“People seek retreats for themselves in the country, by the sea, or in the mountains. You are very much in the habit of yearning for those same things. But this is entirely the trait of a base person, when you can, at any moment, find such a retreat in yourself. For nowhere can you find a more peaceful and less busy retreat than in your own soul—especially if on close inspection it is filled with ease, which I say is nothing more than being well-ordered. Treat yourself often to this retreat and be renewed.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 4.3.1
Jon Kabat-Zinn’s famous expression “Wherever you go, there you are” emphasizes the importance of looking inward and finding peace within ourselves, rather than relying on external circumstances to provide us with peace. We can do this by taking time out of our daily lives to practice meditation, listening to music, turning off technology, and quieting our thoughts.
