I am the Girdle of the Robe of the God Nu, which shineth and sheddeth Light,
which abideth in His Presence and sendeth forth Light into Darkness, which
knitteth together the two fighters who liveth in my body through the mighty
spell of my mouth, which raiseth up Him who hath fallen”.

  1. Wake up early. At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work – as a human being…I’m going to do what I was born for…Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm??” – Marcus Aurelius
  2. Create a routine. The Stoics were big on routine. As Seneca said, “Life without a design is erratic.” Without a disciplined schedule, there’s chaos and uncertainty-ingredients that feed procrastination is boxed out – by order and clarity.
  3. Limit interruptions. “When you let your attention slide for a bit, don’t think you will get back a grip on it whenever you wish- instead, bear in mind that because of todays’ mistake everything that follows will be necessarily worse.” – Epictetus
  4. Focus on small wins. “Each day,” Seneca advised a friend, “acquire something that will fortify you against poverty, against death, indeed against other misfortunes, as well.” One gain per day. That’s it. All great things are built with incremental consistent, humble work.
  5. Say “No.” A lot. The more you say no to things that don’t matter, the more you can say yes to the things that do. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “If you seek tranquility do less…Do what’s essential…Which brings a double satisfaction: to do less, better.
  6. Read. Read. Read. Reading, I hold, is indispensable- primarily, to keep me from being satisfied with myself.” He liked to do some reading early in the day “reading nourishes the mind and refreshes it.”
  7. Focus on effort, not results. Elite athletes increasingly follow a philosophy called “The Process” – ignore results; focus on doing the small things well. As Marcus Aurelius reminded himself: a life is built on action by action. So just focus on completing the task at hand.
  8. Fuel the habit bonfire. Epictetus said that “every habit and compatibility is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions.:” Every habit- good and bad – is like a bonfire. Each time we perform the bait, we add fuel to it. The question he’d ask: which fires are you fueling?
  9. Create a sense of urgency. When we’re pressed by a deadline, we don’t procrastinate. We can use Parkinson’s Law to our advantage. The Stoics did. Memento Mori was their reminder. Marcus said, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, and say, and think.”

630PM – Nov. 21st 2022 –

Oh, most singular and unspeakable Presence, first and last in the universe, heighten the fury of my fire and burn away the dross of my being.

Cleanse my soiled soul.

Bathe me in your awesome Light.

Set me free from my past; cut me loose from my boundaries.

Unite me with the One Thing hidden in my life, wherein is my only strength.

Fill me with your Presence.

Allow me to see through your Eye; grant me entry to your Mind; let me resonate with your Sacred Will.

Make me transparent to your flame, and fashion me into a lens for your Light only.

Transmute me into an incorruptible Stone in your eternal service, like the golden Light that surrounds you.

The Sun’s aspect is the Conjunction

The Moon’s aspect is the Opposition

Mercury’s aspect is Semi-Sextile

Venus’ aspect is Sextile

Mars’ aspect is Square

Jupiter’s aspect is Trine

Saturn’s aspect is Quincunx

  • Parallel is similar to a conjunction, but usually provides benefits.
  • Contra-Parallel is said to be similar to the opposition, but weaker.