Previous Stoicism

FOLLOWING THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS

“Just as we commonly hear people say the doctor prescribed someone particular riding exercises, or ice baths, or walking without shoes, we should in the same way say that nature prescribed someone to be diseased, or disabled, or to suffer any kind of impairment. In the case of the doctor, prescribed means something ordered to help aid someone’s healing. But in the case of nature, it means that what happens to each of us is ordered to help aid our destiny.”

- MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS

Summary:
Marcus Aurelius suggests that just as a doctor prescribes treatments to aid in physical healing, nature prescribes certain challenges or difficulties in our lives to aid in our personal growth and fulfillment of destiny. These events, whether they are illnesses, impairments, or hardships, are not arbitrary misfortunes; rather, they serve a purpose in shaping our character and guiding us toward our true potential.

Interpretation:
In everyday life, this teaching reminds us to view challenges as opportunities that contribute to our growth. Just as we trust a doctor’s guidance, we can trust that life’s difficulties are also guiding us toward something beneficial, even if it’s not immediately clear. For someone familiar with Stoic principles, this means embracing adversity with the understanding that it’s part of a greater plan, leading us toward resilience, self-mastery, and the strength to face whatever comes our way.

 

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