Meditation: The Stoic Approach to Anxiety Recovery

If have struggled a lot from anxiety and reading the book of Marcus Aurelius has helped me so much. I remind you that the modern psychology CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) originates from the ancient Stoic books mainly from the famous Stoic writer Marcus Aurelius. If you have read the famous Stoic book Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, you already know that life is just perception—nothing more. What is wrong for you may not be wrong for me, and what is right for you may not be right for me. This simple yet profound realization is at the core of Stoicism and has deep implications for anxiety recovery.

Perception Shapes Reality 

The Stoics, including Marcus Aurelius, believed that external events have no inherent power to cause suffering or anxiety. Instead, it is our interpretation of these events that determines our emotional response. As he famously wrote: "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it, and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." This means that nothing is objectively good or bad, beautiful or ugly—it is only our perception that makes it so. Anxiety, then, is not caused by the world itself but by the way we perceive and interpret what happens in our lives. How Meditation Fits into Stoic Anxiety Recovery While modern meditation often focuses on mindfulness and relaxation, Stoic meditation is different. It is an active process of training the mind to see events rationally, without emotional exaggeration. Marcus Aurelius practiced this daily through journaling, reflecting on his thoughts, and reminding himself of Stoic principles. Here’s how you can apply the Stoic approach to meditation for anxiety recovery: 

1.Question Your Perceptions

• When faced with an anxious thought, ask yourself: Is this truly bad, or is it just my interpretation? 

• Reframe the situation: Instead of saying this is terrible, say this is an opportunity to practice resilience. 

2.Focus on What You Can Control

• Marcus Aurelius wrote: You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. 

• Anxiety often comes from trying to control things beyond our reach. Instead, focus only on your thoughts, actions, and mindset.

• Daily Reflection (Journaling Like Marcus Aurelius)

• Each day, take a few moments to reflect: What made me anxious today? How could I have perceived it differently?

 • Writing down your thoughts, just as Marcus Aurelius did in Meditations, helps to reshape your perspective over time. Final Thoughts Stoicism teaches that our minds, not external events, determine our anxiety. By training ourselves to see things differently, we can break free from the cycle of fear and worry.

To understand better the concepts that I mentioned above Check out The famous Book "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius here.

“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius