If this practice surfaces thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please reach out before continuing.
US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 24/7) · Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 · UK: 116 123 Samaritans · AU: 13 11 14 Lifeline · International: findahelpline.com. This practice is a complement to clinical care, not a substitute.
Quick Answer
Praemeditatio Malorum is the Stoic premeditation-of-evils practice, calmly imagining what could go wrong tomorrow. Drawn from Seneca's Letters 91 and 107 and Marcus Aurelius's Meditations 2.1, the practice strips difficulty of its power by making the unexpected expected. Use sparingly.
Tradition and source
Tradition
Stoic
Classical source
Seneca, Letters from a Stoic, especially Letter 91 and Letter 107 (on accepting fortune); Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.1 ('Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busybody, the ungrateful…'), the canonical Stoic source for the morning premeditation
Modern source
William B. Irvine, A Guide to the Good Life (2008), ch. 4
What this practice does
Seneca describes this in Letter 91 as the practice that lets the unexpected become expected, "the man who has anticipated the coming of troubles takes away their power when they arrive." The modern cognitive-behavioural therapy literature uses a softened version of this in trauma-informed preparation work. Use carefully. The Stoic frame works best for practitioners who already have a stable baseline.
“He robs present ills of their power who has perceived their coming beforehand.”
How to practice
The instructions below run 5 to 15 minutes. Read through all the steps before you begin. The practice is not the goal; you are.
Each morning, briefly imagine one thing that could go wrong today, a frustration, a loss, an unkindness.
Look at it plainly, then set it down. The aim is preparation, not worry.
Notice: this is one possibility among many; the day is not yet written.
Close by reminding yourself what is in your control (your response) and what is not (the event itself).
What to notice, and when to stop
Best for which inner weather
According to Aria's comparative-traditions framework, this practice is the matched prescription for the following inner weathers. Tap any to read the full weather prescription.
Take the 12-question Inner Weather Reading → to find your dominant weather today.
Difficulty and duration
Duration
5 to 15 minutes
Difficulty
intermediate
Category
Stoic Practices
Crystal companion
In Crystal Cassandra's work, certain stones are the somatic companion to certain practices. The pairing is not magical; it is a steady weight in the palm that becomes part of the noticing.
Selenite
Selenite is the stone most often placed nearby during yoga-nidrā practice in the modern Western tradition, its soft luminous structure makes it the quintessential rest stone. Place it within arm's reach during your conscious-rest session; never put it in water (Selenite dissolves).
Related practices
These practices complement Praemeditatio Malorum (Premeditation of Evils), same category, or matched to overlapping inner weathers.
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