Meaning

- Viktor Frankl, A Man’s Search for Meaning Live a life of meaning, or live a life of nothing.
 * MEANING ** is “man’s main concern for his life.” Our fundamental drive, the motivational engine that powers human existence, is the pursuit of meaning.

“In the early winter of 1942, Austrian authorities rounded up and arrested several hundreds of Jews, among them a young psychiatrist named Viktor Frankl. He had a new philosophy of psychological well-being and had started a manuscript. Before authorities reached his home, his wife Tilly took care to sew the manuscript into Viktor’s coat. He wore the coat until he came upon Auschwitz, and on day two was stripped down of all of his clothing, and Viktor never saw the manuscript again. Over the next three years, his wife, brother, mother and father perished in the gas ovens. In 1946, the Allied forces liberated the concentration camps and put those crumpled pieces of paper which was left of his manuscript together, and thus became the basis for Frankl’s book--//Man’s Search for Meaning//. In the most unimaginable and ghastly situations to be in, Frankl writes, “ I understood how a man who has nothing left in the world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved.” Meaning is possible in spite of suffering. It is a drive in all of us, and combining internal and external circumstances brings it to the surface. (Pink, // A Whole New Mind // )

In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink explains that many are turning to find meaning in their lives because we have the luxury of time to search for this meaning. As Viktor Frankl stated, “People have enough to live, but nothing to live for; they have the means but no meaning.”

This search is causing a shift from “Materialist” to “Postmaterialist” - also referred to as the “Fourth Great Awakening” by Robert William Fogel. Pink describes two ways to search for meaning: start taking spirituality seriously and start taking happiness seriously.

“//I believe the very purpose of life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we are all seeking something better in life. So I think the very motion of our life is towards happiness.”// // -- the Dalai Lama //

Videos:
 ** Taking Spirituality Seriously ** Fifteen years ago, the Dalai Lama began inviting scientists to his home in Dharamsala, India. He wanted to know what they knew about the brain, and the scientists were very curious in learning about the brains of people that can meditate and transcend spiritually, in almost superhuman ways. MRIs were taken of several monks as they entered their meditative phase. Monks started reading scientific papers to understand the workings of the mind and perhaps the nature of the soul. Spirituality is serious business because it has demonstrated to improve our lives (stress and heart disease have been lessened through those considered to be spiritual in nature). People who go to church (or synagogue, or mosque) seem to live longer than those who do not. Spirituality in the workplace does not have to be related to religion, but as “the basic desire to find purpose and meaning in one’s life.” When spiritual and business goals align, businesses outperform others who did not align those goals. (Pink, // A Whole New Mind // )
 * [|InterFaith Summit on Happiness]
 * [|The Butterfly Circus]
 * [|WallWisher Activity for The Butterfly Circus]

** Positive Psychology ** Dr. Seligman, professor at the University of Pennsylvania founded the “positive psychology” movement. In 1998, he started to research what it is that truly makes people happy, and to encourage the world to take happiness seriously. Part of it depends on biology, and our genes partly dictate what part of the spectrum we naturally reside on--from the gloomy, dark end to the positive, cheerful side. The other part depends on how we carry out our lives--what jobs we hold, engaging in satisfying work, avoiding negative emotions, being married and having a support network. Also important are the acts of gratitude, forgiveness and optimism. What **doesn’t** seem to matter is having lots of money, having lots of education, or living in a pleasant climate. To have the “Good Life”, as Seligman calls it, you have to use what strengths you have to achieve gratification in your life. People that have a “calling” to their area of work are the most satisfied because of the principle rather than the material wealth it brings. The highest form of happiness is the pursuit of meaning... “knowing your highest strengths and using them in the service of something larger than you are,” Seligman says. ** MAZES, LABYRINTHS, AND MEDITATION ** A maze is a series of complicated and confusing paths, which often lead to dead ends, and the goal is to exit as quickly as possible, leaving one with a sense of disorientation. A labyrinth is a spiral walking course. Your goal is to enter the course and follow the path at whatever pace you choose, leading to centered state of meditation. A labyrinth is an escape for the right brain, while the left brain is engaged in thinking about the logical progression of walking the path. Often one chooses a word or phrase that they want to direct their thoughts and attention to, such as saying to yourself as you walk through, “I Believe.” (Pink, // A Whole New Mind // ) =Activities: =
 * Gratitude ** Seligman’s research on happiness shows that gratitude works. He suggests that everyone write a “gratitude letter” to the person in their life that has been kind or generous but never thanked. Then, the letter is delivered in person and read aloud. The ritual is very powerful and moving for all the parties involved. On another note, gratitude is contagious, and one act often leads to the next. Two variations on this theme are the birthday gratitude list and the gratitude once-a-day. The birthday gratitude list works as for as many years as you are old, there exist that number of items in which you are grateful for. The older you get, the more you have to be grateful for. The gratitude once-a-day often occurs with a daily ritual, such as having your morning coffee, or when they take their first step outside in the morning. (Pink, // A Whole New Mind // )
 * ====Keirsey Personality Test ====
 * ====20-10 Test ====
 * ====Make a phone call ====

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