Meditations, literally meaning in ancient Greek “that which is to himself,” is a collection of thoughts penned by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. A disciple of the Stoics, he recorded these musings throughout 12 books during his travels through his vast empire from 161-180 AD. Although expansive and containing many timeless dictums, the overarching message of his writings is the call to see the grander picture, to view oneself in light of the whole cosmos. It is likely that Marcus Aurelius never meant for these words to be published, but that is what makes them even more compelling as a truthful crystallization of the wisdom diffused through the ancient Greco-Roman world.