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Udemy

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

via Udemy

Overview

Thoughts of a Roman Emperor on Living and Leading in the face of Adversity

What you'll learn:
  • The core message and main arguments presented by Marcus Aurelius for finding meaning and purpose in adversity
  • Grasp the key repeating messages in under an hour
  • Simplification of one of the most important but tough to read books on living according to your values
  • An appreciation of why Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is taught to future leaders in British private schools
  • Capture the essence of an important work of literature which is extraordinarily difficult and time-consuming to read
  • Meditations is a near random collection of thoughts across 12 notebooks - this course distils the key repeating themes
  • Introduction to Marcus Aurelius's thoughts on Education and Free Thinking, Understanding Universal Principles and their impact on How to Live and Act well despite major life challenges
  • Understand the heart of his message without the need to decipher complex translations and avoiding repetition and a very depressing style of presentation with regular reminders of the imminence of Death - it is bleak reading
  • Apply the technique of Continuous Education, Free Thought and Exploration of Values in your own life choices
  • Recognise that however awful life might seem at times that there is a way to handle adversity

Marcus Aurelius was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD.
He faced attacks on the Empire from Germans in the North, Egypt in the south and on his Eastern flanks.
These conflicts exposed Rome's armies to plague, massacre and relentless guerrilla warfare.

Although not trained as a General, Aurelius campaigned on the battlefields with his men.
He kept journals whilst fighting wars (12 books in all)to collect his thoughts on his Fate and the vicissitudes of Life.

His "meditations" are a formula for remaining steadfast in the face of appalling circumstances.
Copies of his notes survived and one is kept in the Vatican library - great leaders have studied them for inspiration.

He argues that any conditions can be made tolerant through:

1. Sound ongoing education and free thinking.

2. Personal conclusions which one must draw about the way the Universe works to find meaning and purpose.

3. Work from these first principles to determine the character traits needed to sustain a harmonious existence.

This system underpins the training of future leaders in English public schools and has found its way into Leadership Coaching and Personal Development training.

This course will give some context to Meditations.

We link the core principles to the way you can Live and Lead today.



Syllabus

  • Why you should read Meditations and putting it into context
  • Education and Thinking
  • World View and Conclusions from Learning
  • Admired Character Traits

Taught by

Peter Urey

Reviews

4.4 rating at Udemy based on 153 ratings

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