When we think of meditation today, we often picture quiet rooms, crossed legs, and soft breathing. But the Stoics practiced their own form of meditation—long before the word became common.

For the Stoics, meditation wasn’t about escaping the world. It was about preparing for it.

Marcus Aurelius used evening reflections to examine his actions and morning reflections to set his intentions. Seneca encouraged rehearsing adversity in the mind, not to invite fear, but to disarm it. Epictetus taught students to review their day carefully:
Where did I act according to reason? Where did I fail? Where can I improve tomorrow?

Modern meditation and Stoicism meet in this shared ground:

• Slowing down enough to notice your thoughts.
• Questioning them.
• Returning to clarity.

You don’t need to abandon Stoic practice to add meditation.
You can use meditation as a tool to sharpen Stoic awareness:
to observe your emotions without being ruled by them,
to pause before judgment,
to prepare your mind for what the day may bring.

Stillness isn’t the goal for its own sake.
Stillness is what lets you live more fully.