#497 - Donald Robertson - The Stoicism Secrets Of Marcus Aurelius
Modern Wisdom
Releasing the Tiller and Loving Your Fate
The concept of releasing the tiller, as described by Jed Manna in his book 'Spiritual Enlightenment Now', emphasizes letting go of control and allowing life to guide you effortlessly. This concept is likened to 'loving your fate' or 'amor fati', a phrase attributed to Nietzsche but not found in any surviving Latin text. Instead, it is similar to Stoic ideas expressed by Marcus Aurelius. The phrase 'love fate' has a Greek version 'storge ticon', appearing in the maxims of the Delphic Oracle attributed to the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. These short maxims, like 'know thyself' inscribed at the entrance of the temple of Apollo, are thought-provoking and condensed, inspiring deeper philosophical contemplation. Seneca and Plutarch interpreted 'know thyself' as understanding one's mortality, a reflection to acknowledge human limits before encountering the immortal god Apollo.
