Commentary on Meditations: B9:4-8

The sinner sins against himself: the wrongdoer wrongs himself, by making himself morally bad.

There can often be wrongs of omission as well as commission.

These will suffice: the present certainty of judgement, the present social action, the present disposition well content with any effect of an external cause.

Erase the print of imagination, stop impulse, quench desire: keep your directing mind its own master.

Irrational creatures share in one animate soul, and rational creatures partake in one intelligent soul: just as there is one earth for all the things of earth, and one light to see by, one air to breathe for all of us who have sight and life.

When we are not virtuous, we are only harming ourselves.  Indeed, we may harm others, but if others truly are applying the discipline of assent, then they are not harmed by us, in which case, the only harm done is to ourselves.  When our home was burglarized in 2014, we all felt violated. The thief broke into our bathroom window, tore apart the master bedroom, and then rummaged through most of our home. Our poor children were frightened by the idea that a stranger was in their room. We all sensed an immense violation of privacy.  However, upon examination, nothing was truly lost to us.  We lost the use of a few computers and the use of jewelry and other possessions, but no real harm was done to us.  The burglar harmed himself with injustice.  Perhaps one day he'll realize there is a better way.

Regarding chapter 5 and the sins of omission, we would do well to remember things left undone are just as bad actively doing harm.

Chapter 6 is a short, brief summation of the three disciplines. When he notes the present certainty of judgement, he is referencing logic and the discipline of assent. When he references the present social action, he is referring to ethics and the discipline of action. And when he talks of ‘the present disposition well content with any effect of an external cause’, he is referring to metaphysics and the discipline of desire.

With regard to chapter 7, he reminds us that our perception of the world is all in our head.  Harm done to you only exists in your head.  Desires and impulses are only in your head - they are not real.

Chapter 8 is another reminder of Stoic physics and how the Universe is one soul, with all connected by pneuma. We are all part of one great Whole.  Think about this the next time you feel harmed, or you wish to harm.  In the end, you are only harming yourself.  We share all with all.

(see also Citadel p. 44-45, 70, 146, 188, 271)