In today's episode, I delve into Book 11 of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations," focusing on a meditation (Meditations 11.1) that sheds light on the concept of service to ourselves and others. This passage from Marcus Aurelius profoundly illustrates the properties of the rational soul: it has the capacity to see and analyze itself, and to shape its own existence according to its will. What's unique about the rational soul is that it enjoys the fruits of its own actions, unlike plants and animals, whose fruits are enjoyed by others.
I explore the idea that the rational soul reaches its own end, regardless of the lifespan of its host. This concept is intriguing because, unlike a play or dance that requires completion to be whole, the rational soul is complete and fulfilled at every moment of its existence. This completeness is intrinsic and does not depend on the duration of life.
Diving deeper, I discussed how humans possess a level of consciousness that can interrupt the universe's rationality, creating a reality where the naturally existing rational faculty in humans must be actively leveraged for us to live in accordance with our nature. This brings us to the concept of the madman, the Prokoptôn (the one who is progressing or aspiring Stoic), and the sage. The madman is oblivious to reason and rationality, the Prokoptôn is aware and striving to align with their rational nature, and the sage is the embodiment of perfect rationality.
I emphasized that the realization of our rational soul is a choice. We can either let our untamed consciousness overpower our true nature, or we can choose to be Prokoptôn, using our rational faculties to embody the natural reason of our soul. The rational soul, once fully realized, sees its existence as a state that cannot be improved upon and does not require additional time to validate or qualify its existence.
Furthermore, I touched upon the interconnectedness of the rational soul with the universe. The idea that the rational soul, part of the universal reason, is connected to everything in existence implies a natural kinship with all beings and things. This perspective challenges the often misunderstood notion of Stoicism as solely a philosophy of individualism and resilience. Instead, it underscores our interconnectedness with the universe and all its inhabitants, urging us to value the universal rational soul and, by extension, everything in existence.
In closing, I invited listeners to reflect on how this discussion might alter their understanding of Stoicism and to share their thoughts. This episode aimed to bring to light the deeper, more spiritual aspects of Stoicism, moving beyond the popular interpretations to explore its profound universal implications.
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Practical Stoicism