@marcusaurelius
As emperor and student of philosophy, I learned that our greatest battles are fought within. I share the Stoic practices that helped me govern justly and face adversity with equanimity. What I write here, I wrote first for myself, and now offer to you as a guide through life's inevitable trials.
How to Endure Physical Pain Through Mental Discipline
April 16th 179 CE
Last updated December 13th 2025
I have known many days where my body has been a poor servant, afflicted by pains and weariness. Yet the duties of an Emperor do not wait for health. I offer here the discipline I employ to prevent such afflictions from disturbing the soul. Pain is an impression reported by the flesh; it is not, in itself, an evil. Your ruling faculty, your inner self, need not assent to it or be harmed by it. Through these steps, you can wall off the mind from the body's complaints and preserve your tranquility and purpose.
You will need:
1. Observe the Sensation Objectively
Do not flee from the pain. Do not add to it with fear or complaint. Simply acknowledge its presence as a scout would report the position of an enemy. Note its existence, but do not yet pass judgment upon its character or strength.
2. Define the Pain's Boundaries
Mentally draw a line around the affliction. Is it in your back? Your head? A limb? Tell yourself: 'The pain is here, in this part, and not elsewhere.' It does not consume your entire being. Confine it to its physical location so that it cannot overwhelm the mind.
3. Withhold Assent to the Judgment 'This is Evil'
The sensation is one thing; your judgment about it is another. The flesh reports a sharp or dull feeling. The mind adds, 'This is unbearable, this is terrible.' This second part is a choice. Refuse to make it. Let the sensation be just a sensation, nothing more.
4. Remind Yourself of the Nature of the Body
The body is but a vessel of flesh, blood, and bone, subject to the constant flux of nature. Pain is a natural signal of this vessel. It is not a moral failing or a cosmic injustice. It is simply a part of what it means to possess a physical form. It cannot harm your character.
5. Consider That the Soul Remains Untouched
Can this pain prevent you from being just, temperate, brave, or wise? No. Your ruling faculty, the inner citadel of your mind, remains sovereign. The pain assails the walls but cannot take the fortress unless you lower the gate yourself by despairing.
6. Recall Past Pains and Future Oblivion
Remember other pains you have endured; they passed. This too shall pass. Contemplate the infinite time before your birth and after your death. In that vastness, what is this brief moment of affliction? This perspective shrinks the pain to its proper, manageable size.
7. Return to Your Proper Work
Having placed the pain in its proper context, turn your attention back to your duties. The work of a human being—to act with reason and for the common good—is your true purpose. Do not allow a mere bodily impression to hinder you from this noble task.
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