@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.
The Evening Review: A Stoic Practice for Self-Improvement
August 15th 170 CE
At the close of each day, the soul requires an accounting. We are tossed by the waves of fortune and the demands of others, and it is easy to lose our way. This practice, which I have found indispensable amidst the duties of governing an empire and commanding legions, is a method for examining your actions, thoughts, and judgments. It is not an exercise in self-reproach, but a rational assessment to better align your ruling principle with Nature. Through it, we cultivate virtue, correct our errors, and prepare ourselves to meet the next dawn with tranquility and purpose.
You will need:
A period of quiet solitude at the day's end, free from the demands of others and the noise of the world.
A mind willing to be honest with itself, without flattery or harsh judgment.
The memory of the day's events, from waking to the present moment.
A commitment to Virtue as the sole good, and a desire to live in accordance with Reason.
A wax tablet and stylus, or simply your own faculty of memory, to hold the day's account.
1. Withdraw into Your Inner Citadel
When your duties for the day are complete, find a place where you will not be disturbed. The clamor of the world must be silenced so that the voice of your own reason may be heard. This is not an escape, but a strategic retreat to the fortress of your mind.
2. Still the Passions
Before beginning your review, calm your mind. Let the agitations of the day—anger, anxiety, desire—subside. Remind yourself that you are about to engage in a rational act, not an emotional one. The past is outside your control; your judgment of it is not.
3. Recall Your Actions in Order
Let the film of the day unroll in your mind's eye, from morning until now. Do not rush. Observe your actions as a disinterested spectator might. What did you say? What did you do? What did you think? See things as they were, not as you wished them to be.
4. Question Your Faults: Where Did I Err?
Ask yourself plainly: 'Where did I transgress from Nature?' In what action was I unjust, intemperate, cowardly, or foolish? Did I treat an indifferent thing—such as reputation or wealth—as a good or evil? Identify the error in judgment that led to the faulty action.
5. Acknowledge Your Virtues: What Good Did I Do?
Next, ask: 'Where did I act in accordance with Virtue?' Did I show patience when provoked? Did I act with justice towards another? Did I face a difficulty with courage? Recognize these moments not to feed your pride, but to reinforce the correct principles of action.
6. Identify Your Omissions: What Duty Was Left Undone?
Consider what you failed to do. Was there an opportunity to help another that you neglected? A duty of your station that you set aside for comfort or ease? The path to virtue is built as much by what we do as by what we do not fail to do.
7. Gently Correct Your Ruling Principle
For each fault, speak to your soul as a physician would to a patient. 'Next time, let us not be carried away by this impression. Let us remember that true harm comes only from our own wrong judgments.' Form a clear, practical resolve for how to act better in a similar circumstance.
8. Express Gratitude to the Logos
Acknowledge the universal reason that granted you another day of existence. Be thankful for the challenges that tested you and the opportunities you had to practice virtue. Every event is material for the good life, if you choose to use it so.
9. Embrace Tranquil Sleep
Having completed your accounting, release the day. You have examined it, learned from it, and it is now done. Do not carry its burdens into your rest. Sleep is a gift of nature, preparing the body and mind for the work of tomorrow. Accept it without anxiety.
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