You can lean an untroubled life provided you can grow, can think and act systematically.
Two characteristics shared by gods and men (and every rational creature):
I. Not to let others hold you back
II. To locate goodness in thinking and doing the right thing, and to limit your desires to that.
- Marcus Aurelius
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The problem with this and such quotes is that people don't know what 'goodness' and 'the right thing' to do is. That's why the quote speaks to everyone and noone at the same time.
Everybody wants to be 'good' and thinks they are. Our mind is amazing at making stuff up and deceiving ouselves if we haven't found out and mastered how it really works. Through breathwork, meditation, yoga ... you name it.
So, these quotes are powerful only once we have done the inner work to find out where the 'light', 'truth', 'love', 'goodness' really is.
Marcus Aurelius very likely did that inner work with the means available during his time, with famous stoic teachers. This then is real freedom. Freedom from the inside that will keep you on track. You will feel it and know it deep inside. No morality necessary anymore.
Before that 'good' is just a word that everybody understands differently.
Brilliant.
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