All From One
All From One
May 20th
“Asia and Europe: tiny corners of the Cosmos. Every sea: a mere drop. Mount Athos: a lump of dirt. The present moment is the smallest point in all eternity. All is microscopic, changeable, disappearing. All things come from that faraway place, either originating directly from that governing part which is common to all, or else following from it as consequences. So even the gaping jaws of the lion, deadly poison, and all harmful things like thorns or an oozing bog are products of that awesome and noble source. Do not imagine these things to be alien to that which you revere, but turn your Reason to the source of all things.”
—Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
Consider for a moment the vastness of the cosmos: continents mere corners, oceans but drops.
Zoom out and see the bigger picture, where even the present moment—a sliver slicing through eternity—seems inconsequential.
This perspective can be a grounding force in your daily life. When you're caught in a tangle of stress, imagine pulling back to this cosmic viewpoint. Does the issue at hand still hold the same weight when placed against the expanse of infinity? Remembering our tiny place in the universe can be both humbling and liberating, releasing us from the grip of our troubles, which, too, are ephemeral.
Everything around us, from the magnificent stars to the mundane, potentially perilous thorns underfoot, originates from a single, noble source. If we experience a sense of awe towards the universe, should we not also see those everyday dangers as part of that great whole?
From this stoic viewpoint, we can learn to approach the world with equanimity. The next time you encounter something that seems harmful or frustrating, pause and ask yourself: if even the 'gaping jaws of the lion' can be seen as a product of the same universe I respect and revere, can I find it within myself to face this challenge not as something foreign and adversarial, but as another aspect of the world to understand and navigate with reason?
