Excellence Reporter: Master Winn, what is the meaning of life? Michael Winn: From my Taoist view, “meaning” is a culturally or linguistically constructed CONCEPT. “Life” is the important part of the question. The underlying question is really “what does it mean to be fully alive?”. Life is the […]
*** ~AUGUST TURAK is a highly successful entrepreneur, award-winning author, speaker, and contributor for Forbes and the BBC. He is the founder of the educational nonprofit the Self Knowledge Symposium Foundation (SKSF). As a frequent guest, Turak has been living and working alongside the monks of Mepkin Abbey […]
Excellence Reporter: Bhante G, what is the meaning of life? Bhante Gunaratana: In my view the meaning of life is understanding life as it actually is and liberate oneself from repetition of birth and death. One must understand that between birth and death there are moments of pleasure. […]
Excellence Reporter: Rinpoche, what is the meaning of life? Or the purpose of life if you will? Khensur Rinpoche: Most all of us fall into the trap of believing, at one point or another, that amassing wealth, fame, power, friendships, and even happiness itself is the purpose of […]
What is the meaning of life? I silently laughed as I read the question. Where was Socrates when I needed him? But I don’t need Socrates to have an opinion, and, of course, Socrates, true to form, would expect me to answer the question myself. That’s the problem […]
Excellence Reporter: Rev. Bill, what is the meaning of life? Rev. Bill McDonald: I have given much thought and time to contemplate that very question ever since I was a child facing death in the hospital at eight years of age. I had “died” in my hospital bed all […]
“Don’t aim at success—the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater […]
Excellence Reporter: Aberjhani, what is the meaning of life? Aberjhani: Years of meditating on that huge question have led me to believe we ourselves are the meaning of life in the sense that we are born with an innate ability to endow it, Life, with meaning. This […]
Excellence Reporter: Betsy, what is the meaning of life? Betsy Damon: If life is a miracle, then the meaning of life is to be in the miracle: Alive, awake and aware. If you see someone who needs a helping hand, help them. If you have an extra piece […]
Excellence Reporter: Mr. Merculieff, what is the meaning of life? Ilarion Merculieff: In my language, Unangan (Aleut), we greet each other every day with “aang waan”, hello my other self, so, aang waan. In contemplating the meaning of life, I thought of our elderly and isolation. I was […]
Excellence Reporter: Shifu Jerry, what is the meaning of life? Shifu Jerry Erickson: This is a question I believe we have all contemplated on many, many times throughout our lives. As for myself, I have studied and traveled extensively to find answers about life, spirituality, comparative religion, healing […]
People, who want to know the answer to the universal question of ‘the meaning of life’ oftentimes find themselves in a quandary leading them to circumspection and, eventually, incomprehension of anything else, which leads also to a disregard of any other way of thinking. Could it also be […]
Number One: A true Sage avoids name and fame like the plague. If a Sage has transcended the ego why would he or she need name or fame? If a Sage claims to be enlightened why would that being want to be known? To have a following, to write books, […]
Think of a child throwing himself on the floor, wailing in unabashed fury, pounding his hands and feet in revolt because you said ‘no’ to the candy before dinner. While his generous range of high-pitched demands may be annoying, our children are models of untainted behavior. What I’m […]
Excellence Reporter: Sri Krishna Kumar, what is the meaning of life? P. R. Krishna Kumar: Life has no meaning unless and until we give a meaning to life. It is sad to find most of our fellow beings departing without having given any meaning with their own life. Vedas say that it […]
Life is a blessing with rich soil to grow every possible contribution we can make with our time and resources, for a good life for people close to us, in our ecosystems, and most of all, that people 500 years from now, have far better lives. LOVE Life […]
When asked the question what is the meaning of life?, I would be tempted to reply, “I don’t know”. Every day, I am more and more in awe about this incredible place called “the universe” we live in. And every day, I am more and more aware of […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Yogendra, what is the meaning of life? Smt. Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra: During my regular session at The Yoga Institute, one of the students was asked according to him what is the meaning of life? He answered life is B and D. Means life is “B” […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Oberon, what is the meaning of life? Oberon Zell: Cherish diversity! Find fascination in the strange and unusual. Live passionately. Explore everything, especially things forbidden, with boundless curiosity. Read voraciously. Grow a garden. Establish and maintain altars in your home. Celebrate the ever-turning Wheel of […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Fellingham, what is the meaning of life? Paula Fellingham: Life has had different meanings for me during my nearly 70 years of living. As a girl growing up in the glow of a famous parent, defining the meaning of life never crossed my mind. I laughed […]
We each enter life with desires, goals, and challenges to overcome, and we choose birth conditions that will best help us meet these objectives. Arriving with dreams from the past that are seeking fulfillment, we find meaning as we are able to satisfy these karmic imperatives from the […]
Excellence Reporter: Ms. Karpinski, what is the meaning of life? Gloria D. Karpinski: As an intuitive counselor and spiritual teacher for several decades, I can testify the number one question behind all other questions for most people is the quest for meaning. What is the mission? Why am […]
It is our task as Spiritual beings to remove the blocks that inhibit the native joy and passions of our Spirit. We must delve deeply into our own mysterious being and begin to rediscover the poetic voice of our own Soul. To become courageous Spirits, we must loosen […]
In my clinical experience I have found it critical to help people find the meaning of their experience within their perception of life to be critical. Victor Frankl was very perspective when he described that it was precisely this factor that predicted whether prisoners would die or live […]
Excellence Reporter: Catherine, what is the meaning of life? Catherine Bell: This is a profound confronting question. Philosophers, mystics, scientists, and sages have been examining this question for a very long time. Some might say it is to discover what the meaning of life is. And responses to this […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Goldberg, what is the meaning of life? Bruce Goldberg: My approach to the meaning of life reflects upon the perfection of the soul and to eliminate the need to reincarnate. By learning our karmic lessons we can transcend this physical dimension and merge with the […]
Excellence Reporter: Mr. Tanahashi, what is the meaning of life? Kazuaki Tanahashi: “To me, the meaning of life is to be awake. Awakening is to realize the infinite value of each moment of your own life as well as of other beings, then to continue to act accordingly.” […]
The Autumn breeze is clear and crisp, calming and peaceful. It touches the leaves of green, yellow, orange and red; all of them flowing gracefully in the breeze. Practicing TaiChi and Qigong in a park near home, I feel this carpet of vibrant reds and golds caressing my […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Alexander, what is the meaning of life? Ronald Alexander: For me the meaning of life has three tributaries as forks in this great river of time in our lives ~ purpose, fate and destiny. The first fork in the river of time is purpose. This […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Mu, what is the meaning of life? Master Cathy Mu: The Meaning of Life, to me, is SHARING How to Master Qi (Vital Energy Flow) to live a fulfilled and meaningful life. Once you have learned how to align your own Qi with the Divine […]
Excellence Reporter: Sister Jenna, what is the meaning of life? Sister Jenna: The meaning of life at this time in our cycle is to cultivate an intellect with conscience i.e., awareness. An intellect with conscience will seek learning in just about every corner of life while fulfilling its […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Ananda, what is the meaning of life? Ananda Shankar Jayant: Life is the greatest adventure we as human beings are blessed with! And like any adventure, brimming with learning. I truly believe that life is actually one big school, where one learns, and adds to one’s […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Frantzis, what is the meaning of life? Bruce Frantzis: The meaning of life within the old tradition of Taoism has several levels depending on how mundane or sublime your life becomes and goes beyond intellectual concepts. To quote the movie Forrest Gump: “Mama always said […]
Excellence Reporter: Grandmaster Liu, what is the meaning of life? Grandmaster Hui Liu: Life is about learning and giving. We begin learning immediately after birth: we learn to survive, eat, and communicate with others. We learn to use eyes, facial expressions, smile, and cry, point our fingers, and kick […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Rauscher, what is the meaning of life? Elizabeth A. Rauscher: We stand in awe and bliss at the beauty and majesty of the evolving spark of creation. So vast and gorgeous is our Universe. Our mind, in the search for truth and knowledge, stands at the […]
In a short time, you will evolve beyond confusion and disappointment and arrive at the Dao. Ultimately you will attain great profundity. In simplicity you will find the most joy. Indifference is the highest expression of a mature life. I dreamed I was riding a horse on the […]
What is the meaning of life to Phil Zimbardo? First, to be fully aware of the brevity of human existence, so then to live each day as if it were my last and enjoy as fully as possible every moment’s pleasures in nature, friendships, family, human creations, and […]
The meaning of life is to learn to love. And this journey begins with learning to love ourselves. And yet, for most of us, self-love is a radically foreign concept. Most of us live our lives feeling the opposite of self-love — self-loathing and self-judgment. Often, we hold ourselves to unrealistic standards of perfection, and then judge ourselves when we […]
Excellence Reporter: Drs. Hurtak, what is the meaning of life? J.J. Hurtak & Desiree Hurtak: The meaning of life is our quest for Unity within the pluralistic richness of humanity and the discovery of ‘Infinite Being’. We are on schoolhouse Earth to discover our inner resources that connect us with the universe […]
Excellence Reporter: Monk Yunrou, what is the meaning of life? Monk Yunrou: Orthodox Taoist philosophy cautions us not to ascribe too much importance either to the phenomenon of Life in general or to our individual lives. One of Taoism’s most beautiful sayings translates to “the Tao is big”, suggesting […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Berzin, what is the meaning of life? Alexander Berzin: The Dalai Lama has repeatedly said that the meaning of life is the pursuit of happiness. But that doesn’t mean self-centered happiness at the expense of others. After all, everyone shares this same aim in life. […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Jahnke, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Roger Jahnke: “Life is the local, four dimensional manifestation of mysterious aspects of ourselves that can not be described and that can not be perceived through conventionally recognized language or sensory means.” Is life biological? Or, is it […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Liu, what is the meaning of life? Master Liu He: The meaning of life is to never stop learning. It allows you to continue growing in the right direction for your life, other’s life, and nature’s life. With this concept, we become thankful for yesterday, […]
Excellence Reporter: Shifu Wong, what is the meaning of life? Wong Kiew Kit: It is very helpful when discussing the meaning of life to appreciate the difference between facts and opinions, because much of the writing on the meaning of life concerns opinions. Earning an income from one’s […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Yang, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming: Depending on each individual, each has his/her own definition of life’s meaning. Here, I am sharing my personal definition of the meaning of life. Definition of Life First, we have to understand the definition of […]
Excellence Reporter: Doctor Johnson, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson: For centuries, this unique question has been posed to special people of deep insight; who were often widely acclaimed prophets, renowned sages, and esoteric mystics of profound wisdom and intuition. Although the question is […]
The Seekers fight their way along the Path, willing even eager, to pay a terrible price to find peace, enlightenment, insight, understanding. And, when they discover that great secret, what do they find? Themselves. There is no enlightenment outside your Self. There is no great secret to take […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Johnson, what is the meaning of life? Mark J. Johnson: “Ultimately, the meaning of life is the same as the meaning of dancing… you are not on the dance floor to get somewhere, you are simply “going with the flow” in a fluid, dynamic, spontaneous, creative way.” […]
Excellence Reporter: Brother Bernard, what is the meaning of life? Bernard Seif: Meaning is something we all search for, be that journey a conscious or subconscious one. Even those of us well trained in the scientific method experience meaning in a subjective or existential manner. My mother was […]
Excellence Reporter: Father Thomas, what is the meaning of life? Fr. Thomas Keating: The meaning of life is sacrifice. This is really a biblical revelation. In the Christian perspective the three relationships within the Holy Trinity are continually giving away all that they are to each other within […]
Meaning and life – two rather potent and I believe rather ineffable words in the English language. The feelings, thoughts and sentiments involved in the experience behind and involved in both of these words is dependent upon who you ask, and even then the responses can evolve over […]
Excellence Reporter: Ms. Broom, what is the meaning of life? Maria Broom: Compiling and sifting through all of the readings, teachings, intuitive thoughts, feelings and even off-planet transmissions… I make this attempt to express what resonates in my heart as the meaning of life. I believe that we […]
Excellence Reporter: Mark, what is the meaning of life? Mark Summer: Responding to the query “what is the meaning of life?” is an extremely thought provoking question. First of all, it can be debated as to whether life has any meaning at all, or just “is.” It seems […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Siegel, what is the meaning of life? Bernie S. Siegel: Life of itself has no meaning. It is simply a mechanical event. It presents us with the opportunity and physical ability to be creative and connect with our Lord and the process of creation and […]
Excellence Reporter: Terry, what is the meaning of life? Terry Patten: In a very real sense, life itself is its own meaning. The very vibrance of every next new “now-moment” expresses life’s meaning, if we awaken enough to participate consciously in it. The deepest part of our being […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Chopra, what is the meaning of life? Sanjiv Chopra: I found that to answer this question it required a lot of reflection and soul searching. I am certain that over the ages there has been a lot of commentary on this topic by philosophers, poets, scientists, […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Sha, what is the meaning of life? Master Zhi Gang Sha: Millions or billions of people have asked this question. They have wondered why we are here and have searched for answers and ways to give their life meaning. I am honored to share my […]
Excellence Reporter: J. Ivy, what is the meaning of life? J. Ivy: Immediately when I hear this question lifelong thoughts fire off. I find myself soul searching, thinking of those moments when I discovered myself, my purpose, my mission and those later moments in life when discovery occurred […]
I have several tattoos, imprinted with invisible ink, of course: “Ask, don’t tell,” and “Think first, speak last.” Both Peter Drucker quotes. The third – “To serve is to live,” is a personal belief, a philosophy I have lived throughout my life. When we truly focus on the common good, service […]
Excellence Reporter: Peter, what is the meaning of life? Peter Sterios: Well, it’s simple… whenever I am faced with a profound question like this, I seek the advice and wisdom of my most dependable guru, our family’s 2-year-old dog, and he never disappoints… For this question his answer […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Ravindra, what is the meaning of life? Ravi Ravindra: For me a question about the meaning of life is intimately connected with the perennial inquiry ‘Who am I?’ or even more accurately, ‘What am I?’ And I am quite convinced that this question can never […]
As for as I can recall, the question, “What is the meaning of life?” has never been a philosophical pastime but has, rather, been an essential issue for survival and mental health. Even as a teenager, I intuitively struggled to find a reason for living that would sustain […]
“I’m not sure it’s true. I believe that maybe here in this room we are all looking for new things. We are curious. And actually we find our balance into the unknown. But so many people in life don’t trust life at all. So many people are afraid […]
Excellence Reporter: Angela, what is the meaning of life? Angela Farmer: At the age of three or four years, I knew without a doubt that I came from the sun and that all I had to do was shine! Each night at bed-time my brother and I knelt […]
Excellence Reporter: Rabbi Wolpe, what is the meaning of life? Rabbi David Wolpe: Life has no meaning, but meanings. The meaning of one life is to raise a child and for another, to go to sea. One will carve monuments and the next write laws. All are growing […]
Excellence Reporter: Raha, what is the meaning of life? Raha Moharrak: The very existence of life continues to be one of the most intriguing aspects to question. By relying on logic and reasoning, man has always found the need to comprehend the meaning and the purpose of life. […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Weiss, what is the meaning of life? Steven Weiss: Hmmm… the meaning of life? As my thoughts unwind along the Path that these words take me… I must ask myself first, “what do I mean by Meaning?” I am stuck here. As one who strives to […]
The meaning of life is living well. That is the goal. Meaning is imparted by living and living fully. ~James J. Heckman is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics and an expert in the […]
I’ve always had the feeling that life loves the liver of it. You must live and life will be good to you, give you experiences. They may not all be that pleasant, but nobody promised you a rose garden. But more than likely if you do dare, what […]
This is season of memorials for me. Part of having lived this long is noting that there has seemed to be clear-stretches where people in my life stayed put here, and then times when there were multiple exits to the Other Side. Such is how it is […]
Excellence Reporter: Nawang, what is the meaning of life? Nawang Khechog: In brief, we must try to live a life with these two principles. First, we try our best not to hurt or harm anyone and then try our best to help and serve anyone within our reach. […]
The meaning of life is to fulfill your soul’s intentions for incarnating and make a lasting positive impact on our world while living in a state of reverence for all of life. To do this, you’ll need to awaken to your divinity through spiritual practice and align your […]
Elucidating the “Meaning of Life” can best be approached through application of the ancient directive: “Know yourself.” To fathom the depths of this suggestion, it helps to view the boundaries of self as false and misleading. The physical universe is a small subset of the much grander aspects […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Naranjo, what it the meaning of life? Claudio Naranjo: Questions about of meaning of life are prompted by its loss, which derives from the loss of oneself; or, as it is sometime said, by the loss of our “soul”. Finding the meaning of life has little […]
Excellence Reporter: Andrew, what is the meaning of life? Andrew Mellen: I can tell you what it’s not—the accumulation and worship of physical stuff. So much of life seems to be a struggle between poles: fear and love, man-made and naturally occurring, stuff and people. I marvel at […]
I refuse to suppose that I am here on this Earth by happen chance. When I look at the miracle of my hands, when my ears capture the sound of rushing wind in its hollow, when I taste the salt of sea spray on my lips and smell […]
Excellence Reporter: J. Kim, what is the meaning of life? J. Kim Wright: I believe the Meaning of Life is not static; it is dynamic and active, being created in each moment. The Meaning of My Life is not the same as the meaning of Yours. My life […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Goswami, what is the meaning of life? Amit Goswami: As our culture becomes materialist, there is widespread suspicion that there is no meaning. Fortunately, I and others are bringing about a worldview change based on quantum physics that restores meaning. It is our mind that […]
Excellence Reporter: Mr. van Manen, what is the meaning of life? Hans van Manen: “The question “What is the Meaning of Life” can only be answered at the end of one’s life. But I am still alive.” *** ~Hans van Manen is a Dutch ballet dancer, choreographer and photographer. His […]
Excellence Reporter: Will, what is the meaning of life? Will Clipman: That’s a question with no answer! I believe that what makes a lifetime meaningful, moment by moment, is to continue to ask the question. The more certain one is that one knows the meaning of life, the further […]
Excellence Reporter: Father Jim, what is the meaning of life? Jim Conlon: To understand the meaning of life, I believe it is important to develop a deeply sensitive interior life—a life that reaches simultaneously into the vast universe and into the recesses of the soul. Awakened in this way, […]
Excellence Reporter: Rev. Moldow, what is the meaning of life? Rev. Deborah Moldow: We are the ceaseless unfolding of the sacred nature of our living universe, ever expanding the creative expression of the divine energy of love. It is our human nature to seek and create meaning, a […]
Excellence Reporter: Tom, what is the meaning of life? Tom Lynch: My answer is simple: find out what you are passionate about and develop yourself to your full potential. You may or may not need to have a career in this endeavour but get good at something and… […]
How are we to see life? Is it an existence of meaningless movement from one moment to the next? Or is there a larger purpose in life, something to live for? When we’re young, we think that when we’re all grown up, we’ll have all the answers. We’ll […]
Excellence Reporter: Alicia, what is the meaning of life? Alicia Graf Mack: “Life is about loving fully, and whole heartedly. We have to live in the NOW, because memory is never promised, nor is the future. Be good to people even when you don’t want to be. Forgive […]
We are born beings exploring what life means as humans. The ego-mind continually seeks the meaning of life in the dimension of time and space, but we are also born with a divine potential that exists in the timeless zone. This is the true Self, the soul that […]
Excellence Reporter: Mark, what is the meaning of life? Mark Nepo: As important as this question is, it’s impossible to answer—as it’s impossible to see your hands while digging or to see your eyes while looking. Instead, let me share a story about meaning. A troubled widower made […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Barnwell, what is the meaning of life? Ysaÿe M. Barnwell: At some point, each human being will probably try to figure out the meaning of life. Perhaps meaning can be inferred from purpose. I really feel the purpose of life, with all of its complexities, is the […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Radin, what is the meaning of life? Dean Radin: Each of us defines our own meaning of life. For those who are simply trying to survive pondering this question is an impossible luxury. But for those who have the time and means to wonder why […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Musgrave, what is the meaning of life? Story Musgrave: “The Epitaph that will be inscribed on my tombstone according to my will is, “What was that all about?” When it is all over I will be returning home to where ever I came from. A […]
Excellence Reporter: Tim, what is the meaning of life? Tim Macartney-Senape: This is a confronting question for humans. To answer this properly you really have to explain why we humans find it so hard to live up to the ideals universally accepted by all historic human civilisations and […]
Excellence Reporter: Helena, what is the meaning of life? Helena Norberg-Hodge: Before I went to Ladakh, I would have answered this question very differently. Like many Westerners, I thought meaning was to be found in personal accomplishments. Our fast-paced, competitive, consumer culture moulds us into believing that our […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Meyerhof, what is the meaning of life? Nina Meyerhof: How simply boring would life be if we did not seek this answer? Life is a series of experiences which we create to learn all the magnificent lessons our inner self wishes to learn and at the […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Batthyány, what is the meaning of life? Alexander Batthyány: According to Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy—the one pioneering psychological school which single-handedly put meaning on the landscape of psychology and psychotherapy—life is meaningful – not so much because there is one single Meaning of Life, but rather because […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Farrell, what is the meaning of life? Warren Farrell: The meaning of life is paradoxical: it is empty of meaning, and filled with meaning; it is the meaning we ascribe to it. If we ascribe to ourselves a sense of purpose (what the Japanese call […]
What is the Meaning of Life is an important question for all of us to contemplate. However, I believe that it is also beneficial to reflect on two other questions: What is the meaning of my own life and what is meaningful in my own life? As the […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Pattakos, what is the meaning of life? Alex Pattakos: The Meaning of Life is Meaning. As the world-renowned psychiatrist and existential philosopher, Viktor Frankl, famously espoused, “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Block, what is the meaning of life? Walter E. Block: As an Austrian economist, I am a subjectivist. My response to this question is that there is no one meaning of life. There are no objective criteria to determine that one answer to this question is […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Schneider, what is the meaning of life? Kirk Schneider: The core issue concerning the meaning of life in my view is not so much a concept, a thing, or even a person, but the sense of awe, that is humility and wonder or sense of adventure […]
Excellence Reporter: Jeffrey, what is the meaning of life? Jeffrey Hollender: After the better part of 61 years, thousands of books, decades of therapy, and dozens of mentors and teachers – what I know is that I have only part of the answer to this essential question. The […]
