Commentary on Meditations: B7:73-75

When you have done good and another has benefited, why do you still look, as fools do, for a third thing besides - credit for good works, or a return?

No one tires of receiving benefit: and action in accordance with nature is your own benefit. Do not then tire of benefit gained by benefit given.

The nature of the Whole sets itself to create a universe. So now either everything that comes into being springs from that as logical consequence, or else even the primary aims to which the directing mind of the universe sets its own impulse are irrational. Reminding yourself of this will help you to face much with greater tranquility.

Bragging or even wanting recognition for service rendered is not aligned with nature.  Elsewhere in his Meditations, Marcus mentions horses that run, dogs that track, vines that produce grapes, and bees that make honey.  When they have done what they were supposed to be doing, they are not conscious of it.  So too, a human ought not to be conscious of simply doing their duty by serving others (social action; see also Book 5:6).

Just as you probably don't tire of receiving benefits when others serve you, do not tire of giving benefit to others by constantly serving.  In short, don't ever get tired or think you are tired of service.  The Christian adage of this same thought is, "do not grow weary of doing good" (see Galatians 6:9).

Reminding yourself that anything that can happen in the Universe, in turn, benefits the Universe can help you be at greater peace with events that are beyond your control.

(see also Citadel p. 43, 160, 200-201)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:70-72

The gods, who are free from death, do not resent their need throughout all the length of eternity to tolerate in such numbers such worthless creatures as men: what is more, they even care for them in all sorts of ways. And do you, with the merest time before your own exit, refuse to make the effort - and that when you are one of the worthless creatures yourself?

It is ridiculous not to escape from one's own vices, which is possible, while trying to escape the vices of others, which is impossible.

Whatever the rational and social faculty finds neither intelligent nor to the common good, it judges, with good reason, beneath itself.

The social nature of humans requires the duty of tolerance and service.  At a basic level, the Gods took care to provide for humans by granting them a place to live and sustenance to live.  The Gods have endowed humans with the ability to reason and think and act.  In this way, they have cared for humans.  If the Gods, who are immortal, can provide for humans, why not you too (in your own way)?  This is your duty; this is the discipline of action.

You can overcome vices and live a life of virtue (wisdom, justice, courage, temperance).

Anything that is not intelligent or does not support the common good, should be beneath you.

(see also Citadel p. 268).

Commentary on Meditations: B7:68-69

Live through your life without pressure and in the utmost contentment, even if all are clamouring what they will against you, even if wild beasts are tearing off the limbs of this poor lump of a body accreted round you. What in all this prevents the mind from preserving itself in tranquility, in true judgement of circumstance and readiness to use any event submitted to it? So that Judgement says to Circumstance: 'This is what you really are, however different you may conventionally appear'; and Ready Use says to Event: 'I was looking for you. I always take the present moment as raw material for the exercise of rational and social virtue - in short, for the art of man or god.' Because a god or a man can assimilate anything that happens: it will not be new or hard to handle, but familiar and easy.

Perfection of character is this: to live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, without apathy, without pretence.

The true self in an individual's mind has complete control overreacting to circumstances and can remain content in any situation.  Indeed, this is a hard philosophy to put in practice.  Marcus goes even as far as saying that the mind (you) can be content when a wild beast is tearing off your limbs!

No matter what life dishes out to us, we can take it and use it as "raw material" for our reaction and action.  Thus, being mentally prepared for anything allows us to take appropriate, rational and social action.  And when we take anything that life throws at us and we react and act virtuously, we are living the art of man and God.  We can handle anything.

With this mindset, we can now approach each day, each moment as our last in this life.  We can react without frenzy, without apathy and without pretense.

(see also Citadel p. 109, 196, 268, 187)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:67

The way nature has blended you into the compound whole does not prevent you drawing a boundary around yourself and keeping what is your own in your own control. Always remember this: remember too that the happy life depends on very little. And do not think, just because you have given up hope of becoming a philosopher or a scientist, you should therefore despair of a free spirit, integrity, social conscience, obedience to god. It is wholly possible to become a 'divine man' without anybody's recognition.

Nature, God, the Gods, the Universe - the rational mind behind the Whole, created not only the world and the order within, but it created everything in it - including us rational creatures.  We are part of the Whole.  And what makes us a unique creation is our ability to reason and think and interact with other social creatures.  Our uniqueness creates a delineation between the Whole and our own little Universe where the one-of-a-kind part of our soul determines our attitude in that little Universe.  Hadot calls this space the Inner Citadel (see Citadel p. 105 and onward).

And in that little Universe or Inner Citadel, very little is required to be content.  And despite what happens to our life in the greater Universe, we can succeed in that little Universe or Inner Citadel if we can focus on and act out of virtue (wisdom, justice, courage, temperance).  No one in the larger Universe, needs to be aware or recognize that you've obtained divinity (assuming you do attain a life of virtue).

(see also Citadel p. 72)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:66

How do we know that Telauges' character did not make him a better man than Socrates? It is not enough that Socrates died a more glorious death, that he argued more skilfully with the sophists, that he showed greater endurance in spending a whole night out in the frost, that he was braver in his decision to refuse the order to arrest Leon of Salamis, that he 'swaggered in the streets' (though one could well question if this last is true). No, what we need to investigate is the nature of Socrates' soul. We should ask whether he was able to be content with a life of justice shown to men and piety to the gods; neither condemning all vice wholesale nor yet toadying to anyone's ignorance; not regarding anything allotted to him by the Whole as misplaced in him or a crushing burden to endure; not lending his mind to share the poor passions of the flesh.

Before jumping into the commentary, it is worth noting briefly who Telauges was.  He was Pythagorean philosopher and traditionally is said to have been the son of Pythagoras.  He likely lived around 500 BCE, and some sources claim he taught Empedocles, who was another pre-Socratic thinker. While he may not have written anything, later sources attribute a few works to him, including treatises on a mystical symbol in Pythagoreanism.

In chapter 66, Marcus is simply challenging some assumptions that Socrates was superior to Telauges. While Marcus does not deny Socrates’ greatness, he focuses on what truly matters when it comes to greatness of soul.

To this end, Marcus suggests a few things which define a great soul.

First, we should be just with other humans.

Second, we should revere the Gods and accept what they have sent our way (amor fati).

Third, we don't condemn vice wholesale but understand that men engage in vice out of ignorance; and at the same time, we can accept that men can strive to live a life of virtues.

Fourth, and closely related to revering the Gods, we don't think that what the Gods have sent to us is "misplaced" nor is it a "crushing burden to endure" (meaning we don't complain about our lot in life).

Fifth, and lastly, we don't give into pleasure and passions of the flesh.

(see also Citadel p. 268)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:64-65

Whenever you suffer pain, have ready to hand the thought that pain is not a moral evil and does not harm your governing intelligence: pain can do no damage either to its rational or to its social nature. In most cases of pain you should be helped too by the saying of Epicurus: 'Pain is neither unendurable nor unending, as long as you remember its limits and do not exaggerate it in your imagination.' Remember too that many things we find disagreeable are the unrecognized analogues of pain - drowsiness, for example, oppressive heat, loss of appetite. So when you find yourself complaining of any of these, say to yourself, 'You are giving in to pain.'

Take care that you never treat the misanthropic as they treat mankind.

Mind over body.  It is easier said than done, but humans have proved time and time again that pain is tolerable.  Pain, cannot damage the rational or social nature of humans.  There is no need to suffer pain twice.  You are in pain; let it stop there.  Do not add, "And it hurts so bad!!  I am suffering!!"  If you do, the additional pain is self-inflicted.  When you complain, you give into pain.

The definition of misanthropic is "disliking humankind and avoiding human society."  This is another way of Marcus saying, don't be like people who harm.  In another passage, Marcus says the best revenge is to not be like your enemy (6:6).

(see also Citadel p. 58)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:62-63

All the time you should consider who are these people whose endorsement you wish, and what are the minds that direct them. When you look into the sources of their judgement and impulse, you will not blame their unwitting error, nor will you feel the need of their endorsement.

'No soul', says Plato, 'likes to be robbed of truth' - and the same holds of justice, moderation, kindness, and all such virtues. Essential that you should keep this constantly in your mind: this will make you more gentle to all.

Virtue (justice, temperance, courage, wisdom) is the sole good.  You can control how much virtue you exercise.  What you cannot control are others' endorsements.  You can do your duty, but you cannot control what others think of you.  Therefore, don't be bothered by what others think of you.

Our souls desire truth.  Our souls also desire justice, moderation, kindness and all the virtues.

(see also Citadel p. 68, 224, 268)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:60-61

The body, too, should stay firmly composed, and not fling itself about either in motion or at rest. Just as the mind displays qualities in the face, keeping it intelligent and attractive, something similar should be required of the whole body. But all this should be secured without making an obvious point of it.

The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, in that it stands ready for what comes and is not thrown by the unforeseen.

In the first part, I believe Marcus is saying nothing other than, "keep your body physically fit; and don't be pretentious about it."  The point being the body and health of the body should be treated as indifferent.  The point and purpose of life is not to be the most fit.  For some people, all they can think about and do is keep their body fit and in shape all the time.  Life is about the mind and virtue, not about having the most fit body.  What good can come from having a perfect body, but no virtuous mind to go with it?  So, take care of your body, but don't do so at the expense of caring for your mind.

The art of living: be ready at any moment for any event.

Commentary on Meditations: B7:58-59

In every contingency keep in your mind's eye those who had the same experience before, and reacted with vexation, disbelief, or complaint. So where are they now? Nowhere. Well then, do you want to act like them? Why not leave the moods and shifts of others to the shifting and the shifted, and for yourself concentrate wholly on how to make use of these contingencies? You will then use them well, and they will be raw material in your hands. Only take care, and seek your own best good in all that you do. Remember these two things: the action is important, the context indifferent.

Dig inside yourself. Inside there is a spring of goodness ready to gush at any moment, if you keep digging.

Just yesterday (November 21, 2017) while at my son's basketball game, we were talking with another parent about the lack of organization with the coaching staff (high school got flooded, students and teachers have to commute 45 minutes to another school for classes and sports, kids and teachers' homes flooded, extenuating circumstances, etc.).  In other words, there are lots of excuses and reasons to give the staff the benefit of the doubt for why they are not organized and why they cannot communicate better.  So this parent just went off on them.  They complained and moaned and griped.  This parent, too, was flooded and despite that, they still think that flooding and the extenuating circumstances are no excuse for lack of organization and communication with the coaching staff.  Now, the most surprising thing about all this, was how un-miffed my attitude was compared to this parent.  Perhaps my former self would have moaned and complained just as much as this parent did, but not my current self.

This is what Marcus is saying here.  He's saying, "remember that others have had this experience before and they have reacted badly and it got them nowhere."  Complaining accomplishes nothing!  Leave the complaining to the complainers.  Instead of complaining, use your efforts to solve the problem; how you can turn this obstacle to your advantage.  I love his last statement: action is important, context is indifferent (meaning it doesn't matter).

Don't give up!  Keep digging within; the goodness is ready to burst at any moment, but you have to keep digging - you have to keep trying!

(see also Citadel p. 261)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:56-57

Imagine you were now dead, or had not lived before this moment. Now view the rest of your life as a bonus, and live it as nature directs.

Love only what falls your way and is fated for you. What could suit you more than that?

Death should be before us always.  And why?  Marcus tells us precisely why.  You must realize you are already dead; now wake up and realize that right now and any day in the future is a gift.  If you think on death constantly, you ought to appreciate the life you do have.  Memento mori!  Remember that you must die, now live!  To remind them of the fact that every day is a gift, people used to and still do today, carry a reminder with them always, to help them remember this fact.  Some would hang a picture on the kitchen wall or room.  Others would carry a token.  Regardless how you choose to remember, the practice of remembering your death is a good one.

In the 57th chapter of Book 7, Marcus comes as close as possible to what Nietzsche said: amor fati.  We must love what falls to us and what is fated to us.  All these things are suited (customized) for our benefit.

(see also Citadel p. 46, 221)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:55

Do not look around at the directing minds of other people, but keep looking straight ahead to where nature is leading you both universal nature, in what happens to you, and your own nature, in what you must do yourself. Every creature must do what follows from its own constitution. The rest of creation is constituted to serve rational beings (just as in everything else the lower exists for the higher), but rational beings are here to serve each other. So the main principle in man's constitution is the social. The second is resistance to the promptings of the flesh. It is the specific property of rational and intelligent activity to isolate itself and never be influenced by the activity of the senses or impulses: both these are of the animal order, and it is the aim of intelligent activity to be sovereign over them and never yield them the mastery - and rightly so, as it is the very nature of intelligence to put all these things to its own use. The third element in a rational constitution is a judgement unhurried and undeceived. So let your directing mind hold fast to these principles and follow the straight road ahead: then it has what belongs to it.

An excellent passage from Marcus!  In here, he again outlines our duties with regard to the Universe, and to others and to ourselves.

With regard to universal nature, we must accept it.  What happens outside of our control simply must be.  It does no good to take pleasure in it nor to be disturbed by it.  We simply have to accept it and decide what our attitude will be with regard to events out of our control.

What makes humans unique is their constitution and capacity to reason - to think.  Things that do not and cannot think are designed to serve those that can think.  And those things that can think are designed to serve and help each other.  Our duty to others is service.

With regard to ourselves, we must resist the "promptings of the flesh."  Pleasure is not the sole good.  Animals act out of impulse.  Humans do not (or ought not).  I believe it was Socrates who said something along the line of: "you should eat to live, not live to eat."  The same idea can be applied to all impulses.

Lastly, humans ought to develop the proper capacity to judge.  We ought to use reason and logic (god-given gifts).  And when we use our god-given gifts, let us use them "unhurried and undeceived."

(see also Citadel p. 130, 267)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:53-54

Where a task can be accomplished in accordance with the reason which gods and men share, there is nothing to be afraid of: because where there is the possibility of benefit from an action which moves along the proper path, following our own human constitution, there should be no lurking fear of any harm.

Everywhere and all the time it is up to you to honour god in contentment with your present circumstance, to treat the men who are your present company with justice, and to lavish thought on every present impression in your mind, so that nothing slips in past your understanding

Simply put, if we use our reason to act and to complete a task, then there is no reason to fear harm.

In the second part, Marcus outlines our duties with regard to God, to others and to ourselves.  Our duty to God is to love our fate - to be grateful for the life God has given us and for what God has sent our way (in other words, apply the discipline of desire).  Our duty to others is to be just toward them (in other words, apply the discipline of action).  And to ourselves, our duty is to think on every impression and understand them (in other words, apply the discipline of assent).

(see also Citadel p. 35, 44, 218)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:50-52

Again: 'What is born of earth goes back to earth: but the growth from heavenly seed returns whence it came, to heaven.'  Or else this: a dissolution of the nexus of atoms, and senseless molecules likewise dispersed.

Again: 'With special food or drink, or sorcery, Seeking a channel from the stream of death.'
'The wind that blows from god we must endure, and labour uncomplaining.'

'Better at throwing his man': but not more public-spirited, or more decent, or more disciplined to circumstance, or more tolerant of neighbours' faults.

These are the last of the quotes Marcus writes in book 7.  The first part is another passage regarding the shortness of life and how all things will return to earth.  Here, Marcus delineates between the body that returns to earth and the intellectual mind and the unique human capacity to reason, returns from whence it came - to "heaven" or perhaps the author of the universe.  If indeed we do return to atoms, then Marcus thinks it "senseless."

If I understand the second part, it seems to say that some seek to escape death with magical food or drink or sorcery, but in reality, none can escape death.  We must labor through this life and die - that is our fate.  We must amor fati (love our fate) - meaning we ought to not only be grateful for our hardships, but we must love them.  After all, our hardships do define us.

Seneca once said, "I judge you unfortunate because you have never been unfortunate; you have passed through life without an antagonist; no one will know what you can do, - not even yourself" (source: Seneca Moral Essays Volume 1; click that link then scroll up just a bit).  If you have hardships and trials, you are fortunate in the sense you are valued enough by the cosmos to be tested and tried.  Once challenged, all that is left for you to do is to live up to the challenge.

The last part on Marcus' meditations above is his commentary about a man's ability to tackle or throw a man, but who can't control his attitude when he is around others.  Akin to: he can win a football championship (Super Bowl) but can't control himself when his neighbors do something that upsets him.

(see also Citadel p. 268-269)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:47-49

Observe the movement of the stars as if you were running their courses with them, and let your mind constantly dwell on the changes of the elements into each other. Such imaginings wash away the filth of life on the ground.

Further, when your talk is about mankind, view earthly things as if looking down on them from some point high above flocks, armies, farms, weddings, divorces, births, deaths, the hubbub of the law-courts, desert places, various foreign nations, festivals, funerals, markets; all the medley of the world and the ordered conjunction of opposites.

Look back over the past - all those many changes of dynasties.  And you can foresee the future too: it will be completely alike, incapable of deviating from the rhythm of the present. So for the study of human life forty years are as good as ten thousand: what more will you see?

You must know your place in time and space.  Once you appreciate your position in time and space, you will begin to realize how small and petty things can be.  Once you realize this, worries and anxiety about these things ought to decrease.

Hence, Marcus counsels himself to observe the stars and their movements.  You will see repetition and it will give you a sense of calm and order.  He advises imagining a "view from above" in which you see all the great nations, armies and cities in the world.  Such a view may fill you with wonder and awe and you may realize how small the 'blue dot' is.  Then think of the hundreds and thousands of years of time and how very little time you occupy in this life.  Change is constant and repetitive.  Don't get worked up about things.  Forty years is as good as ten thousand years to 'see it all.'

Lastly, remember all these things are not up to you.  Don't let your contentment and happiness depend on these things.  Let your peace and contentment rest on whether you live a life according to nature and virtue (reason and moral virtue).

In sum, these three chapters are prime examples of Marcus taking the perspective of the view from above. It is a view from above in terms of space and time. When we contemplate the vastness of space and time, at least for me, a lot of anxiety and worries over day to day and month to month affairs seem to melt into nothingness. And when all that noise is reduced to a whimper, all that is left is my volition. This focus on what is up to me, now, helps me more clearly see what I must think and do.

(see also Citadel p. 48, 167, 173, 178, 256)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:45-46

'The truth of the matter, my fellow Athenians, is this. Whatever position a man has taken up in his own best judgement, or is assigned by his commander, there, it seems to me, he should stay and face the danger, giving no thought to death or anything else before dishonour.'

'But, my dear fellow, consider it possible that nobility and virtue are something other than saving one's life or having it saved. Could it not be that anyone who is truly a man should dismiss any concern for a particular length of life, and not simply live for the sake of living? Rather he should leave all this to god and believe what the womenfolk say, that no one ever escapes the day of his fate: his thought should be on this further question, how best to live his life in the time he has to be alive.'

For the Stoics, virtue is the sole good.  Concern for life or death is not the purpose of life.  Rather, it is living virtuously.  It is a noble attempt to live a life content and focused on virtue.  We will all fall short of that goal, but we can dust ourselves off, get up and try again.  Don't worry about death.  Death will come to us all.  Best to choose to live a life of virtue with the time you have left.

(see also Citadel p. 57, 269)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:38-44

'Mere things, brute facts, should not provoke your rage: They have no mind to care.'

'May you give joy to the immortal gods, and joy to us.'

'Ripe ears of corn are reaped, and so are lives: One stands, another falls.'

'If I and my two sons are now no more; The gods' concern, this too will have its cause.'

'For good and right stand on my side.'

'Don't join in mourning, or in ecstasy.'

'But I could give this man a proper answer. I would say: "You are mistaken, my friend, if you think that a man of any worth at all should take into account the risk of life or death, and not have as his sole consideration in any action whether he is doing right or wrong, the act of a good man or a bad".'

These passages largely deal with choosing the best attitude with what the universe sends your way.  The first deals with "brute facts."  Facts are facts and they cannot cause you be be mad.  Only your reaction to the facts are what causes you to be mad.  So change your reaction and accept the facts!

The immortal gods, if they exist, will do what they want.  We have no control over them.  We can only choose our attitude with regard to what they send our way.

Just as some ripe ears of corn will fall and others will not, so too some aged people will die and others will not.  No matter - it is out of our control and we have no say in the matter.

Death will come to me and my sons.  That is the gods' concern, not mine.

I can only hope I will stand on the same side as good and right.

Don't be overcome with sadness or ecstasy.  Keep a level mind; unperturbed.

When faced between a life & death decision and choosing virtue, any man of worth will choose virtue.  That is, perhaps, the ultimate test.

(see also Citadel p. 57, 269)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:35-37

'So, to a man endowed with noble intelligence and a vision of all time and all being, do you think that this human life will seem of great importance? "Impossible," he said. So such a man will not think there is anything fearful in death either? "Certainly not".'

'A king's lot: to do good and be damned.'

It is shameful that the face should be so obedient, shaping and ordering its expression as the mind dictates, when the mind cannot impose its own shape and order on itself.

Marcus quotes people who he has read.  Per The Inner Citadel (Hadot), passage 35 comes from Plato.

Anyone with intelligence who grasps the vastness of time and space, will agree that our life is extremely small.  Therefore, this same person ought not to fear death.

Regarding the second passage here, I think a similar phrase is used today: damned if you do; damned if you don't.  Therefore, act with reason and justice and accept the results.

Kronk being persuaded by two parts of his mind.

Our mind ought to be guided by our most noble guiding principle much like the face obeys the emotions our mind produces.  This is a fascinating notion when one truly thinks about it.  It is almost as if there are two parts of our mind.  The part that knows better and what ought to be done and then there is the part of the mind that gives in too early or is not disciplined.  The thought is so cliche, that cartoons even represent the notion via a little devil and angel sitting on one's shoulders.  The most recent, popular version of this coming from Disney's The Emperor's New Groove via the character Kronk.

Marcus' whole mindset around his Meditations is the angel or better part of us, speaking to the lesser part of us.  By constant remembering and writing and reading and meditating, our directing mind and our acting mind come into harmony.  But it starts with the directing mind.  This is why philosophy and practicing philosophy is so important.  Our directing mind needs to take some unchanging marching orders and then tell the acting mind, over and over again to be better.  Don't misunderstand - this practice is not self-nagging, rather it is self-improvement.  It is a little spice and seasoning added to our character that brings out the better nature of ourselves.

One of the key practices of Stoicism is daily meditation and reflection.  In the morning, reflect on the day ahead of you.  Pick a thought, teaching or positive phrase and try to make it a part of your mindset.  Act virtuously (wisdom, justice, courage, temperance) as best as you can during the day.  Then before you go to sleep, review the days events.  Give yourself praise for virtuous acts.  Then find ways you could have improved or done something differently.  This small daily practice will go a long way to improving your character.

(see also Citadel p. 269)

Commentary on Meditations: B7:32-34

On death. Either dispersal, if we are atoms: or, if we are a unity, extinction or a change of home.

On pain. Unbearable pain carries us off: chronic pain can be borne. The mind preserves its own serenity by withdrawal, and the directing reason is not impaired by pain. It is for the parts injured by the pain to protest if they can.

On fame. Look at their minds, the nature of their thought and what they seek or avoid. And see how, just as drifting sands constantly overlay the previous sand, so in our lives what we once did is very quickly covered over by subsequent layers.

No one knows (or if they do, they have not successfully communicated the result back to the living) what happens after death.  All are theories with a smattering of anecdotal information and data.  Marcus admits as much and notes two extremes.  When we die, we are simply returned to dust and atoms or if there is a God or ultimate directing mind or minds guiding the Universe and all in it, then possibly we may have a "change of home".  This alludes, possibly, to reincarnation or resurrection.  In other places, Marcus makes mention we have all lived this life before and we will live it again.  In the universe - the vastness of time and space - anything is possible.  All of these things are out of our control.  The only choice we have in the matter, is accepting that we will die.

With regard to pain.  Some pain is unbearable; do what you must to endure it.  I am constantly amazed by stories of people who have endured unimaginable pain.  Some people must have an incredible high pain tolerance.  I think of the pains endured by soldiers, refugees, sailors and athletes.  One particular example comes to mind: Aron Ralston.  Then there are those who deal with chronic pain.  I've run across a lot of stories on social media of those who seek Stoicism to help them deal with chronic pain.  It is possible to maintain serenity in spite of chronic pain.  In all these examples, Marcus reminds himself that pain is external to the directing mind.  A human can still reason and think despite pain.  It certainly is not easy, but it can be done.  Which further proves the point that pain is indifferent (our contentment and happiness does not depend on not ever experiencing pain).  In fact, some philosophers went out of their way to self-inflict pain (hugging cold statues with their bare skin) to toughen them up and prevent themselves from seeking pain avoidance.

Fame: so many seek it.  In the age of social media, people actively pursue "going viral."  They want their Tweet or picture or video to be seen, liked, argued over or talked about.  Some seek fame in the pursuit of becoming more wealthy.  Others seek fame solely for popularity.  Yet others seek fame to garner social wealth and then be in a position to more easily persuade others.  The endless flow of time will quickly cause anyone and everyone to be forgotten.  If you've ever observed the waves and sand on a beach or sand dunes and wind, you will quickly learn how frequently and rapidly they change.  Also observe vast cities: London & New York - all the layers of civilization that people continue to build upon today.  Archaeologists find new cities that have been buried by land and time and water.  I think of Mexico City and the thousands of years people have continued to build upon previous cities.  Those cities used to have people in them - people of fame and repute and power.  And now, no one knows who they were.  Only names and grand acts may be found inscribed on walls.  Yet many of these grand acts are relegated to a few words or sentences in a history book.  And that history book too will soon be forgotten.

Commentary on Meditations: B7:30-31

Stretch your thought to parallel what is being said. Let your mind get inside what is happening and who is doing it.

Take your joy in simplicity, in integrity, in indifference to all that lies between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow god. Democritus says, 'All else is subject to the law of convention: only the elements are absolute and real', but enough for you to remember that all is subject to law. Precepts reduced to very few.

When you listen to others, put yourself in the speaker's mind.  Describe what is being said, no more, no less.  Don't add your opinion or don't even create an opinion to what is being said.

Let things stand on their own.  Be indifferent to anything but virtue (courage, temperance, justice, wisdom).  Accept what God, the atoms or Universe sends your way.  You have absolutely no control over such things.  You have no choice but to accept things as they are.  From there, decide what opinion you will take and move forward.

Commentary on Meditations: B7:27-29

Do not dream of possession of what you do not have: rather reflect on the greatest blessings in what you do have, and on their account remind yourself how much they would have been missed if they were not there. But at the same time you must be careful not to let your pleasure in them habituate you to dependency, to avoid distress if they are sometimes absent.

Withdraw into yourself. It is in the nature of the rational directing mind to be self-content with acting rightly and the calm it thereby enjoys.

Erase the print of imagination. Stop the puppet-strings of impulse. Define the present moment of time. Recognize what happens to you or to another. Analyse and divide the event into the causal and the material. Think of your final hour. Leave the wrong done by another where it started.

Passage 27 of Book 7 is a great meditation on gratitude.  Be content with what you have and guard yourself against wanting things that you do not have (a bigger home, a nicer car, etc.)  One of the practices of Stoicism is to make life hard on purpose, such as sleeping on the floor or taking a cold shower occasionally.  By doing so, you enhance your gratitude for the things you enjoy (a warm bed and shower).  But even more importantly, be sure you are not relying on these things for your happiness.  You will lose these things and when you do, you will want to still be content.  Therefore, don't let your dependency of these things sway you at all.

You do not need to escape to your mountain retreat or to your beach.  Your escape is in your mind.  Act well and give yourself a retreat into your mind.

Your mind creates the print of imagination.  Don't relinquish control of your attitude to others.  You are in charge and in control of your attitude.  Don't let others attach puppet strings to you and then control you.  Be present - always.  Remember, eternity is now.  At any moment you may die.  If someone wrongs you, leave it with them - no need to carry that burden.

(see also Citadel p. 39, 41, 47,58, 186)