Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

I am made of body and mind. To my body, all things are the same — it cannot tell one thing from another or prefer one over another. As for my mind, anything outside its own work doesn't matter to it. And for its own work, that depends entirely on the mind itself. The mind only concerns itself with what is happening right now. Past and future actions are also indifferent to it in this present moment.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 30 Book 6 · 35 of 64
Freedom & Control Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

I consist of body and soul. Unto my body all things are indifferent, for of itself it cannot affect one thing more than another with apprehension of any difference; as for my mind, all things which are not within the verge of her own operation, are indifferent unto her, and for her own operations, those altogether depend of her; neither does she busy herself about any, but those that are present; for as for future and past operations, those also are now at this present indifferent unto her.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 30 Book 6 · 35 of 64
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Wake up your mind. Pull your thoughts back from their natural dreams and visions. When you are fully awake and can see that they were just dreams that troubled you, look at the things of this world the same way you looked at what you saw while sleeping.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 29 Book 6 · 34 of 64
Calm Your Mind Freedom & Control
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Stir up thy mind, and recall thy wits again from thy natural dreams, and visions, and when thou art perfectly awoken, and canst perceive that they were but dreams that troubled thee, as one newly awakened out of another kind of sleep look upon these worldly things with the same mind as thou didst upon those, that thou sawest in thy sleep.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 29 Book 6 · 34 of 64
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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