What is a sense of life? Surely you have also asked yourself this question. Sooner or later he stands before every person on our planet. And this is not surprising, because we have the ability to think, analyze, evaluate our actions and achievements. At some point, we realize that life is not turning out exactly the way we would like, and this causes us to experience a lot of unpleasant feelings, ranging from emptiness to complete disappointment and hopelessness. This is where the question arises: how to find meaning in life and is it worth looking for?
What is the meaning of human life?
Work, money, fashionable clothes or family - everyone understands the meaning of a person’s life in their own way. Artists express thoughts about the frailty of existence in gloomy pictures of meaningless existence. Having lost our goal and guidelines, we tend to regress to something that provides an illusion or a temporary solution. Gambling addiction, alcohol, parties... An oppressive lack of natural joy leads to paying for substitutes. Knowing why I live is a natural need for people. The search for the answer takes a lifetime. And if you are one of the seekers of the answer to the question of life, happiness and true love, then I suggest going on an adventure. Let's start with the discoveries of scientists.
Popular traps
In your search for meaning in life, you can fall into several traps.
Dependent Relationships
This is if you decide to look for yourself in family and love. Perhaps you just imagined a family with a dozen children and are now afraid of not being able to make it in time. This is the other extreme of your current condition. You can not do it this way. You can’t cling to a random passerby, you can’t give birth to children because “you have to.” You need to clearly plan and rationally evaluate every step. Remember the main conditions for realizing the meaning of life: realism, consistency, feasibility.
A scientific approach to answering the meaning of life
Scientists, exploring the meaning of life, have come to the conclusion that a person lives to satisfy his own needs. It is impossible to completely refuse to satisfy needs. For example, if you stop taking food and water, life will not last long. From big to small, immediate needs are vital. Secondary requests reflect fullness and interest in life. They are diverse and there are a lot of them. Overall they are no less important. For their sake, everyone spends years exchanging their lives of work for money. Then, by acquiring what we need from them, we manifest self-actualization. Freud said that the answer to life's question was never found. Having come to the conclusion that our life is similar to the life of animals, the scientist emphasized that no one asks the question of the meaning of life. To compare a person with an animal, then why not compare with an amoeba or a leaf of a tree. The difference from fauna is colossal - no one except humans seeks the meaning of life! It is the ability to reason about origin and destiny that distinguishes a person from everything else. Freud agreed that the question of the existence of animals, in our opinion, is determined by man himself. An example of this is domestic animals and pets in agriculture. Then it turns out that the appointment of the younger brothers is determined by the views of the older brother. If there were an elder over a person, then he would determine the meaning of our existence.
The meaning of human life is survival?
The world says “survival of the fittest.” But what does our heart tell us? Let's look at the question from the point of view of spiritual ideas about life. What the modern Church teaches, its manifesto, so to speak. She states that “there is a simple answer to all our problems. And it doesn’t matter whether you believe in God now or not, you can be convinced of the truth and righteousness of God. It is not in religiosity and memorizing prayers, but in the living Son of God, whose name is Jesus Christ, He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the meaning of life for all humanity. Give all your problems to Him, tell everything that is inside you and in sincere prayer ask Him to reveal for you your individual meaning, for Him you are a treasure.”
Rom 10:20: “...Those who did not seek Me found Me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask about Me.”
Interpretation from a religious point of view
Each historical era poses tasks and problems for society, the solution of which most directly affects how an individual understands his purpose. Since living conditions, cultural and social demands change, it is natural that a person’s views on all issues change. However, people have never left the desire to find that one, so to speak, universal meaning of life that would be suitable for any segment of society, for each period of time. This same desire is reflected in all religions, among which Christianity is especially noteworthy. The problem of the meaning of human life is considered by Christianity inseparable from the teachings about the creation of the world, about God, about the Fall, about the sacrifice of Jesus, about the salvation of the soul. That is, all these questions are seen on the same plane; accordingly, the essence of being appears outside of life itself.
The meaning of human life according to psychology
Psychologists have formed the concept of human need - “a feeling of lack of something, depending on various factors and situations.” If we take a patient with insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. A rare genetic disease that deprives you of the ability to feel pain and hunger. It turns out then there is no “feeling” of need. But in fact it exists, since, for example, without feeling hunger and not eating food, he will face starvation. So, we conclude: need is not just a feeling! This is something we can't live without! Needs do not reflect the full meaning of a person’s life. Having fulfilled all our desires, we continue to strive for achievements. A vivid example of this is a dream. You can live without it. Only life becomes boring and gray. Researchers have sorted out why people live. Dr. Abraham Maslow proposed an innovative approach by modeling the components of life.
If there is no purpose and meaning in life
You will not be realized as a person, there will be no quantum leap in development, you will forever remain at the bottom of the food pyramid of society, and will not even make an attempt to go higher.
The collective unconscious, our society, will cut off your nutrition, since you are not fulfilling your function, the collective mind will not waste energy, you will have an energy decline, depression and illness.
There will be no peace of mind, satisfaction with life, confidence in your actions, you will be doomed to rush from one thing to another, in the end you will not become a professional in anything, money will be obtained through hard, impossible work.
Parables about the meaning of life
Rooster and bad day
There lived in a chicken coop a loud, beautiful rooster. He loved to wake up his owners in the morning with the first rays of sun, rummage through a pile of manure and chase his chickens. But this time everything went wrong: since the very morning it was raining like buckets, and none of the cockerel’s favorite activities was available. - Why do I need all this? I hate the damn rain! - he grumbled. At the same time, the hostess saw off her children, who were visiting her for the weekend. Handing them a bundle of pies, she said: “My dears, don’t be upset, I wanted to kill a cockerel for you on the way, but at night it began to rain, I never left the house - it was too cold.” “What are you talking about, mom, we don’t need it...” the son answered. - Oh, granny, did the rain save our Petya’s life? - exclaimed the granddaughter. - It turns out that this is so... He’s lucky, now I’m definitely not going to cut him, let him run around. Good luck! And the rain kept pouring down, and the rooster, falling asleep in the warm chicken coop, kept thinking about what a beautiful day it would be if it weren’t for the terrible weather. When asking the question: “Why do I need all this?”, think, maybe you should not complain, but give thanks?
Real wealth and man
A young man came to the sage and began to complain: “What is life if there is no wealth?” Yes, torture. I look around - everyone has cars, houses, jewelry. What do I have? There is nothing, not even normal work. But I’m still young... Oh, how I would like to get rich! - It's simple. Do you agree to have your hand cut off for a million? - No, what are you talking about, teacher! Never! - Maybe then a leg or an eye for 10 million? - No! Even for 100 million I won’t agree to this. “You see: you own something that you couldn’t buy for hundreds of millions, and yet you complain about poverty.” But you are rich, you just don’t use your wealth correctly. So take heart, and may God help you! How to become happy? See everything that you already have and not look at what others have. Multiply and wisely use what you have!
Techniques for working with the subconscious - how to make important decisions
Let's say there is a global issue. To quit your job or not. Should I leave my partner or not, etc.
We take a gold ring and tie a thread about 30 centimeters long to it. We sit on a chair, fix our elbows on our knees, and hold the ring by the thread in front of us.
Next, calibrate the answers: “Yes” or “No.”
As I did. I held the thread in front of me, and while I held it so that the ring touched the floor, then I lifted it, and while it was motionless, I asked myself the question: “My name is Sasha?”
The ring gradually begins to swing, do not forget to keep your elbows on your knees to avoid accidental vibrations. The microvibrations of the fingers should be read; they will gradually fall into resonance with the ring and cause swaying.
It's like using small shocks to cause large vibrations in a children's swing.
So, when I asked the question: “My name is Sasha,” the ring gradually began to swing closer and further from me. This will be the answer of our subconscious: “Yes.”
Then I ask the question: “My name is Valera?” The ring gradually swayed from side to side. The answer will be: “No.”
This is how we calibrate the types of oscillations: “Yes” or “No”.
Next, ask a question that is tormenting you, for example: “Should I quit my job?”
Let's say the answer is "Yes". Then we ask the question: “Should I find another job first?” If the answer is “yes,” then you begin search activity, find options, and in the same way offer “yes” and “no” to the subconscious.
There are many options that can be offered. Let’s say the answer was not to quit, then you can ask: “Should I ask for a raise?” etc.
It can be combined in various ways with the income growth line technique and the guardian angel, what I wrote above. For example, ask: “Maybe before asking for a raise, show some significant result in your work?” - naturally, then the likelihood of a salary increase will increase sharply.
But first it is better to determine the global direction of life, there are other techniques, they are given in the recording of the training at the link below, and also in the additional. The materials contain books with information that dramatically increases the level of your vibrations and expands the level of your consciousness.
Options for work, for example, will come to mind much cooler than before.
In addition, an audiobook is given with technology on how to resonate with the world. That is, your vibrations will be in resonance with the whole world, and you will achieve your global goals with small efforts (as in the example with the swing). That is, you will simply be lucky in life.
You can determine your frequency of consciousness before listening to books and then after using this ring technique.
For example, ask the question: “Is my consciousness more than 100 units?” If yes, then then: “Is my consciousness less than 150 units?” So, repeat the questions until you get a specific number.
To start moving in the right direction, in resonance, in synchrony, in rapport with the world and the universe, I recommend downloading the training and doing exercises to find your purpose and meaning in life.
Why did you come to this world, and what is your function as a living cell of a global organism. What exactly does the universe expect from you, and what will it help you with.
Basic human needs according to Maslow
Abraham, an American psychologist, proposed a hierarchy of needs model. In the beginning, the work of 1943 during the war was called “The Theory of Human Motivation.” Over the years, a pyramid-shaped diagram has formed.
The top three parts are called “self-expression”. Other researchers have found that the relevance of the levels depends on age. Maslow called children who do not have problems with the first two levels “lucky.” The third stage is relevant for teenagers. The pinnacle of self-actualization is achieved by the age of 50, and people who reach it are the lucky ones. It is important to note that Maslow conducted research into the lives of outstanding people, based on his own understanding. These included Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Richard Wagner (famous composer), Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of President Roosevelt). What should I do to be happy? Is the meaning of life really to be extraordinary? Yes, you cannot rely on research as it contains distortions. At the same time, Abraham recognized that only about two percent of humanity achieves self-actualization.
Finding the meaning of life through reflection
The smartest representatives of Ancient Greece and Rome thought about the meaning of human existence. The forces that motivate human activity came under their close attention. Democritus called “need” the engine of human strength and intelligence, thanks to which language and labor arose. Heraclitus considered the main influence of living conditions. He taught moderation in self-gratification and intellectual development. Plato went further and began to study the soul, dividing it into several parts. The materialist Karl Heinrich Marx noted the limitlessness of man in contrast to the animal in the context of the ability to expand. Thinking about the meaning of life became a special area at the beginning of the 20th century in economics, sociology, philosophy and psychology. Everyone agreed on the influence of needs on the meaning of life. On the rest, opinions differ. Therefore, the question still remains open until the professors have been able to come to a consensus. Maybe the answer is on the surface and accessible to ordinary people like us?
Live like everyone else or find your meaning in life
Great scientists, science professors, religious leaders and psychologists wrestle with this question. How many people, so many opinions. Everyone is looking for something that will make sense to them. We are drawn to the truth in any state. But, unfortunately, the world is unable to give us what we strive for, but gives us disappointments, pain, failures, and from the lack of true love we become evil and capable of committing actions from which our conscience suffers. We drown it out with surrogates, making excuses - “So what? Now everyone lives like this.” You are special. And even though we have a lot in common, intelligence is given to everyone personally. Our thoughts are unique and inimitable. Dreams warm our soul. No one is obliged to feel sympathy for them. This emphasizes our individuality. Therefore, there is no one formula for answering the question of the meaning of life for everyone. It will be better when we follow the path of Tolstoy, unlike Maslow, and look not at the life of geniuses, but at the life of ordinary people. How did most people live over the last 2 thousand years?
The meaning of everyone's life personally
Being confident in your meaning in life is something that every person lacks. Sometimes we can't sleep and we think. We encounter the question of the meaning of life in tragic moments. With the answer to the question “why do I live” comes peace. Let's imagine - we already know the answer. The full picture of life will open. Let's see the world differently, looking to the future. Everything will be filled with joy and transformed.
Utilitarian theory
This type of hedonism was developed mainly by the philosophers Bentham and Mill. The first, like Epicurus, was sure that the meaning of life and human happiness lies only in obtaining pleasure and striving for it and in avoiding torment and suffering. He also believed that the criterion of utility could mathematically calculate a specific type of pleasure or pain. And by drawing up their balance, we can find out which action will be bad and which will be good. Mill, who gave the movement its name, wrote that if any action contributes to happiness, then it automatically becomes positive. And so that he would not be accused of selfishness, the philosopher said that it is important not only the happiness of the person himself, but also of those around him.
Life gives the answer
“There is only a moment between the past and the future, it is called life.” We didn't choose to appear here. It's been years since we lived here. Some have found a better job, while others spend most of their lives in poverty. Different countries, climates, skin colors. The earth is happy to welcome everyone. The sun gives light, it rains. People live from hot deserts to the Far North, having managed to adapt to harsh conditions. The sky reveals a stunning picture to everyone. Looking at the stars, we think about life. Man has always watched the stars. Descendants will also look to the sky and search for answers. Life means movement. Even the majestic starry sky moves. And at this moment, according to the modern understanding of space, we are moving. The sun rises and sets every day. Does the moon shining from the sky at night have a purpose?
Your heart beats tens of times per minute. It doesn't think of letting you down. There is no such ideal product in the world that can withstand such heavy loads. The body is a great asset for everyone. It was given to us freely. We are happy and sad, we work and we rest. A great variety of freedom and ways to realize it. At the end of the day we go to bed and dream. In the morning the sun greets us again. I didn't give my heart its first beat. And I won’t be able to extend its course as much as I want. I am both in control of my life and not in control. Powerful - because I can live longer by leading a healthy lifestyle, keeping the commandments and avoiding troubles. Not powerful - because he is not able to make the heart beat again when it stops. We are able to take and decide for ourselves what our meaning is in life. What's next? What if life after death exists!? Then the answer to life's question should be reconsidered! Another unusual phenomenon is that we often spend time where we are not. In dreams, dreams. “Stop having your head in the clouds,” they say when we think about something. We are not tied to the place where we are. Something pulls us forward. Perhaps this is a state of mind - the ability to overcome obstacles and distances. See opportunities where there are none at first glance. “Life brings everything back to where it all came from.”
Why is the absence of meaning a good thing?
Because it means that you have the opportunity to invent it. A world without meaning is a free space for our creativity, like a blank sheet on which we can depict anything. As renowned screenwriter Dan Harmon (author of that Morty quote) explains, “Realizing that nothing makes sense can actually save you. Once you overcome the initial horror and accept this fact, any point around you can become the center of the Universe for you, and any moment in life can become the most important.”
Another nuance of this idea is well illustrated by a story from Mark Manson’s book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.” After the death of an old friend, he fell into depression and spent days lying on the sofa, thinking about the meaninglessness of life. And then one day he had a revelation: “If in fact there is no point in doing something, then there is no point in doing nothing.” After that, he got up from the sofa.
We will die someday
Yes, life under good circumstances is good. Of course, you need to work hard to preserve the beauty. Entropy does not spare the values of generations. Today we can see how degradation threatens future generations. Culture is becoming impoverished, values are being lost. This is how our body deteriorates. Wrinkles appear and as we age we are faced with the question – what’s next? Many people think about the Divine. How have I lived my life, do I deserve a place in heaven? History measures events in decades, centuries. The destinies of countries are decided in moments, as are the destinies of billions of people. Understanding that we are temporary travelers here lifts the curtain on the question of the meaning of life.
Gabriel Derzhavin (17th–18th centuries) - poet and senator of the Russian Empire wrote the following lines:
The river of times in its flow carries away all the affairs of people, and drowns peoples, kingdoms and kings in the abyss of oblivion.
Let's look at the issue of death head on. Will my existence continue after the funeral in the afterlife? If the soul exists, then yes. The Bible shows the path of faith through life's difficulties and finding peace in the hope of an eternal abode. No other book touches on the issue of life so acutely. There are thousands of believers and non-believers among us. People are born and die every day. Since childhood, a person has been asking questions of good and evil. Everyone wants to be good in their own eyes. Belief opens the way for the perfection of life - the Almighty Creator. This prospect of becoming better and more perfect (in the context of religion, more righteous) connects us with previous generations, devout and fearful of higher powers.
How young people can learn from adults
When we are young, our life appears to us like an open book. The world seems huge, and our possibilities – immeasurable. This feeling fills us both in the workplace, in friendly relationships, in everyday life, and in general in everything that surrounds us. And this is the norm for the younger generation.
But at a certain point everything becomes stable: work, friends, relationships. Does this mean that the search for the meaning of life is over? Or does the human desire to understand meaning change and transform with age?
Scientists have found that the desire to achieve a goal is natural for humans. A lack of aspirations and goals can have detrimental effects on our health and well-being.
In other words, finding meaning in life is a positive aspect of our growth throughout life and leads to higher life performance.
Education yesterday and today
Schools and institutes provide a lot of knowledge, preparing specialists for work. High technology will not give an answer. We are looking for living organisms in space, but why do we ourselves live? Only one percent of people think seriously about this issue. This is the path to the exit from the matrix. Educational institutions are silent about the main thing - why we live. It is a great mistake to run away from this question. The first schools appeared in tsarist times at churches. They taught literacy and spiritual values. With the advent of godless communism, schools remained, churches were destroyed. School knowledge does not develop character. Indifference to the main thing is the paradox of our learning. Most live materially. They don't think about the world order. The spiritual remains only a theory in their lives. Even if they had thoughts and searches, everyday worries swallowed them up. We have turned into “waiters”. We are waiting for everything to work itself out. That one day a train of happiness will arrive on our platform. Time spares no one. Rarely was anyone ready for this when dying. They don't think about the last day. There are many people among us who love the truth. They are willing to sacrifice time. We come to church in search of higher meaning. These are the people I write to. Jesus Christ once said, “Seek and you will find.” The understanding of life according to Biblical Christianity is described by Christ's disciple John. He begins his story with the words: “In the beginning was the Word.” In Greek, the Word means Logos and its second meaning is MEANING. This is how the Apostle John calls God the meaning of our existence. From the first words of the Gospel we encounter the revelation of the mystery of the origin of human life. Faust (the hero of the writer Goethe) decided to translate the word Logos from the Gospel and thought about it. Its meanings are meaning, strength, deed. And that's not all, the Logos contains all this and more. The risen Christ has defeated death and invites us to turn to the Lord. We celebrate the bright holiday of Christmas. According to the doctrine, the eternal Father sent the Son into the world. The meaning of life is not an easy idea. Philosopher Vladimir Solovyov wrote: “The goal of life is the deification of humanity through approaching Christ.”
What does hedonism say about this?
The founders of this doctrine are the ancient Greek philosophers Epicurus and Aristippus. The latter argued that both bodily and spiritual pleasure are good for the individual, which should be positively assessed, respectively, displeasure is bad. And the more desirable the pleasure, the stronger it is. The teaching of Epicurus on this issue has become a household word. He said that all living things strive for pleasure, and every person strives for the same. However, he receives not only sensual, bodily pleasure, but also spiritual.
We believe in the meaning of life
Everything here is temporary: career, youth, fashionable clothes, pain, joy. This world is not so strong and promising to live in it without faith. It is interesting that when Christ brought his teaching, millions found answers in it. And among them there are those who have found their destiny. Just as there are counterfeit bills, there are also counterfeit Christians. The existence of a fake proves that there is an original. Sometimes an atheist thinks more about the issue of human life than a nominal Christian who does not attach importance to his choice. We have already spoken about the manifesto of the Church. It can be continued by describing the path of life of those who trust in the promises. A person’s relationship with the Creator is built on promises – on a Covenant.
- Getting What You Want Through Prayer “And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22)
- The promise of abundant life. Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
- The Gift of Eternal Life “For he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
Turn your gaze to the Lord, and you will recognize that love, unchanging and true, and believe me, you won’t notice how your life will change. Find a suitable church in your city where God will lead you, and you will be able to develop spiritually and discover the talent that the Creator has endowed you with.
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