Exploring Purpose and Meaning
The ego personality deals with the loss of a sense of meaning by creating a sense of meaning. As we have seen, the usual personality or ego way of trying to create meaning is by having goals and aims that you will attain one of these days. The meaning of your life becomes the attainment of those goals. For most people life has meaning only in terms of these long term goals and hopes. Ego’s way of dealing with the loss or absence of realization is to relegate it to the future. Sometime. And what the goals and the aims are doesn’t matter; they could be anything. Your goal when you are young might be having the perfect relationship, and you might feel that if you have it everything will have meaning and significance and value and preciousness. Or you might have goals about your career, your work or some other attainment: scientific, artistic, or even enlightenment or realization. But all your thoughts are on the future, and your life has meaning and significance only from that perspective. That’s the level of ego. – A. H. Almaas, Diamond Heart Book Three: Being and the Meaning of Life
Meaning and meaninglessness can be understood in the context of one’s connection with their true nature or essence. Meaning, as described by the Diamond Approach, is not a conceptual construct but the realization of one’s true nature or essence. It is the understanding that the ultimate meaning of existence and life is found in being, in the fact of one’s existence. When one is in touch with their true nature, the need for conceptual meaning disappears as they find that meaning is being, the fact of their existence.
On the other hand, meaninglessness is perceived when one is not in touch with their true nature. It is seen as the absence of meaning, a condition where life lacks significance or purpose. However, the Diamond Approach suggests that this sense of meaninglessness is not the absence of meaning but rather the transcendence of the concept of meaning. It is the stage where even being is gone, as both being and nonbeing are conceptual. Meaninglessness becomes the true condition of things, for any meaning is simply a story the discriminating mind concocts. It is not the opposite of meaningfulness but rather the transcendence of meaning.
Some say the purpose of human life is to be a channel for the divine energy. How are you different from a tree then, or even a rock? A tree or a rock are channels for the divine energy. It is possible to be a channel, to be a clear, open channel with love and compassion flowing through you. It is a lovely experience but it is not the ultimate reason we are here; it is only transitional. We are not here to be channels, we are here to be. – A. H. Almaas, Diamond Heart Book Two: The Freedom to Be
Purpose is seen as an integral part of human existence. It is not just about eliminating suffering but rather an innate impulse that drives us towards self-realization and fulfilling our potential. The Diamond Approach posits that we all have an inherent desire to know and be who we truly are, and this desire forms the basis of our purpose. When we live in alignment with our true nature, we fulfill our purpose. However, when we deviate from this path, we experience suffering, which is not a problem to be solved, but a signal that we are yearning to return to our true nature.
The Diamond Approach also emphasizes that the problematic situations in our lives are not random or haphazard. They are specifically designed for us by a part of us that loves us more than anything else. These roadblocks are put in place to guide us back to our true selves. The purpose of these challenges is to awaken us to our true nature and guide us toward self-realization. This perspective encourages us to view our problems not as difficulties to be eliminated as quickly as possible but as opportunities for growth and self-discovery. They are seen as valuable experiences that can nourish our spiritual growth and lead us toward fulfilling our purpose.
The meaning and purpose of one’s life become clear, definite and actualized. One’s potentials develop and expand in a meaningful way, in accordance with one’s real aims. A sense of confidence in one’s capacities develops speedily, along with a certainty about who or what one is. One increasingly values one’s real presence, and the capacities and manifestations of this presence. The confidence, certainty, and value are not mental or emotional, but are more in the nature of a recognition of facts. – A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach
FAQ
- What is the Diamond Approach’s view on meaning and purpose in life?
The Diamond Approach suggests that meaning and purpose in life are deeply connected to one’s true nature or essence. When one is in touch with their true nature, they find that the ultimate meaning of life is in being, in their existence. On the other hand, purpose is an integral part of human existence, driving us toward self-realization and fulfilling our potential. - How does the Diamond Approach interpret the concept of meaninglessness?
According to the Diamond Approach, meaninglessness is perceived when one is not in touch with their true nature. It is seen as the absence of meaning, where life lacks significance or purpose. However, this sense of meaninglessness is not the absence of meaning but rather the transcendence of the concept of meaning. It is the stage where even being is gone, as both being and nonbeing are conceptual. - According to the Diamond Approach, what is the role of challenges and problems in our lives?
The Diamond Approach posits that the problematic situations in our lives are not random or haphazard. They are specifically designed for us by a part of us that loves us more than anything else. These challenges are put in place to guide us back to our true selves. The purpose of these challenges is to awaken us to our true nature and guide us toward self-realization. - How does the Diamond Approach view the concept of purpose?
Purpose is an innate impulse that drives us towards self-realization and fulfilling our potential. When we live in alignment with our true nature, we fulfill our purpose. However, when we deviate from this path, we experience suffering, which is not a problem to be solved, but a signal that we are yearning to return to our true nature. - What does the Diamond Approach suggest about future goals and aims?
The Diamond Approach suggests that for most people, life has meaning only regarding these long-term goals and hopes. However, all thoughts on the future and life have meaning and significance only from that perspective, which is considered the ego level. The true meaning of life is found in being, in the fact of one’s existence, not in the attainment of future goals.