Keep this in mind — what is the nature of the whole, and what is my nature, and how this is related to that, and what relation it is, and of what kind, to the whole; and that there is no one who hinders me from always doing and saying the things which are according to my nature.

2.9

As we’ve said before, the mediations can be repetitive. As far as we know, Marcus wrote them for himself, and he’s trying to hammer home the same points again and again. This thought, that one has free will, and can always stay true to one’s own nature, even when that flies in the face of the nature of the whole is a simple point, but one worth remembering. Perhaps especially in these times.

Of course, its easy to stay true to yourself when you can put your enemies to death (as Marcus could). But still, worth it for the rest of us to try.

NOTE: This is part of a continuing series of my own renderings and reflections on classical works of stoicism. See them all at the Your Occasional Stoic page.