📿 Perennial Meditations
This series delivers guided contemplations (via the Perennial Meditations YouTube channel) on the art of living. Inspired by the words of “Stoics, Saints, and Sages,” these short contemplations are designed to help us think deeply about what it means to live an intentional life.
“Think of Yourself as Dead” | A Guided Contemplation with Marcus Aurelius
In this meditation, we contemplate selected passages from the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. More than sixty entries in these “notes to himself” touch on death and the impermanent nature of all things. As you'll hear in the video, this gives the Meditations (and, we can assume, his life) a sense of urgency—a call (or demand) to live in the present moment while he still can.
“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly. …
Don't live as if you have endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you’re alive and able—be good.
… Even if you’ll live three thousand more years, or ten times that, remember: you cannot lose another life than the one you’re living now.” …
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
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Thank you for listening; I hope you found something useful for daily life.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W.
P.S. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Perennial Meditations on YouTube.
