Daily Meditation – One Universe, One Stock

Today’s meditation is a short text from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

In the series of things, those that follow are always aptly fitted to those that have gone before; for this series is not like a mere enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence, but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are arranged together harmoniously, so the things that come into existence exhibit no mere succession but a certain wonderful relationship.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book IV, 45

When we consider a series of things, the consequent things match perfectly the previous ones. The connection between the two groups of things is a rational and wonderful relationship. The stress is here is on the rational connection which reflects the harmony in which ALL things stand together: a simple sequence is different from a rational order. As the universal order, so the small series of things that happen in our life are rationally connected.

In Book VI, 38, M.A. writes that all things are implicated with one another, and friendly to one another. The reason for that interconnection of everything with everything is the nature of the substance, which has movement and unity.

And in Book VII, 9

All things are mutually intertwined, and the bond is holy; and there is hardly anything unconnected with any other thing. For things have been coordinated, and they combine to form one universal order.

In this paragraph there is more: there one universal order and on god who pervades everything, one substance, one law. one common reason in all intelligent animals, and one truth.

if indeed there is also one perfection for all animals that are of the same stock and participate in the same reason.

M.A., Meditations, Book VII,9

How this resonate with yourself? No thing is disjointed from the others, no living being is completely separated from the others. Everything and everyone fits in the whole universe governed by Logos, Reason, Divine Providence, God. If you do feel separated, ask what does it mean this for you. You might consider also that if everything is rational and orderly, what happens to human freedom? On the other hand, if things are interconnected, our choices create consequences and when we think back, could we not consider that the choices we made where in fact the only choices possible at that time? And each choice would have been the right one?

Instead of arguing and disputing with different opinion, you could ponder these meanings and see how they vibrate within yourself.