Marcus Never Meant for Us to Read Meditations
April 11, 2025
Marcus Aurelius composed his Meditations as a purely personal practice, never intending them for public consumption. These philosophical reflections served as private reminders and mental exercises - thoughts he recorded to reinforce his own understanding and commitment to Stoic principles. Written in solitude, likely during his military campaigns, these notes were meant to guide his own conduct and thinking. The irony is profound: what began as intimate self-reflection has become one of history's most influential philosophical works, speaking across centuries to readers Marcus never imagined would encounter his private thoughts.
