Why "Retreating Into Yourself" Isn't Always Practical (Meditations 4.3)
PendingIn today’s episode of Practical Stoicism, I explore Meditations 4.3, a passage that, while often celebrated, carries the potential for self-abuse if misunderstood. Marcus Aurelius reflects on the desire to escape daily life by retreating into nature—something he admits he feels compelled to do himself. But rather than criticize that impulse, I suggest we reframe it: needing a retreat isn’t weakness, it’s part of the process of becoming better. While a sage might retreat into their mind, we Prokoptôns might genuinely need to retreat physically from time to time—and that’s not failure, it’s reality. Growth doesn’t happen on command. It takes time, rest, and humility.
Meditations 4.3Men look for retreats for themselves, the country, the sea-shore, the hills; and you yourself, too, are peculiarly accustomed to feel the same want. Yet all this is very unlike a philosopher, when you may at any hour you please retreat into yourself... The Universe is change, life is opinion.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
— The urge to escape isn’t a weakness, it’s a sign of being human—and sometimes necessary for moral progress.
— Perfection isn’t the goal; striving for better while accepting your limitations is.
— If seashore retreats help you grow, they’re not indulgences—they’re tools for becoming a better person.
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Practical Stoicism
Stoicism is the pursuit of Virtue (Aretê), which was defined by the Ancient Greeks as "the knowledge of how to live excellently," Stoicism is a holistic life philosophy meant to guide us towards the attainment of this knowledge through the development of our character. While many other Stoicism podcasts focus on explaining Ancient Stoicism in an academic or historical context, Practical Stoicism strives to port the ancient wisdom of this 2300-plus-year-old Greek Philosophy into contemporary times to provide practical advice for living today, not two millennia ago. Join American philosopher of Stoicism Tanner Campbell, every Monday and Friday, for new episodes.
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