This book presents a history of spiritual exercises from Socrates to early Christianity, an account of their decline in modern philosophy, and a discussion of the different conceptions of philosophy that have accompanied the trajectory and fate of the theory and practice of spiritual exercises. Hado[...]

In this stirring introduction to Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations," noted French philosopher Pierre Hadot offers proof of the way in which the Roman emperor's thoughts form part of a tradition of spiritual exercise that spans the period between the ancient Greek philosophers to Michel Foucault. This t[...]