Excellence Reporter: Regina, what is the meaning of life?

Regina Dawn Akers: The meaning of life seems to vary by individual, since each person gives her own meaning to the events and circumstances in her life. Yet, if we look deeper, I think each person ultimately wants the same thing from life, and that, which we all seek, is our ultimate purpose and the true meaning of life.

What is that?

Happiness. Or peace. Or love. I have come to see all three as the same.

Everyone wants happiness-peace-love. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to find happiness-peace-love except temporarily, which makes the search for it the purpose of their lives. It’s what everything else is really about. 

For example, when a person marries, he marries because he thinks marriage will bring him happiness-peace-love. When a person argues with her spouse, she argues because she thinks getting her way will bring her happiness-peace-love. When a person divorces, or hits a spouse, or murders a spouse, he does so in an insane attempt to get happiness-peace-love.

Nearly every activity in life is driven by the conscious or unconscious search for happiness-peace-love. People seek happiness-peace-love “in all the wrong places” and in all the wrong ways, which is why their search for it results in stress, disappointment, anger, fear, unworthiness, frustration, regret—or in a word, in suffering. 

Can happiness-peace-love be achieved, and more importantly, can it be maintained permanently?

Yes, it can. However, you have to know where to look for it. 

You won’t find permanent happiness-peace-love in any of life’s circumstances, in other people, or in personal achievements. Permanent happiness-peace-love can only be found in one’s self—one’s true self—which is unconditioned, unaffected, always present life-awareness.

Your true self is happiness-peace-love. At least, those are the words I choose to describe it with right now. It certainly isn’t any of the negative emotions that humans experience. It isn’t suffering. It is free of suffering. 

It is happy to be simply for being’s sake.
It is at peace with what is as it is.
It is open, non-judgmental and perfectly allowing.
It is happiness-peace-love.
It is what I am, and it is what you are.
It is everything that matters.
It is the meaning of life.
And if it isn’t known, discovering it is the purpose of life.

How can you discover your true happiness-peace-love self?

It’s possible to discover it while fishing, or through spiritual contemplation and meditation, or by taking quiet walks in nature, or, some people say, by listening to a spiritual teacher. Regardless of the outer activity employed, the true means of discovery is inner-focused reflection; it’s looking to see what you are—the real you that is always here and never changing.

Once you find you, you could say life takes on new meaning. Life’s purpose is no longer the search for happiness-peace-love. Now, life’s purpose is being you; that is, the meaning of life is being happiness-peace-love, which is completely natural and not an activity.

There are teachings that could be shared, which point in the direction of finding happiness-peace-love. However, those teachings aren’t the answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” You are the answer to the question. You, as you actually are, are the meaning of life. 

If you haven’t discovered you as happiness-peace-love, I recommend dedicating your life to discovering it.

How?

It’s as simple as making a conscious decision that happiness-peace-love is the purpose of your life and the only real meaning life could ever have. When this decision is made with genuine willingness to realize your true self, life itself will answer your call. It will bring you the teachings, resources and lessons you need in order to unlearn everything that isn’t meaningful and to discover the one meaning that you have always been.

The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI) says:

Focus on your willingness as if it is your truth, because it is.
Focus on your willingness as if it holds the answer to all questions, because it does.
Focus on your willingness as if it is everything to everyone, because it is.
Focus on your own willingness.
That is Love Alive within the world.

~NTI Galatians 5

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~Regina Dawn Akers is the founder of Awakening Together, a worldwide online spiritual community dedicated to helping people become Self-reliant with inner spiritual wisdom. She’s published two books: The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI) and The Teachings of Inner Ramana. Her third book Thoughts of Awakening: 365 Thoughts for Daily Contemplation is provided as a free e-book. She is also the author of Awakening Together’s 3-year Gentle Healing curriculum and 2-year Minister Preparation Program (MPP), both of which are based on non-dual teachings. Regina leads retreats regularly at Awakening Together’s Retreat House in La Veta, Colorado. Her audio teachings are available freely on Awakening Together’s website. www.awakening-together.org

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