meaning to life ?

shekhar

you are the problem
and the solution too
and everything that lies between
is also you
and so goes on
the endless struggle
to give meaning to life

38 thoughts on “meaning to life ?”

  3. Lovely post shekhar…
    Got my tangled yet again in one thought though…we all do keep talking about ..”meaning of life”.What does “meaning of life”..”Why I exist” etc actually mean?….
    What is the end result of the search?..What do I intend to find?…Is it about “Who I really am as a person/individual” or “What i want to be or achieve”?
    Is there anyone who have really understood the meaning of life??….
    To me it all seems like a mist…dont think I can ever figure what the meaning of life till I know how to define the “meaning”…its like setting out to search for something…but yet without knowing what am searching for…obviously there will never be an end to the search!

  4. Very thoughtful indeed. Remember this?
    “Life is not an easy road for most;
    It twists and turns with many forks in the road,
    Although always, and inevitably, we are given a choice …”

  6. I don’t think one should sit and try to figure out the meaning of life — for, a meaning almost doesn’t exist — there is no definitive answer. Instead, one should invest time to make a difference — even if it means making a difference to one person — to someone who can not directly be of any benefit to you. Many of my extremely intelligent friends just spend too much time trying to find answers to such cryptic questions. The word ‘life’ has so many different meanings — how can one possibly find a meaning of something which is so vague, unknown and transient? Instead, one should work — contribute whatever he can offer — write to enlighten others, teach to spread knowledge, share and love to give hope — spread the smile and affection.
    And if at all there is a meaning of life, then it shall come someday to you. Just thinking of it over mugs of coffee or beer does no good. The only thing to realize about life is that It is not limited to you and your happiness. It is far, far beyond that.

  7. some times i feel it a futile search and it better living life now and here and do deeds that give you sense of accompleshment and inner peace. when i try to focus on meaning of life and my purpose i loose grip on reality??? am i doing anything wrong??

  8. I think we all are in search for something and the ones that know what they want are the happier ones amongst us. They say that you know yourself by doing and not by thinking, so we need to do/be whatever we want to be. I don’t think we came to this planet with such a strong brain power to just be – we can be after we are i.e. aspire with detachment and acheive with least effort as Deepak says in his 7 spiritual laws and then be, but we should still be doing something of value. Value is definied as the act which helps to you find yourself, fulfills your deep inner desires and fills you with happiness, the divine kind that is defined as “anand” in our sacred texts.
    For Ravi Shankar it is the love for Sitar, for Lakhshmi Mittal it is the love for Steel,for Tendulkar it is the love for making runs and breaking records, for a mathmetition it is the desire to solve complex equations that have been left unsolved. The are all following their passion i.e. whatever they deeply desire and finding happiness by leading a fulfilling life.
    Two wonderful quotes on the search for tuth and meaning:
    The search for truth is, as it always has been, the noblest expression of the human spirit. Man’s insatiable desire for knowledge about himself, about his environment and the forces by which he is surrounded, gives life its meaning and purpose, and clothes it with final dignity…. And yet we know, deep in our hearts, that knowledge is not enough…. Unless we can anchor our knowledge to moral purposes, the ultimate result will be dust and ashes- dust and ashes that will bury the hopes and monuments of men beyond recovery.
    Raymond B. Fosdick (1878 – 1979)
    What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.
    Viktor Frankl (1905 – 1997)
    Best Regards,
    Himanshu

  9. I can get onboard with the notion that I am part of the problem and part of the solution. Taking an active role and responsibility in my life is key. But maybe the reason we (I) struggle (with meaning) is that we cannot get out of the confines of ‘Self’. Our search for all things — answers, meaning, love, happiness, etc. — may start and end in a ‘Self’ state of mind, but is incomplete if we don’t venture out to the fringe of our comfort and explore our beginning.

  10. Well that is true, what is also true is that love is the only thing there.
    Love is the only thing there.
    You have to know it otherwise what is the use of being here.
    Love is the only thing there.
    You have to know it.
    That is it.
    Amit Singh

  12. …….reminds me of an old hindi film song……
    kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar
    kisika dard le sakein to le udhaar
    kisi ke vaaste ho tere dil mein pyaar
    jeena isika naam hai
    its so simple……love in its pure form and not one that looks to satiate ones own ego…….. always is simple to experience and understand. it is never a problem……..always a solution !
    i am refering to the SPIRIT OF LOVE…….not categories of man/woman or any other.
    an example of this is even as simple as when my dearest friend (going back to school days) and i get together……..she may have problems in her mind and i may have issues that play on mine…….but WHENEVER we meet, the joy and trust that surfaces, always wins hands down over the other issues ! when love is strong……. the hold of problems in your life reduces 🙂
    but the trick here is…………be simple yourself…….FIRST ! do not shake hands with a clenched fist !

  13. who is the problem?
    What is the solution?
    Is it me or something else in between?
    I must endure to find
    And so I go On and on
    To find…the meaning of life….and beyond
    On on and On…

  15. Thou itSelf is the problem*
    and Thou itSelf is the solution*
    That itSelf is inBetween**
    and so Everything goes on
    that actually ends the struggle
    imbibing this***
    perhaps is to have meaning to life
    and forget about having any
    * (so-called)
    ** (actually nothing is left to call it inetween)
    *** (all the time)

  17. Nice thought Shekhar … my take on this would be to realise that the moment we are born as male or female, certain purpose in life automatically get defined for us making it a little more clear on our objectives in life . Having said that, the same neither limits nor completely defines what we are supposed to do in this lifetime .It simply kind of helps us deal with the flow of life . A river knows it has to flow into a greater water body at some point of time and that it by itself is not the very destination . The purpose ultimately would be to free our spirit to go beyond our bodies .

  18. Hey Shekhar,
    Long time mate,time is one thing that we lack..( and money as well),
    Anyways…Do you anything about Ontology, Meaning of like is connected to the meaning of existence, why do we exist, why does earth exist? why does the solar system exist? why does the universe exist? and eventually why does anything exist ?
    probably, the answer to the last question is the creation of the thing related in the 2nd last question or vice versa ( too numb to understand)…confusing..yep it is..
    Do a bit of research on that..and share your understanding in it with us.
    cheers

  20. Shekhar finding meaning in everything is yet another journey to endless meanings….
    At times the meaning the need is stark inside you and yet you cant find that meaning complete…so that leaves with more meanings…
    hence..
    I mean every breathe has a meaning…and yet a meaning has an entire meaning yet the meaning is never meant…
    ab aap bolein sahab…
    meaning ke safar pe nikal jaaya karte hai aksar…
    Meaning saamne ho tho bhi ek meaning reh jaathi hai …
    meant to be
    or not to be!!!
    Kuch samaj aya ya fir se meri baatein ajeeb si lagi?
    Okie…chalti hu…
    aapke char akshar expression ke na jaane kitne sawal uta jaate hai har insaan se….
    Take care…
    smiles

  21. The purpose, if at all, is to become as a sentient stone, after the annihilation of the ego, and..

  22. Khalil Gibran’s words, we are ‘life’s longing for itself’ is beautifully put.

  23. I think this one did not get posted. Some quotes that I researched on ‘meaning’ and ‘individuality’ which can help explain things and also enlighten us:
    Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure is of less account.
    John Gardner Source: speech delivered to the Hawaii Executive Conference in Kona, Hawaii in Aprill 1993
    The true meaning of life We are visitors here on this planet. We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most. During that period, we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life. H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama – Dalai Lama
    Man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a “secondary rationalization” of instinctual drives. This meaning is unique and specific in that it must and can be fulfilled by him alone; only then does it achieve a significance which will satisfy his own will to meaning.
    Viktor Frankl (1905 – 1997) Source: Man’s Search For Meaning, Page: 105
    I tell you this: You are your own rule-maker. You set the guidelines. And you decide how well you have done; how well you are doing. For you are the one who has decided Who and What You Really Are—and Who You Want to Be. And you are the only one who can assess how well you’re doing.
    Neale Donald Walsch Source: Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)
    It is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.
    Jim Collins
    The search for truth is, as it always has been, the noblest expression of the human spirit. Man’s insatiable desire for knowledge about himself, about his environment and the forces by which he is surrounded, gives life its meaning and purpose, and clothes it with final dignity…. And yet we know, deep in our hearts, that knowledge is not enough…. Unless we can anchor our knowledge to moral purposes, the ultimate result will be dust and ashes- dust and ashes that will bury the hopes and monuments of men beyond recovery.
    Raymond B. Fosdick (1878 – 1979)
    If I knew what the meaning of art was, I wouldn’t tell you.
    Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)
    What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general, but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.
    Viktor Frankl (1905 – 1997) Source: Dr. Victor E. Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning
    We can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: (1) by doing a deed; (2) by experiencing a value; and (3) by suffering.
    Viktor Frankl (1905 – 1997) Source: Dr. Victor E. Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning
    There is not one big cosmic meaning for all, there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.
    Anais Nin (1903 – 1977)
    “Our individuality is all, all, that we have. There are those who barter it for security, those who repress it for what they believe is the betterment of the whole society, but blessed in the twinkle of the morning star is the one who nurtures and rides it, in grace and love and wit, from peculiar station to peculiar station along life’s bittersweet route.” Tom Robbins Source: Jitterbug Perfume
    Every single life only becomes great when the individual sets upon a goal or goals which they really believe in, which they can really commit themselves to, which they can put their whole heart and soul into.
    Brian Tracy
    All virtue lies in individual action, in inward energy, in self determination. There is no moral worth in being swept away by a crowd even toward the best objective.William Ellery Channing (1780 – 1842)
    All personal achievement starts in the mind of the individual. Your personal achievement starts in your mind. the first step is to know exactly what your problem, goal or desire is. If you’re not clear about this, then write it down, and rewrite it until the words express precisely what you are after. Every disadvantage has an equivalent advantage – if you’ll take the trouble to find it. Learn to do that and you’ll kick the stuffing out of adversity every time. W. Clement Stone (1902 – )
    The lack of faith in one’s mission in life is the cause of multitudes of failures. When you have learned to believe in God’s purpose for you as an individual, you are immediately lifted out of the mass and become significant and meaningful in the eyes of God and of man.
    John Bonnell (1893 – 1992)
    Best Regards,
    Himanshu

  25. hi shekhar !
    hey……..its been discussions on problems for tooooo long and i dont remember the last blog where we ALL expressed HAPPINESS………! maybe THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM …….?
    shekhar……..now its the turn for POSITIVITY… lets admire the dawn……dusk…. rainbow in the sky after a monsoon shower……?
    the fact that we all found a way to be together on this blog …..?
    SMILE……….:)……..make others smile along with you…….and BE HAPPY !

  26. Shekhar,
    If there has to be a real meaning to everybody’s life then ask everyone who wakes up every morning and tries as hard as one can just not to make life “meaning less”.
    It is a such a subjective question Shekhar, what should be the meaning for a life of a slum dweller or a rack picker, isn’t his/her every day mission is to feed his hungry stomach?? Same goes for a dirty politician whose sole mission is to make money??
    I wonder what If everybody questions thyself and ask for meaning of life… How beautiful our lives would be then, full of joy, full of pleasure and yet meaningful.
    Sree

  27. sometimes the “struggle to find meaning to life” is what robs you of WHAT IS !……..
    when ‘shunya’ is the only truth and is also the source as well as the destination…..where every living creature comes from and goes to…..
    then, lets do something different in between…………? like……..be happy instead ? coz the moments of happiness are the only ones where you get respite from these questions that have no answers…….and when you are happy……..frankly. you do not even seek these answers……..:)

  28. Hi Shekhar,
    Pleased to find that u too are a blogger . And secondly very please to read the snippet that you have put.Certainly the search for meaning keeps on lurking somewhere within us itself, however as the world is to have it , it never reveals itself [:)] However I doth know that someday this confluence of matter is going to dissolve into an another object , till then I keep moving as I have always done..

  29. The closet I came in my search of understanding this mystery was my reading of Viktor Frankl’s book “Man’s Search for Meaning”. He was a Nazi holocaust survivor, and a neurologist. When people like Frankl write, they are not just empty words, but they have actually lived this.

  30. after a long time…… 🙂
    – the problem is not ‘you’
    – the problem arises from the difference between you and ‘you’
    – remove the distance, the difference, the differentiation
    – the doer and the doing and the doing unto
    – once you have merged, dissolved, disappeared
    – so will the problem.
    – it really is that simple.

  31. I am the problem – this I can understand.
    I am also the Solution and everything that lies in between this is difficult to understand. The solution and the problem both cannot be in the same place. I seem to have only problems and no solutions. So therE is nothing in between as well

  32. hi uma, realise that, that U, that real U is in between and hence there is no inbetween, no problem, no solution, just perfect – as it is.

  33. To Uma,
    As a kid I did not like Maths!
    It took me 2 decades to understand that only if I would have understood the problem the solution was easy.
    20 years is ‘in between’ period…
    So I was the probelm…
    a long time was in between the problem
    …and I was solution to the problem…
    you may think what kind of example is this to symbolise the meaning of life?
    Right na?
    What is the problem…
    The source…
    Then the way to understand the problem and its source…
    then the inbetween time…with your own set of mind…
    and then solution in sight….
    Actually there are many things in between…
    problems arise when we take our eyes of goals…
    regards

  34. the meaning of life
    when a child
    it is to play and learn
    when a youth
    it is to love and fight
    when a middle ager
    it is to know and teach
    when an old man
    it is to learn to be silent

  35. Someone decided to bring me to life. Breathing started and so did life
    I never had any plan or agenda when I came to this world.
    It all started with nothing and It will all end with nothing.
    And in between I am dwelling in and out of the illusions of life.
    Not sure if the happiness I feel is for real?
    Not sure if the sadness is something I should fear?
    I made some decisions, some made me happy and some made me sad
    I met some people, some stayed in touch and some moved on
    Sometimes the “present” takes over me and makes me do my best for a better life ahead.
    Sometimes the end of the journey reminds me to take it easy and enjoy very moment of life.
    So now I am either trying to live up to the expectations or I am living the illusions of life.
    And in this process I am loosing touch with me, as I still don’t understand me
    But, on second thought I can never understand me. As someone else controls me and I can only be.
    Finally I realize, I am not me
    Someone created me.
    Someone will destroy me
    Until then I will be..

  36. I feel that the struggle with the meaning of life is never pointless but… lets go with endless. you see most dont ever really put that much towards the real actual meaning, cause it seems to simple to quench the endless thirst we have for understanding. I live only to live, we all try to grasp some amazing truth to the world to unify ourselves with some higher calling. but i only see the highest of callings that most dont get the chance to even do. I live only for the soul purpose of living, and I wish that the others that cant get what they want out of life knew that they are the true meaning of life, and that enjoying every breathe, every particle of every atom, to just enjoy everything, could give life a definition… a meaning
    peace

  37. Life is the gift of GOD and we waste the god’s gift in dirty drain through in saying abusive words, seeing illegal pictures, making illegal relations , doing illegal activities .We are very thankful to those persons by whome this world is save such as Sadhu – Mahatama , Rishi-Muni and the persons who are totaly devoted their life to the nation.In last I would like to say that all the persons please remember the Pratigya Prayer of school “hum sab bharat k log bhai bhahan hai———-” JAI HIND

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