The key to experiencing the meaning of life is to open your heart and soul to joy and to serving others with unconditional love, forgiveness, and compassion. When we connect with our souls, we see clearly that we are on both a physical and spiritual journey. By cultivating […]
WHAT MAKES A COMPASSIONATE CITY? by Vanessa F. Hurst Compassion is heart-centered. It is a strong desire to alleviate suffering whenever, wherever, and however it presents. A compassionate city is an aware city. It is an umbrella under which small and large, organized and personal, communal and personal […]
WHAT MAKES A COMPASSIONATE CITY? I believe compassion begins at the very root of ourselves, our inner being, our core. It begins by being kind to ourselves, taking care of our bodies and nourishing our spirits. A stable and happy individual is better able to serve others and […]
Beggar or Treasure? There’s a story in India about the beggar who lived under a tree. When he died, villagers dug the hole for his grave right where he had sat. To their amazement, they found a trove of diamonds and gold. The beggar had been sitting on […]
Meaning of life – let’s talk about 3 perspectives. From one grand perspective – the meaning of life is to stay alive, to reproduce, to foster survival through generations. But that’s not it for many of us. We live in relationship – with specific people and cultures. From […]
The meaning of life (at least one of them) is to live as light. Which is a lofty spiritual concept, especially with so much darkness in us and in the world. Until we understand the transformative power of the dark. Here’s how I got to know the transformative […]
What is the meaning of life? This age old question has been the subject of so much speculation. What gives meaning to our existence is something that we know, in our own mind, has true significance, an importance that overrides all other considerations. So we need to look […]
The meaning of life is to LOVE: deeply and without fear. At this point in my life, I know that Love is the most real thing any of us can have in our life. It is special because you can’t own it or buy it, you can only […]
In the 1970s, I went to a concert by Indian masters, Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar) and Ustad Alla Rakha (tabla). The music was incredibly beautiful and transported the audience to another realm. I had a naive thought – if the world’s leaders were there and could open their hearts to […]
The older I get the meaning of life takes on different colors. There are always the essentials, love, human connection, family and feeling like you are relevant and contributing something that might, maybe make a difference to other lives now and hopefully after you have departed. For me […]
In the Zen tradition we learn that when it comes to the big questions such as “What is This reality?” and “Who’s asking?” and “What is the meaning of life?” there are no answers and no way of knowing. Knowing is considered a delusion of the rational discriminating […]
I remember when the meaning of life meant something different to me than it does today. In many years from now, will this new understanding I have about life take on a new meaning? That’s the funny thing about life it changes from moment to moment, so even […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Zeine, what is the meaning of life? Foojan Zeine: Sages and philosophers have searched for millennia to uncover life’s meaning. Personally, I believe that the meaning of life is different for each person—and potentially that unique! When we’re born, our family teaches us about how […]
If I had to sum up what I see as the meaning of life, it would be to be in service to others. After all, this is what the great spiritual traditions tell us. I think this lovely poem by Thomas Stanley expresses this point of view To […]
Excellence Reporter: Jan, what is the meaning of life? Jan Engels-Smith: We all seek meaning in life and we have different reasons to believe that we have found it or we resign ourselves to an existential belief that there is no meaning to existence. I cannot subscribe to […]
Excellence Reporter: Danielle, what is the meaning of life? Danielle Dulsky: The meaning of life is creative expression. Our three-fold task is to seek out our own, unique, wild truth, burn through any obstacles to our expression of that truth as feverishly as possible, and, even when all else […]
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: Amita, what is the meaning of life? Amita Trasi: The meaning of life is to live! I cannot find a better definition!:-) There was a time, in my late teens when I went in search for the meaning of life. I happened to choose two things: writing a journal and meditation—searching […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Miller, what is the meaning of life? Richard C. Miller: To live from, and related to everyone and everything from “heart-centered presence of being” is my answer to the inquiry, “What is the meaning of life.” As heart-centered presence, I feel myself connected to myself, to […]
Excellence Reporter: Sally, what is the meaning of life? Sally Morningstar: The truth of the matter is that what comes will go, what rises will fall, what appears will disappear. All things of this world are impermanent; they will pass. To seek for the Meaning of Life from […]
Excellence Reporter: Oren, what is the meaning of life? Oren J. Sofer: There is something profound, mysterious, and sacred about being alive. The experience of being consciousness in a sensitive, vulnerable human body is so utterly unexpected, so remarkable, that we cannot help but wonder: Why we are […]
Excellence Reporter: Monica, what is the meaning of life? Monica Cassani: I’ve been sitting with this question: What is the meaning of life? on the back burner for a good long while. Finally today, I realized that the reason I haven’t been able to come up with writing anything is […]
Everything in the universe is structured by and functions through dynamic interrelatedness. Even the most minute part of our cells and organs, our blood, flesh, and bones are in constant vibratory interaction with vast fields of interrelatedness comprising everyone and everything around us on Earth and in the […]
“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent, but if we can come to terms with this indifference, then our existence as a species can have genuine meaning. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light…” […]
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 […]
As the shadows were awakening and a scent of the morn was carried on the breeze, I saw an eagle descending from the mountain-tops. It came down without a flutter of the wings into the valley, and there disappeared among the shadows of the black mountains. At the […]
Excellence Reporter: Dian, what is the meaning of life? Dian Duchin Reed: Meaning is not something we add to life; instead, how we live our life is what gives it meaning. As the ancient Chinese sage Laozi saw it, we would be better off if we practiced subtraction: […]
Excellence Reporter: Byron, what is the meaning of life? Byron Metcalf: This feels like the proverbial ‘trick question’! I’m not sure I have any answers but I do have a few ideas and strategies that support my being fully engaged in life, and to that extent, the meaning […]
What is the meaning of life? Does anyone know the answer beyond a doubt? One can speculate, but how can one truly know? It may be helpful to think, rather, about meaning in life as opposed to the meaning of life. Human beings are meaning seeking and meaning […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Yan Ti, what is the meaning of life? Master Shi Yan Ti: First of all thank you very much for giving me this question and I am very happy to have it and answer it in my way. What is the meaning of the life? […]
Excellence Reporter: Karuna, what is the meaning of life? Karuna Cayton: Simply said, the meaning of life is to live a meaningful life. The meaning of life is to be happy. This life we have is like treasure hidden in our basement. It’s value is inexpressible. The problem […]
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: Dr. Theise, what is the meaning of life? Neil Theise: Meaning is to be found in words, concepts, questions and their answers, actions and their consequences. All of which are, necessarily and always, secondary. There is no meaning to life, there is simply life. And life is the direct […]
Am I happy? Is my life a happy one? Am I happy inside my marriage? Am I happy with my family? Am I happy in my job? Am I happy with my church? Am I happy inside my own skin? Are these good questions to ask ourselves? No. […]
Excellence Reporter: DeAnna, what is the meaning of life? DeAnna L’am: The meaning of life is Service. When we serve the Whole we fully express who we are and what we came here do do. In order to find our calling, the true meaning of our existence, the unique […]
Excellence Reporter: Shifu Rinaldini, what is the meaning of life? Shifu Michael Rinaldini: As a Daoist priest, my concern about the Meaning of Life is the preciousness of life and how we, as a global society, are so reckless with it. Just look at the current state of […]
Excellence Reporter: Ken, what is the meaning of life? Ken McLeod: Meaning in life is contingent upon the context in which we live our lives. A meaningful act in one context may not have any meaning in another. This was the dilemma the Native-American Crow warriors faced when […]
For me the meaning of life is well LIFE itself. It is to LIVE. To experience the pure surge of life. To experience the beauty of creation with all its facets and opposites, all emotions, interactions, sensations, phases, relationships, diversities and contrasts. I live to be ALIVE. To […]
Excellence Reporter: Julie, what is the meaning of life? Julie Daniluk: What is the point of living? To use all of your senses to extract the full experience of being human. Because after we lose our life, we don’t have a body to see, hear, smell, touch or […]
Life has its own intentions and purpose and when the mind is quiet one is in alignment with it, not to satisfy a self created made up purpose, but strictly for the betterment of the Universe. You do what you do because the Conditioned Mind tells you what […]
Excellence Reporter: Jacqueline, what is the meaning of life? Jacqueline Maria Longstaff: I suggest that the meaning of life is to fulfil itself. When the time is right each one of us hears the call from deep within and then begins the inner journey. This journey begins as […]
What does it mean, to be alive? To live, to experience life? Why on Earth are we here on Earth? What are we to do and be? Some have said the purpose of life is to serve, with which I agree. Some have said it’s to learn and […]
Revolutionary Art, Anti-Zombie Apocalypse — DO NOT BE AFRAID JAGUAR PAW — create like crazy until you Wake UP spinning silk from your heart, shining eyes at your neighbor, holding your loves close, making, creating like you might DIE if you don’t. Reading, laughing, breathing sun, bathing moon […]
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. Farmer, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Steven Farmer: 35 years ago I was witness to my oldest daughter Nicole being birthed. I was in shock, not quite finding a place for this miracle in the familiar trappings of my mind. Up to then […]
Excellence Reporter: Ven. Tenzin, what is the meaning of life? Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi: As a Buddhist teacher, I will often be approached by students who say, “I just have one quick question – it will only take about five minutes,” and I respond, “ ‘What is the meaning […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Caplan, what is the meaning of life? Mariana Caplan: I don’t know the meaning of life, or even if there is one ultimate meaning. I only know that I endeavor to create deep meaning in my life, and that I admire those who strive for […]
Traditional Chinese Daoism believes that the only purpose of life is joy and happiness. To achieve a happy and healthy life, Daoism uses the three treasures of the Dao: conscience, mercy and forgiveness. These are basic virtues unique to humanity to achieve a quality of healthy longevity. As […]
Excellence Reporter: GuruMeher, what is the meaning of life? GuruMeher Khalsa: A question as big as this necessarily has more than one answer. These answers will seem contradictory or even paradoxical. In fact, the two answers I offer below illuminate why there are as many answers to this […]
Life is a miracle… The meaning of life is to participate to its miracle. No matter what your mind can tell you, your heart knows that you are born for a good reason, and that reason is good! We all have a very important purpose to fulfill throughout […]
Excellence Reporter: Geshe Tharchin, what is the meaning of life? Lharampa Geshe Jampa Tharchin: I believe that the meaning of life is living happily and joyfully. In Tibetan language, the word Happiness is compound by two syllables De–Kyi. The first one is related to physical happiness or comfort; being physically healthy. In […]
What is the Meaning of Life? To Remember To wake up To remember you are already Free If there is no confusion there would be no wisdom Gather the willingness to be open and present Don’t leave yourself Connect to something greater than the stories we tell our […]
Excellence Reporter: Martha, what is the meaning of life? Martha St. Claire: We are here to make a difference, to touch hearts, to heal others and ourselves, and to accelerate consciousness. We are here to love one another back to the Divine and along the way, to co-create […]
Harry Potter’s favorite word is brilliant; Yogi Bhajan taught the importance of developing caliber; the Pope is called His Eminence; we desire to live our talent; we know what Wiley E. Coyote wants to accomplish; companies proclaim their products have quality; our destiny calls for our greatness; the ultimate goal is mastery. Brilliant, caliber, eminence, talent, accomplishment, quality, greatness, and mastery, share a […]
Excellence Reporter: Hanna, what is the meaning of life? Gyan Devi: The meaning of life is for everyone something else, mostly given by Lords of Karma according to the required experiences, development of soul. Whether we accept it or not, our bodies are tools, puppets for the development […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Sun, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun: From the perspective of internal cultivation, the meaning of life is to fulfill the destiny of the authentic self. The authentic self refers to the prenatal intelligence and wisdom as the original light of consciousness. […]
Excellence Reporter: Ash, what is the meaning of life? Ash Beckham: I think the meaning of life is authentic human connection. Our relationship with others is the one universal truth across cultures and time. We are biologically wired to be social creatures. But today we live in an […]
The question most people ask is “What is the meaning of life?” The meaning of life is simply that it is. I think a more provocative and useful question is, “What am I doing here?” My take on this is that we came to experience humanity, in all […]
Excellence Reporter: Rev. Debra, what is the meaning of life? Rev. Debra Jarvis: The meaning of life is for everyone to find the meaning of their particular life. When reflecting on this question, the words that float through my brain are, “love,” “service,” “purpose,” “passion,” “connection to the Source,” […]
My first thought when asked this question was “42,” a nonsensical answer that Douglas Adams popularized in his novel Life, The Universe, and Everything. While it may seem flippant, I agree that we really can’t know the ultimate meaning of life. It’s unknowable. A mystery, one that’s better […]
Excellence Reporter: Roshi Wendy, what is the meaning of life? Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao: This question, “What is the meaning of life?” drove my spiritual search from my childhood through my mid-twenties until I encountered Zazen, the sitting posture that unites body-breath-mind in the mystery of life right […]
Excellence Reporter: Jenna, what is the meaning of life? Jenna McCarthy: The greatest minds of all time, from Albert Camus to Snoopy, have pondered this question, so it’s almost absurd to think I might have anything meaningful to add. But since you asked, I’ll tell you: it’s coffee. Wait, […]
Life can be viewed as a flow of moments. And how we spend these moments could bring meaning to life. What we chose to do or not to do in a moment will belong to the past when the moment is passed and that moment can never be […]
Excellence Reporter: Sally, what is the meaning of life? Sally Kempton: When I was young, I believed that the meaning of life was in our relationships with others and with our own work. As I got older, it seemed to me that the meaning of life is self-knowledge […]
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 […]
The answer is very simple, it is just life. Life wants to be, so it is. We do not know, where it comes from. It is given to us, a gift. So enjoy it, be thankful, do no harm, respect it. ~Yürgen Oster, a wandering and wondering Daoist. […]
Excellence Reporter: Sri Maharaj, what is the meaning of life? Sri Ramakant Maharaj: There is no meaning of life because you are basically unborn and hence formless. What identity was there prior to beingness, and after leaving the food-body? Your spontaneous, invisible Presence does not have any specific […]
The Yellow Emperor summoned Lao Tsu the Taoist and Bodhidharma the Buddhist to meet him by the Dragon Gate. Bodhidharma gathers his robe about him and seats himself at the wall. Lao Tsu reins in his ox and settles in the saddle. ‘Sages,’ says the Emperor, ‘I have […]
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 […]
Trying to summarize the meaning of life is a great exercise as it does vary for so many people. The best way I can describe it is “to find happiness”. Many experiences we gain from external sources can make us happy although this kind of happiness tends to […]
I’m pretty sure I knew the answer when I was in college. It was the late 80s and I forged my opinion on this and other essential questions during those clichéd late night conversations with dorm mates. The philosophy types had their expositions on truth, reason, and existence. […]
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 […]
Life is the Breath of God breathing. As co-creators with the Creator, we experience and extend the self-givingness of that eternal pulse now, always and forever. *** ~P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D. is one of the original researchers in the field of near-death studies, having begun her work in 1978. […]
Excellence Reporter: Dr. Nelson, what is the meaning of life? Dr. Bradley Nelson: One of my favorite cartoons on this topic has the guru respond to the truth-seeker by saying, “You’d better have a seat – people tend to fall down the mountain when I tell them the meaning of life!” […]
Right now we are entering the most turbulent times of human history. We are about to face the most intense climate changes ever witnessed in our recorded history. Tumultuous times are getting more and more tumultuous. Wars are raging all over the world and increasing at a fast […]
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: Sensei Carl, what is the meaning of life? Sensei Carl Genjo Bachmann: Sitting quietly doing nothing spring comes and the grass grows by itself. -Basho “Sitting quietly doing nothing” refers to a mind that is still. And when the mind is still “spring comes and the […]
Finding Meaning/Making Sense I am a philosopher; I teach philosophy; So I can’t hide from the question, “What is the meaning of life?” It has a way of finding me. Fortunately, I mostly teach courses in logic, philosophy of language, and epistemology, and my pedagogy is largely informed […]
Excellence Reporter: Master Dong, what is the meaning of life? Alex Dade Dong: The meaning of life is different for each individual. The meaning of life is about the things that means the most to us. But more importantly, life should be about not creating problems, not giving […]
Excellence Reporter: Rev. Maria, what is the meaning of life? Rev. Maria Felipe: HAPPINESS! Happiness is our function. But it’s hard to keep our happy going while being attached to this world of separation, fear, lack and limitation. The good news is that you can see it another […]
Excellence Reporter: Abhijit, what is the meaning of life? Abhijit Naskar: Life finds its meaning through every single living creature. And there are around 8.7 million species of life-forms on our planet. To all those millions of species, except one, life is all about mere survival. And the […]
This is what there is: Waking in the dark and cold. No more sleep. This is what there is: Rain on the roof. Newspaper soaked and muddy. His mouth trembles as he thinks of children suffering. Autumn leaves, red yellow, suddenly changing. This is all there is: Sitting […]
Excellence Reporter: Micheline, what is the meaning of life? Micheline Nader: This is the question that we all have wrestled with throughout the ages. It remains unanswerable to many and varies during the different stages of our life. The meaning of life is subjective and personal. While life […]
Excellence Reporter: Rev. Elbert, what is the meaning of life? Rev. Meian Elbert: The meaning of life – I don’t know. Perhaps what we are really trying to ask is, What is the purpose of life? Again, if we try to answer this in universal terms (the Purpose […]
Man ponders life’s meaning endlessly This brief sojourn to the mystery Is tasted by many who engage a dance In an earthly garden of circumstance That draws us in to weave a story Engaging earth in all her glory A precious chance for ships to sail To greet […]
What is the value of human life? According to the Buddhist view it must be known that the quality of each individual’s life is actually the result of their previously accumulated karma which will be both positive and negative. If someone believes that their circumstances in life are […]
Whether it’s looking younger, losing weight, getting rich or finding the meaning of life, we’re all in love with the quick fix. Who among us doesn’t want someone else to give us the answers to life’s biggest questions and challenges in fewer words than a Twitter post? The […]
Excellence Reporter: Solala, what is the meaning of life? Solala Towler: I believe that the meaning of life is very different for each one of us. We each of us have our own unique experience in this lifetime (or lifetimes). In the Taoist way we all walk our own […]
Finding true meaning in life seems to create a deep resonant inner contentment. So how do we get there? Ask yourself, “When I am deeply happy?” This is not just the glee and enjoyment of a beach holiday or one that comes from tasting delicious chocolate. The meaning […]
As I watch my father dying, the meaning of life is very clear to me. Sadly, he will never enjoy his favorite meal again, drink fresh clean water, make love, create to his full capacity, walk freely, breathe fully, or experience many of the other gifts that come […]
Excellence Reporter: Gen Nyema, what is the meaning of life? Gen Kelsang Nyema: My teacher, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, opens his book Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully, with this thought-provoking paragraph: “…we have immense freedom to accomplish almost anything we want. We can become a powerful politician, a successful businessman or […]
Excellence Reporter: Jovinna, what is the meaning of life? Jovinna Chan: This question has been my guiding light in navigating the many dark times my Soul has journeyed. In Chinese characters, there are at least three ways to write Life: 生活 (shēnghuó)，生命 (shēngmìng)，人生 (rénshēng). They are similar and […]
Excellence Reporter: Peter, what is the meaning of life? Peter Wohl: I believe that the current interest in this question about the meaning of life reflects the deepening state of alienation that we humans are living in. I presume that our indigenous ancestors would have found this inquiry […]
Excellence Reporter: Prof. Chang, what is the meaning of life? Ruth Chang: If you ask most people on the street ‘What is the meaning of life’, they will usually end up muttering something about ‘happiness’. But the meaning of life has nothing to do with happiness. Happiness is […]
Excellence Reporter: Ven. Namgyel, what is the meaning of life? Ven. Lobsang Namgyel: For nearly thirty years I have been studying Tibetan Buddhism and during that time I have often heard one of my Gurus, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, talk about the meaning of life as caring for others, […]
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 […]
*** ~James H. Austin, M.D. is a neurologist, researcher, Zen practitioner, Professor Emeritus of Neurology at the Univ. of Colorado Health Sciences Center, courtesy Professor of Neurology, Univ. of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, and author of seven recent MIT Press books on Zen and the brain.www.ZenAndTheBrain.com Copyright […]
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: Angie Roshi, what is the meaning of life? Angie Boissevain Roshi: I am eighty years old and when I was 13 years old, I realized that the human brain is too limited to even begin to understand life’s meaning, or even if it has any meaning at all. Therefore, I’m […]
