NEWS: Well, it’s official… I’ve crossed the Rubicon. Today marks the halfway point between the beginning and end of this year-long journey of Stoic exploration (give or take a day or two, considering the intro post or not - which I’m not, but maybe I should… but who cares!) If you’re following along at home, I want you to know I appreciate you, no matter the frequently with which you tune in to read this stuff. I appreciate every share, and every time you cite something from this collection of work. I consider myself blessed that y’all find some of this meaningful to you, in your own lives. I’m ready to continue on and finish the second half of the Gregorian year. Finally, I am still finding this work and practice incredibly meaningful, and still stand by my original thoughts: Stoicism, for IE-inclined or IE-influenced people, as a personal, living-philosophy, or as an addition to one’s existing pagan religious-experience, is valuable and necessary in our post-Axial paganism and polytheism, no matter the tradition. Stoicism tempers the naturally egoic mind, and helps “defrag” reality, thus making all our experiences, religious ones included, more rich and meaningful.
Now that I’ve covered all that, let’s get on with today’s post, shall we? Again, many thanks and myriad blessings!
Now that I’ve covered all that, let’s get on with today’s post, shall we? Again, many thanks and myriad blessings!
One can really see the influence of the Romans on Stoicism nowhere better than in the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, particularly on the topic of duty. As a military/empire-building culture, to lack a sense of duty and obligation would inevitably lead to the famous Roman “machine” flying apart at the hinges. Aurelius cautioned to “never shirk the proper dispatch of your duty…” no matter what opposes you or how you feel about it, no matter the circumstances, you must, “... make the most of your resources to do well the duty at hand.” (Meditations, 6.2)
I’d ask further, who or what is it we’re being dutiful toward? Is it an idea, a concept? Is it ourselves, alone? Is it family, or pride… or family pride? How much of our duty is self-serving? Are we dutifully serving our egos?
When examining the ethical and moral, and then examining the right thing, which one of those can you FEEL in your insides? Which do you have a sense of and not just thoughts of?
I encourage us to be dutiful to that sense of rightness, and pray that we may all have the Perseverance to perform our duty, even though it may be difficult, and is usually the hardest of the choices before us.
Alas, it is our duty, and thus, we must do it.
(See y’all tomorrow)
I’d ask further, who or what is it we’re being dutiful toward? Is it an idea, a concept? Is it ourselves, alone? Is it family, or pride… or family pride? How much of our duty is self-serving? Are we dutifully serving our egos?
When examining the ethical and moral, and then examining the right thing, which one of those can you FEEL in your insides? Which do you have a sense of and not just thoughts of?
I encourage us to be dutiful to that sense of rightness, and pray that we may all have the Perseverance to perform our duty, even though it may be difficult, and is usually the hardest of the choices before us.
Alas, it is our duty, and thus, we must do it.
(See y’all tomorrow)
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