The meaning of human life: what is it and does it exist?

Author of the material:

Igor Lyadsky

Geneticist, writer, business coach, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

It is difficult to come up with a more global and philosophical question than the purpose of life. Not all people, even in adulthood, can answer it. What is its difficulty? Why is it sometimes impossible to find the answer? Where to look for it? What does understanding your life purpose give you? How many of them can there be – one or many? Is it possible to choose it, or is it given from birth? How do you understand that the purpose of life has been found? What signs signal that you are choosing the right path? In this article we will try to answer one of the most important questions.

Purpose and meaning of life

There are those for whom this does not allow them to live in peace, and they spend all their time searching for the truth. This becomes their meaning of life. And others simply go with the flow, and meaning is not important for their life. There are still those who are interested in this, and they find acceptable versions of the explanation.

The meaning of human life can be considered as the ultimate goal of life. But this is not the highest purpose, the mission that is entrusted to people even before birth. But on the path to understanding there are many obstacles that lead astray. But I would like to hope that the main goal in a person’s life is to be useful to the universe.

Read our article “What is a book of shadows and how to use it.”

The meaning of human life in ancient times had different interpretations:

• for ancient Greek philosophers, the meaning of life lay in different concepts: for Socrates - achieving self-improvement, Aristotle - being happy, Epicurus - life without suffering;
• for Buddhists - the desire for nirvana, subsequent to karmic purification;
• ancient Chinese philosophers disagreed about the meaning, for some it was a harmonious existence in the universe, for others it was service to Heaven;
• the Slavs saw the meaning of life in the continuation of the life of the human race;
• the meaning for the Scandinavians is battles and death in battles;
• service to Allah is the main goal of Muslim life;
• For medieval Europeans, interpretations of the meaning of life were intertwined with Christianity.

Many cultures and religions pay attention to the concept of the meaning of life. When thinking about this, a person must ask specific questions for himself. The task is complex, but can be simplified by breaking it down into sub-points:

• What is the main value of existence?
• What are the main goals in life?
• Why was he born?

By answering these questions for yourself, you can come to the correct answer. Friends, loved ones or spiritual mentors can help.

How to determine the purpose of life?

One of the main problems of a person on a spiritual level is life without a goal. People who don’t know why they live run the risk of going astray and falling under the negative influence of others or current circumstances. The lack of purpose pushes them towards self-destruction, including drug use, or other types of addiction.

How can we understand what the purpose of life is? First of all, listen to yourself, your inner voice and your desires. To determine your calling and purpose, you need to become as sincere as possible with yourself. What are they and how are they different? Vocation is a person’s ability to engage in a certain type of activity. For example, a calling to become a scientist, engineer, or chess player. Purpose is the role that the world assigns to a person. Ideally, if vocation and purpose coincide, then it is easiest for a person to understand his main goal in life, bringing maximum benefit to himself and those around him.

Here are effective methods to help you determine your life goals:

• Self-analysis - completely analyze all your thoughts, experiences, fantasies, draw up a mental map of your personality;
• Childhood memories - since in the early years a person is as sincere as possible in his interests, then remembering his childhood hobbies, it is much easier to understand his real self;
• Requests from others - given that you can see better from the outside, it is advisable to analyze what requests others most often make in order to understand what you can do best;
• Idols - you should take a close look at those people who arouse interest and desire to imitate, find out what life goals motivate them, and take this information into service;
• Fiction books - help you get acquainted with dozens and hundreds of biographies, learn different life roles and choose the one that suits you most;
• New acquaintances - by analogy with books, make it possible to expand your worldview, understand people, find out who has what goal, find a hint for finding your guiding star;
• Coaching is a practice of attracting spiritual teachers and mentors as ancient as the world, which has gradually transformed into a training or consulting format.

Each of these techniques is effective on its own. If you use several or all, then the probability of finding your purpose in life will increase to almost one hundred percent, and having found it, you will need to correctly plan your further actions.

Human life goals

Without determining the direction of your existence, the purpose of coming into this world, it is difficult to find the meaning of existence. A person’s life goals may be different, but it is important for everyone to decide on them. We need to figure out why we wake up every morning for whom or what. For some it is family well-being, for another person it is their favorite job, and for a third person the goal is to travel the whole world. It is not without reason that people who understand the purpose and meaning of their existence are happier and more successful. Despite the versatility of the aspect, the search for meaning in life should not stop. This brings fullness to human life and becomes a source of vital energy.

Dharma

Translated from Sanskrit, “Dharma” is that which supports or keeps a person on his life’s path. A person of dharma learns and develops his nature, improves physical and psycho-emotional capabilities. According to the ancient Indian tradition, only people who follow the requirements of dharma in their lives are able to approach and achieve the highest level of development - the state of “moksha”. Dharma, like righteousness, truth, order, cannot be realized outside the requirements of moral laws. In the religious aspect, following the dharma involves, first of all, serving the Supreme Deity.

For a modern person, dharma is the basic value for which it is worth living, the cause for which he serves. This state, being in which a person realizes the meaningfulness of his existence, directs all efforts to serving the meaning and purpose discovered by him. The spiritual aspect of the Dharma principle plays a key role in achieving goals at all four steps of the ladder of development.

Source of human life energy

Often a state of apathy is experienced by people who have exhausted their energy resources. But don't give up. One should strive to determine the purpose of existence of human nature. And make every effort to find a new source of energy in order to continue the right path, your business. For goals are the source of beneficial life energy. Movement is energy. It needs to be extracted and used to replenish the energy supply of a person’s life. This is how Tesla talked about the technical capabilities of energy. But this applies to spiritual life energy. By accepting the goal as a source of vital energy, a person will experience a happy and successful result.

Happiness and the “ladder of success”

Feeling the need to displace the existential vacuum, modern society is trying to fill the internal emptiness with illusory values.
The highest meaning of existence comes down to the immediate needs of the Ego, to new achievements and pleasures - the endless pursuit of success, money, career, status, sensual pleasures. Based on this paradigm, happiness and the purpose of life is the possession of sufficient material wealth to realize sensual pleasures and sufficient status to dominate life’s circumstances. Does achieving each of these goals bring happiness? Is it possible to become happy by basing your definition of success on these achievements?

Let's look at the statistics: from 1996 to 1996, American society as a whole improved its material standard of living by 2.5 times. Over the same period, the level of life satisfaction fell by 1.5 times. Such statistics convincingly prove that there is no direct correlation between the level of well-being, pleasures and other “benefits of civilization” and life satisfaction. The wise aphorism of Alan Watts, who once said, is confirmed again and again: “If you are climbing the ladder of success for happiness, then when you get to the top rung, you will most likely find that you have placed the ladder against the wrong wall.”

But if money, sex and power do not solve the main question, then what might the model that forms the basis of human happiness look like? Where to look for the meaning of human existence and how to place a ladder against the right wall?

The Vedic tradition classifies a person as a being with Mind, Reason and Consciousness, which are clothed in a body - their physiological carrier. The primacy of Mind, Reason and Consciousness is contained in the word “MAN” itself, while the “needs of the stomach” - food, sex, sleep - define the “animal”, physiological principle in it. Nevertheless, achieving an internal balance between the physical, conscious and spiritual remains the main condition for achieving harmony - the state that a person calls happiness.

According to the Indian Vedas, the state of true happiness is possible, but achievable only after four fundamental conditions have been realized, four fundamental complementary goals have been achieved, and four successive steps of the Purushartha ladder - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha." The four Purusharthas in modern Indian philosophy symbolize the satisfaction of the needs of the three fundamental principles of man - spiritual, emotional and physical.

The essence of human life energy

All human processes of life, activity, thinking and action are energy. When people are born, they receive individual internal reserves. But the future fate is different. Internally it depends on temperament, goals and meaning of life, and the external factor is society. Positive changes themselves will not come, no matter how strong the human energy of life is. They must be wanted and directed. Because negative energy has destructive purposes. The proper positive potential can achieve creation.

Absorbers of human life energy

In addition to sources, there are absorbers, among which the following ideas and individual qualities should be noted:

• see the meaning of life in control;
• set a goal in life - to be perfect in everything;
• emotional overload;
• activities that do not make sense;
• complexes, resentments, phobias;
• deferred matters;
• imagine the meaning of life in constant running.

It makes sense to get rid of this. Liberation will provide the opportunity to receive positive energy resources, set life goals and move forward.

Read our article “How to protect yourself from the evil eye: the best ways.”

Kama

By realizing Kama, a life-loving person fulfills his need for sensual, aesthetic and physical pleasures. He knows how to enjoy everything that can please his mind, body and senses, makes ambitious plans, does not reject his desires, finds the time and opportunity to appreciate life in all its diversity of “colors, colors and aromas.” At the same stage, a person realizes his need for sexual pleasure and sensual love. The principle of reasonable sufficiency and understanding of one’s purpose helps to avoid extremes and dependence on the sensory sphere.

Why is the meaning of life different for everyone?

Thinking about what role is assigned to him in this world, a person tries to answer three main questions:

1. What is the value of life?
2. What is the ultimate purpose of my existence?
3. What should I live for?

It will not be possible to find answers immediately or in a short period of time. It will take a long time before a young man develops ideas about the meaning of life. They will depend on various factors. Such as:

• social status;
• upbringing;
• religious affiliation;
• habitat;
• Lifestyle.

Based on the combination of these factors, people who have certain semantic preferences can be divided into four groups.

1. Hedonists

They live for pleasures and pleasures. This is their life system of beliefs and principles. They choose different means to promote their goals. Hedonists may experience satisfaction from the benefits that their participation brings to society and people. But often they prefer pleasures that violate the norms of morality and morality to traditional values. Food, alcohol, sex, shopping, work, recognition, spiritual practices, the company of friends, family, hobbies, travel, etc. help hedonists enjoy life.

2. Ascetics

Asceticism involves the denial of all desires. Essentially, this is the ideology of Buddhism. Ascetics strive to achieve a higher state of spirit, detachment from earthly pleasures, passions, worries and attachments. They don't need fame, wealth, or money.

They agree to live alone outside of civilization. At the same time, ascetics pay a lot of attention to physical training and improve mental discipline. This is also part of their idea of ​​the meaning of life.

Asceticism, with a certain amount of self-regulation, opens up great opportunities for spiritual growth and internal improvement.

3. Contemplatives

These people experience satisfaction from the process of observing, examining, contemplating everything that surrounds them. They perceive the world passively, without directly influencing it. A visual object for a contemplator is the sphere of application of his mind, thoughts, talents, desires, intentions.

This lifestyle is called active inactivity. A person lives in forward motion, does not rush, does not become immersed in vanity, and does not forget about the main thing. His goals and, ultimately, the meaning of life are in the fulfillment of a high duty, and not in the race for obtaining material wealth.

Contemplation is actively used by creative people - it fills them with creative creative energy. A contemplative person feels the world more subtly and, as a rule, does not waste time on momentary meanings.

4. Figures

These people do not live for themselves, but for the common good. Marxist philosophy, which promotes this way of life, states that by living for others one can become “truly perfect and great.”

The meaning of existence of figures is determined by the contribution they make to public affairs. Personal achievements satisfy them to a much lesser extent.

A person is happy if he makes other people happy. He is not burdened by his responsibilities if this “sacrifice” is in the name of everyone, which means it is justified. These are the principles of life of figures, their philosophy, their values.

Why do we need meaning in life?

We are accustomed to thinking that the meaning of life is a philosophical question that can be addressed after all pressing problems have been resolved. But in fact, this is a prerequisite for the successful solution of many pressing problems. There is now ample evidence of the connection between a sense of meaning and quality of life. Here are some important correlations.

• Physical health. Having a purpose in life reduces the risk of stroke and death from cardiovascular disease in old age. In general, people over 50 who have a clear purpose in life have lower mortality rates.
• Standard of living. If you have a purpose in life, you are likely to be above average in wealth. If only because you try to invest in long-term projects and are not prone to spontaneous spending.
• Mental health. In one study, researchers studied 1,400 older adults for 18 years and found that subjects who had a purpose in life were more independent, less likely to be depressed, and scored higher on working memory tests. The influence of a sense of meaningfulness in life on cognitive functions is also recorded at the level of neuroanatomy of the brain.
• Psychological stability. Believing that life has meaning makes a person psychologically more resilient to what is called allostatic load—that is, the “physical wear and tear” of repeated or chronic stress. And it helps to recover faster from negative experiences.

The next stage is checking the target

Setting a goal is one thing, but checking whether it is the right goal is not so easy. Nobody wants to rush to the top and eventually realize that this peak is not the right one. There is the following way to check, you just need to understand whether the goal you set corresponds to the following criteria: specific, measurable, achievable, significant/relevant and the availability of time to achieve this goal. In essence, everything is quite simple, however, there are some mistakes that are difficult to avoid when creating your own goals.

Existential moment

G. Hegel believed that the absolute idea acts as the basis for solving the problem of the meaning of existence. It acts as a powerful external force that brings everything into being, fills everything with life and makes existence possible, constantly maintaining balance.

A. Schopenhauer viewed life as a manifestation of the will of the world, which, being unconscious, is indifferent to the people it created - they are just victims of chance. Life is nothing but hell, a struggle with death; the joys of life ultimately end in suffering and agony. A wise person who knows this does not need to take everything from life - he is ready to restrain himself and curb his passions.

F. Nietzsche came to the conclusion that the purpose of life is to prepare the earth for the emergence of a superman: “Man is a rope stretched between an ape and a superman.” The main thing about a person is that he is a bridge, not a destination: the only thing you can love about a person is that he is a transition and destruction” [3] - this has a certain similarity with the opinion of followers of the modern doctrine of transhumanism about the posthuman, man of the future[4].

In existentialism (C. Jaspers, J.-P. Sartre, A. Camus), people “thrown out” into existence are defined and evaluated by their choices and actions. J.-P. Sartre wrote: “If we must die, then our life has no meaning, because its problems remain unsolved, and the meaning of the problems themselves remains uncertain..... All things are born without a reason, remain weak and die by accident..... It is absurd that we we are born, it is absurd that we will die”[5].

The pragmatic approach to studying the meaning of life (W. James, J. Dewey) presupposes the need to search for the usefulness of life. His judgments come down to the possibility of creation, but not to the search for truth. The purpose of valuing life is its meaning. W. Jacob instructed: “Believe that there is something worth living for, and your faith will help this fact come true.”[6] This is due to the fact that the pragmatic meaning of life can only be accessed through experience.

Thus, various philosophical schools give their own justifications for the meaning of life, which differ from others, and encourage people to follow their own path in search of an understanding of existence.

It should be recognized that everyone has a meaning in life, but, of course, not every meaning in life should be defended. All kinds of deviations from the ethics of responsibility, committed voluntarily or unwittingly, lead to the sphere of immorality, and sometimes even crimes against humanity.

Sometimes a person’s life becomes meaningless, this can be described by the following existential moments:

• Boredom - a person experiencing meaninglessness does not know what to do with himself, and even if he does know, then the activity does not bring him satisfaction, it acts as external, imposed on him by force and only burdens him;
• melancholy, irritation, depression;
• Lack of significant goals, goals set from outside do not make sense, are not perceived as one’s own, are rejected
• Own insignificance, uselessness in subject-subject relationships, personal loneliness and abandonment by others;
• man's place in the universe is experienced as random and unreasonable, as unpleasant and meaningless;
• refusal of reality, denial and rejection of non-existence.

Scientific evidence

The following figures from the world of science can be considered striking examples of goals. For example, Burress Skinner, while studying at Harvard, put himself under a very strict study regime, spending only 15 minutes a day on extraneous matters. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? An even more amazing example is Alexander Lyubishchev. Back in 1918, he set himself a life goal - to create a natural system of organisms. At that time he was 28 years old, and he gave himself 90 years to reach his goal. Then he drew up his life plan, where he divided these ninety years into five-year plans. There was no time for jokes here; all activities were accompanied by reports. Weekly, monthly, annual, five-year. Based on the latter, a plan was drawn up for the next 5 years of work. Alexander worked in this intensive mode for the next 54 years. But this does not mean that everyone should put themselves in such a framework. Do you need to have a global life goal? Perhaps the answer will be negative, it all depends on your worldview, life philosophy and level of personal development. In this way, goals in the social sphere are also formed.

Does the world need what you do?

You can often hear that people are passionate about something, but are firmly convinced that their hobby is not intended to make money. Would you change your point of view if you knew that there are such professions as wildlife ranger. The worker's task is to wake up the kangaroo at the right time, swim with the dolphins, monitor the island, and so on. It will prove that today you can find a job for absolutely every taste, such a profession as a professional sleepyhead. This is not a joke, there is a hotel in Helsinki where they were persistently looking for people for such work. The idea is to sleep in each room one at a time to determine your comfort level.

And there are hundreds of such professions, there are enough strange positions today, the main thing is to grasp the essence. Everyone can find a job they like. And even more so in the modern world, at least everyone’s favorite Internet can help you make money on anything. Of course, there are also pitfalls; you will have to be patient and spend a lot of time searching for decent options for earning money.

What goals should a woman have in life?

Photo: pixabay.com

Setting life priorities largely depends on the age and gender of a person. Women, as a rule, set themselves the following long-term goals:

• find a worthy man, start a family with him and have children;
• realize yourself in the professional field and receive a decent salary (sometimes this point is even more important than the previous one);
• create your own image - someone wants to be a real businesswoman, someone is more suited to the role of a homemaker, and someone likes to be free and independent;
• have a well-groomed appearance - every woman wants to look attractive, maintain youth and a good figure for many years;
• correspond to social status - this means material well-being, having your own home, car, decent education for children;
• realize their creative potential - for many women it is important to do what they love, for example, embroidery, photography, dancing.

Many women draw inspiration from specialized magazines and books on psychology, various courses, television shows and the like.

Moksha

Moksha is the highest achievement of the earthly path, the state in which a person acquires cosmic consciousness. In the state of moksha, he feels his unity with the world and the Universe, participation in the providence of the Universal Mind and everything that happens around him. He breaks out of the cycle of birth and death, frees himself from the illusions of the material world, suffering and attachments.

Purushartha moksha was added to the first three in the middle of the 1st millennium AD. e. after which the entire concept of the ladder of human supergoals was revised - kama and artha were assigned to the realm of the pleasant (“preyas”), dharma and moksha to the highest realm of goodness (“shreyas”).