What is the Meaning of Life? Awakening to a New Perception
WAKING UP PRODUCES MEANINGLESSNESS
When you find yourself slammed into the awakening process, there comes a point, after the nostalgia of it all begins to fade, and the deepness of what is happening to you really starts to set in, you will inevitably start questioning everything around you. The further and further you are pulled, the more layers that are removed from what you thought yourself to be, the question enters your mind, “What does all of this mean? What is the meaning of life? Is there really any meaning at all?” These are just a few things that you might be faced with as you walk through your own spiritual journey.
When you are being shown that your small identity self is not really who you are, your entire world is rocked, and you lose your previous point of view. Prior to awakening, you may have had strong convictions on what you thought the meaning of life, or the meaning of the world is. You may have believed that you had a specific purpose and you were fulfilling that purpose. Then, your life took an unexpected turn and now you don’t know what to believe anymore. It’s like everything gets tossed out the window and you are lost floating out to sea with no land anywhere in sight!
This can be the beginning of the great unknown journey. You have been emptied of so many previously held beliefs that now you have no certainty or knowing of anything. You simply have come to the realization that you know nothing. When you come to this realization a variety of things can happen. Fear man develop because the mind has no predetermined outcome. It has no idea what is to come. The mind does not do well when it loses control of the situation. You may begin to think there is no point to this life if it ultimately has no meaning. You might feel depressed lacking any energy to do anything because you see it as meaningless. But is that what awakening is really about? Is it bringing us to the point where nothing means anything, nothing is worth doing, there’s no point to any of this if it’s all just an illusion?
EGO AND SPIRIT- DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS
Before you check out and think life is over and there is no point in putting effort into anything, or experiencing what the world has to offer, let’s look at the two very different aspects of the mind to see what point of view they are coming from. From the ego’s perspective, the controlling self-gratifier that it is, devotes it’s time obsessing over everything. The ego will work overtime to keep us distracted from discovering the Truth of who we are. How does it do this? It keeps us distracted and focused on the world, our survival, the duties and responsibilities we have, and seeking accomplishment after accomplishment to better itself. The ego loves to think it’s the most important thing in the world. It grasps ahold of anything it can to keep itself relevant. It will continue to play the game as long as you believe in its significance. Awakening undoes this mental construct. When you are no longer identifying with the ego’s expectations, there can be a state of limbo where you don’t yet know where you are, but you know the ego is no longer serving you. This is where the unknown journey sets in, and the idea of meaninglessness may become present.
From the spiritual side of ourselves, this reminder of who we really are, is not concerned with outcomes, expectations, or what we are doing in the world. This essence is so much larger, and so beyond the world. It is our connection to our true self and is as a symbol of our real existence outside of time and space. From the side of spirit, the meaning of life is to simply discover this aspect that is within all things. Spirit will use any relationship, experience, career, accomplishment, challenge, illness, you name it to allow us to discover who we are. No matter what we do in the world, there is an opportunity just waiting for us to notice it. It is always with us. It is simply a matter of time until we see it, feel it, and live it.
It is very clear that these two conflicting aspects of the mind have very different meanings, interpretations and agendas. The ego is only looking out for number one, and spirit is solely focused on showing you your highest self, the self that resides eternally. When you understand that these two are in direct opposition to one another, then you have the ability to make a choice. Which side do you choose to see with? Not only can you decide which side to look through, but you can then start investigating the meaning behind life and see how this may change when you wake up from your previously held beliefs. These two have vastly different meanings of what life, your life, and the entire world represents. If you struggle feeling like life is meaningless as the ego begins to take a back seat, the purpose will become much more meaningful as you build a deeper connection to spirit.
TAKING THE MIND OUT OF IT
By stepping out of the mind, or the ego if you will, and watching life as it goes by, you remove the interpretation. When you remove this aspect, it appears that events simply happen. It is only when the mind gets involved with its judgments and labels that meaning is born. Think about how you live from day to day. You go about your business watching the so-called movie of life right in front of your face. You are receiving endless amounts of information that your mind is reflecting upon. You then form opinions, beliefs, and decision making around the interpretation you are giving any given situation. Therefore, meaning is a very subjective thing. Everyone interprets experiences differently. This is why the meaning of life has so many definitions. It depends on who you ask, what experiences they have had, and what conditioning has been applied.
If you were to step out of your mind and watch everything around you without any mental chatter, you would simply be watching events unfold. There would be no opinion on the matter. Essentially there is no real meaning to it without the mind thinking there is. The key word being “thinking” there is. It is meaningless from this perspective. The thinker determines everything in our life as long as we give it the power to do so. When you step out of the thinker and observe, it seems that you are merely playing witness to events and interacting in them as you need to. Without reflecting or responding to thought, life simply happens. It just is.
During awakening, your ego mind is seen clearly. As you begin to shift out of the old meanings you had formed, the feeling of meaninglessness creeps in. Depending on your level of experience, this can hit subtly or extremely harsh. From the ego’s point of view, to say that life has no inherent meaning is devastating, it’s awful, and can destroy all of the things you held dearly. However, when you connect with your highest self, the spiritual side, you begin to feel a larger awareness that is indescribable. It is so alive and expansive. When you are in this sacred space an entirely new definition of meaning emerges.
RE-FRAMING MEANING IN YOUR LIFE
When you reach the higher self and the deeper connection to who you are, it opens the door to a vastly different meaning of life. Seeing the meaninglessness of the ego and its ongoing propositions invites you into a broader perspective of life itself. Forming a continuous relationship with spirit allows you to see how everything you do is designed to bring you closer to who you are. It is there to shine brightly, compassionately communicating with everything around you. Life becomes less about the “I” and more about connecting, extending, and sharing the reminder of Home. It is the “I” within all of us, that identification with a small self that blocks us from this larger experience of life. As the “I” begins to dissolve, it is quite natural for life to become much more meaningful than ever before.
In the limbo period, where the ego is flailing, dissolving, and pouting, life may seem meaningless. This is the “I” talking, the one who is the center of existence. When you shift into a broader field of consciousness, you sense the larger “you,” and the interconnectedness of all things. You are less concerned with your personal outcomes and more invested in living with this field as your guide. It quite literally changes everything. You will see the deeper purpose to everything you do. Every interaction, moment of exchange, or personal experience is done with the extension of this field moving through you. Not only is it extending and sharing itself within and through you, but you also see this essence in everyone. If someone you love is having a challenging moment, you are there holding the space for them, to allow them to feel it with you, even if you don’t say anything. You feel compelled to share this with them even if they are unaware it is happening. Whatever you do in the world to live, whatever career you have, whatever role you play, you now do it with a much deeper sense of purpose. It isn’t about how much I gain, how many material possessions I accumulate, or how much money I make, it’s about sharing the essence of our true nature, the symbol of our real Home.
Shifting from a meaningless life to a meaningful life is only a matter of perception. It is normal during the process of awakening to feel the meaninglessness of life from the ego’s limited view. When the ego knows it’s irrelevant then it makes perfect sense why you experience meaninglessness. Consider this an opportunity, a pivotal moment in your journey. The ego won’t see it this way, however, the spirit within you will. Spirit will see that everything you do is now in service of what each and every one of us subconsciously knows. That we are all part of the same thing. There is something more than we see, something much greater and more meaningful to our existence that has nothing to do with the pettiness of the world around us. Living in this way changes everything. It brings a much deeper purpose to everything you do. So, when you think life is meaningless, it is only the ego that sees it that way. The wiser you knows better. It is simply waiting for you to remember.