Marcus Aurelius on flowing with life

Dying Every Day (Day 103)

Time for Reflection by Charles Dana Gibson (c. 1900)

💀 Dying Every Day

Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project. Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) learn how to live.

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Marcus Aurelius on flowing with life

Welcome back to Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year). We’ve made it to Day 103, and we’re learning how to flow with life.

Marcus Aurelius wasn’t just a philosopher—he was emperor of Rome during a time of wars, plagues, and political instability. Amid constant pressure and uncertainty, he wrote Meditations as a private journal to keep himself grounded.

If you enjoy these meditations and would like to support the project, I’ve created three options: (1) Become a member at $5 a month or $39 for the year; (2) If you need assistance, you can use this 50% discount link; and (3) If you can’t afford it — please accept a complimentary membership.

In one of his clearest insights on time, Marcus wrote,

Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone—those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river: the ‘what’ is in constant flux, the ‘why’ has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what’s right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us—a chasm whose depths we cannot see. So it would take an idiot to feel self-importance or distress. Or any indignation, either. As if the things that irritate us lasted.

+Adapted from Meditations, 5.23

This isn’t merely philosophical thought—it’s an invitation to reconsider our perspective on time. Life flows like a river, and we are perpetually in its midst. As soon as we attempt to grasp a fixed “now,” it has already slipped away. The pursuits we chase, the judgments we hold, and the disputes we revisit—all fade.

Even our internal responses are not constant. What feels pressing today may seem trivial tomorrow. The frustration that overwhelms you now? Eventually, it will be forgotten. Marcus teaches us that the “what” is in constant flux and the “why” can be viewed in a thousand different ways.

Take a moment to pause and think about this: “What troubled you last week (or last year)?” Does it still hold the same weight for you? How many different ways can you view the situation?

As we reflect on the essence or passage of time, we start to loosen our hold (or at least we should). We learn to engage with life not in resistance, but with clarity and understanding. But this doesn’t equate to indifference; instead, it's about directing our energy toward what truly matters.

This perspective is grounded in Stoic philosophy, yet also resonates with other traditions. The pre-Socratic thinker Heraclitus noted, “You cannot step into the same river twice.” Buddhism teaches that impermanence is a fundamental characteristic of all existence. Contemporary psychology reveals that most of our everyday frustrations dissipate within hours or days, often leaving no lasting impact.

Embracing the flow of life invites us to recognize that nothing lasts forever, and that’s actually okay. Rather than a cause for concern, it’s a gentle reminder to appreciate (and live in) the present moment.

Reflection Prompt

Consider reflecting (or journaling) about the nature of time. You could ask yourself, “What are you holding onto right now that won’t matter a week (or even a day) from now? And/or “How might your perspective shift if you viewed irritations as something passing by in a swift river of time?

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Thank you for listening; I hope you found something useful.

Until next time, be wise and be well.

J.W.

P.S. I greatly appreciate your time, attention, and support!