavior includes being candid and able to control your temper, modesty, having a regard for religion, and taking pleasure in helping others. However, the most common themes are probity and the ability to control your temper. When examining Aurelius’ philosophy it imposes a deeper meaning then just the shell. Not only does this philosophy help you be a good person it also shows you how to control yourself and is a guideline to how better yourself in everything that you do.
First, to help support his argument, Aurelius tells the readers stories of the influences that helped him become molded into the person he is today. Based off of this argument, in order to be a good moral person, Aurelius states that you need help from others. In the opening paragraph, Aurelius list people who were close to him and explained in what way they affected his life. However, each person contains their own special characteristics. For example, the author says, “The example of my grandfather Verus taught me to be candid and to control my temper (Aurelius).” But he then adds, “By the memory of my father's character I learnt to be modest and manly. My mother taught me regard for religion, to be generous and open-handed, and neither to do an ill turn to anyone nor even to think of it. She bred me also to a plain and inexpensive way of living (Aurelius).” In this manner, the author tells the reader before the conclusion of the first paragraph that there are many influences that helps mold a person life.
Not only does the author thank the people closest to him for his moral ways but he also thanks the gods. “I thank the gods that my grandfathers, parents, sister, preceptors, relatives, friends and domestics were almost all persons of probity and that I never happened to disoblige any of them. By the goodness of the gods I was not provoked to expose my infirmities (Aurelius).” With this statement Aurelius proves that above all he thanks else he gods before anyone else. He feels that without the gods his would not have been blessed to heave such moral people in his life to teach him their ways.
In advanced to the help of others close to you, in order to be moral it takes yourself to have the free will to want to do what is moral. No matter how much goodness is installed in you, you have to actually want to be good. If you do not practice the ways of the moral how will you ever expect to be moral? This is the important question that arises to help one detect their morality. When putting your mind to do something all it takes is for you to take action. No one can make you be a moral person it is a choice that only you can make. For
