Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The true self as the rational self

Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was a Philosopher and a Roman emperor from the Stoic school of philosophy. As a Stoic, he emphasized the importance of maintaining inner peace, accepting fate calmly, freedom from the power of emotions, and being in harmony with the cosmos. To do this, the Stoics believed, one has to be true to one’s rational faculty (as opposed to emotional forces) – also called one’s “guiding principle, “inner guide,” or daemon, or as we would say today, true self.

The following passages are from Marcus Aurelius' book Meditations, which was in fact a personal notebook where he wrote his personal reflections. The book tells us that the true self ("the guiding principle" or "the daemon") is the rational faculty within the person. It is the element within us which thinks rationally and calmly, undisturbed by emotions, desires, and the influence of others. When we follow this inner guide, we are true to ourselves.

What, then, can guide a man? One and only one thing – philosophy. But this consists in keeping the daemon within a man free from violence and unharmed, superior to pains and pleasures, doing nothing without purpose, without falsity or hypocrisy, without relying on anybody else to do or not to do anything. And also, accepting all that happens, and all that is assigned to you, as coming from wherever you yourself came. And, finally, waiting for death with a cheerful mind, accepting it as no more than a dissolution of the elements of which every living being is made. (from Book 2)

Retire into yourself. The rational principle which rules is by nature content with itself when it does what is just, and in doing so it achieves tranquility. (from Book 7)

Different things delight different people. But it is my delight to keep the guiding faculty sound without turning away either from any man or from any things that happen to men, but looking at and receiving everything with welcome eyes, and using everything according to its value. (from Book 8)

You have suffered infinite troubles by being dissatisfied with your guiding faculty, when it does the things which it is made by nature to do. Enough of this. (from Book 9)