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Quote by Marcus Aurelius

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Meditations

Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, detailing his thoughts on Stoic practice, self-improvement, and the nature of the universe. more

Author

Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, born in 121 AD and died in 180 AD, was an emperor of the Roman Empire. He is one of the Five Good Emperors and is known for his philosophical thoughts and the stability of his reign. He was not only an outstanding politician but also a famous Stoic philosopher, whose work 'Meditations' has had a profound impact on later generations. more

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“What gets in the way of living with vitality," Tejpal asked. Everything, I thought to myself. "Wounds," Tejpal said. She talked about the importance of forgiveness, and how the most important step in forgiveness is to allow yourself to feel the pain of the hurt you received. Only then would the pain begin to heal. Suddenly, Dracula leaned forward and spoke up. Even though this wasn't really a situation where you were supposed to speak without being called on. "That's not true," she blurted out angrily, her Long Island accent pulling all her vowels downward. "There are some things people do that hurt you forever and that cause scars that will never heal. Just 'cause you think about them doesn't mean they're going away." All the women in the room turned around to stare at this angry person. This was supposed to be a touchy-feely, self-discovery happy place where Tejpal was in charge. You are not supposed to attack Tejpal. I sensed that people thought she was crazy and normally I would find her as annoying for not getting it as everyone else was, but instead I felt a wave of deep compassion. It was the first time during my visit to Miraval that I felt attuned to how deeply, painfully exposed people can allow themselves to be when there's even a sliver of permission to be honest.”

“It is artadhyan (mournful contemplation that hurts the self) to complain and cry about one’s own misery and it is raudradhyan (wrathful contemplation hurting the self and others) to give misery to others. It is dharmadhyan (auspicious contemplation, giving happiness to others) to stop both of these. The tool that helps stop both of these is dharmadhyan.”