The philosopher's not stoned - a meaning of life thread
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The philosopher's not stoned - a meaning of life thread
One of the interesting things about being sober on this site is how I see commonality in different things as my own journey moves along.
Recently I have been really grappling with the MEANING OF LIFE and - guess what? - been noticing lots of other people posting about the same thing.
I thought I'd put up a thread for people to post if they want to get philosophical and discuss the deeper things in life. If this isn't for you or it's not helpful for your sobriety phase that's cool! But if you do want to have a philosophise then you'll be home here
For me, I'm much happier, less anxious, less low, more balanced sober. But I have no idea what the purpose of my life is. Being drunk for 20 years meant I didn't need to think about this; in a way it also gave me a purpose as I was either drunk, hungover, or thinking about getting drunk. It was all consuming.
Im not unhappy thinking about it. I want to work it out, to understand my place in the universe.
(To add to the complexity I also enjoy 'living in the moment' and practice mindfulness and so question whether I should even question this subject!!)
What do other people think? Really keen to hear from searchers just as much (if not more) than those with the answers.....
Recently I have been really grappling with the MEANING OF LIFE and - guess what? - been noticing lots of other people posting about the same thing.
I thought I'd put up a thread for people to post if they want to get philosophical and discuss the deeper things in life. If this isn't for you or it's not helpful for your sobriety phase that's cool! But if you do want to have a philosophise then you'll be home here
For me, I'm much happier, less anxious, less low, more balanced sober. But I have no idea what the purpose of my life is. Being drunk for 20 years meant I didn't need to think about this; in a way it also gave me a purpose as I was either drunk, hungover, or thinking about getting drunk. It was all consuming.
Im not unhappy thinking about it. I want to work it out, to understand my place in the universe.
(To add to the complexity I also enjoy 'living in the moment' and practice mindfulness and so question whether I should even question this subject!!)
What do other people think? Really keen to hear from searchers just as much (if not more) than those with the answers.....
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I'm a "searcher" Be123. I think all people grapple with existence some point in their lives. Maybe some don't, but they're probably zombies. 
I can recall asking an old bloke, not an alcoholic, "what was the meaning of life", and he said, "we make our own meaning." This satisfied me at the time, but didn't do much about it, just carried on as I was, drinking. Unconscious.
Now in sobriety I am trying to find meaning to my life, by doing the things I never thought possible, or was afraid to attempt. And this includes relationships with others, and more importantly relationship with self. Sobriety has had me think again, something alcohol allowed me to ignore. No turning back now.
I'm not much of a philosopher Be123, but think forming and developing relationship with self is going to be where I find my meaning. I've hardly even kicked off. But that means something, surely?
Steely x
I can recall asking an old bloke, not an alcoholic, "what was the meaning of life", and he said, "we make our own meaning." This satisfied me at the time, but didn't do much about it, just carried on as I was, drinking. Unconscious.
Now in sobriety I am trying to find meaning to my life, by doing the things I never thought possible, or was afraid to attempt. And this includes relationships with others, and more importantly relationship with self. Sobriety has had me think again, something alcohol allowed me to ignore. No turning back now.
I'm not much of a philosopher Be123, but think forming and developing relationship with self is going to be where I find my meaning. I've hardly even kicked off. But that means something, surely?
Steely x
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Location: Australia
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For me, the answer lies in the mystery of consciousness. We really have no idea what consciousness is. But it's a fair observation that nothing is experienced without consciousness.
I have been a searcher of the truth in some form for decades, going back to childhood. About 12 years ago, I began searching in a more organised fashion, and started reading a lot of books on various esoteric subjects. When I got sober, the pressing feeling that I needed to find out my purpose - what I was here for - amped up the search another few notches.
I now have a satisfactory explanation for the meaning of life, for my purposes. I'm not sure my explanation would satisfy you or anyone else though, because the thing about consciousness is, it's a subjective experience. I'm also not sure I can express my explanation in simple terms, but let me try.
Taking the highest perspective I can think of, I would say - all life is unified (Source or Oneness) and individualised (fragments of Oneness) at the same time. Life on Earth is part of a vast, almost infinite, multi-dimensional, multi-universal experiment in Oneness experiencing itself in an individualised manner. (Or to put it another way, God dreams through us.) As our consciousness evolves, we as fragments of Source or Oneness will eventually make our way 'back' to Source, replete with our experiences. This is the explanation for the impetus for evolution, to constantly grow towards more knowing and more experience... or as Terence McKenna said, more complexity and more novelty.
At our relatively low level of consciousness as humans, much more than this sort of explanation lies beyond our grasp. I truly believe that. However, from personal experience, it does enrich life to go through the everyday and aim to maintain this sort of higher perspective.
That's what I believe, at its simplest.
I have been a searcher of the truth in some form for decades, going back to childhood. About 12 years ago, I began searching in a more organised fashion, and started reading a lot of books on various esoteric subjects. When I got sober, the pressing feeling that I needed to find out my purpose - what I was here for - amped up the search another few notches.
I now have a satisfactory explanation for the meaning of life, for my purposes. I'm not sure my explanation would satisfy you or anyone else though, because the thing about consciousness is, it's a subjective experience. I'm also not sure I can express my explanation in simple terms, but let me try.
Taking the highest perspective I can think of, I would say - all life is unified (Source or Oneness) and individualised (fragments of Oneness) at the same time. Life on Earth is part of a vast, almost infinite, multi-dimensional, multi-universal experiment in Oneness experiencing itself in an individualised manner. (Or to put it another way, God dreams through us.) As our consciousness evolves, we as fragments of Source or Oneness will eventually make our way 'back' to Source, replete with our experiences. This is the explanation for the impetus for evolution, to constantly grow towards more knowing and more experience... or as Terence McKenna said, more complexity and more novelty.
At our relatively low level of consciousness as humans, much more than this sort of explanation lies beyond our grasp. I truly believe that. However, from personal experience, it does enrich life to go through the everyday and aim to maintain this sort of higher perspective.
That's what I believe, at its simplest.
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Originally Posted by Steely 
I'm a "searcher" Be123. I think all people grapple with existence some point in their lives. Maybe some don't, but they're probably zombies.
I can recall asking an old bloke, not an alcoholic, "what was the meaning of life", and he said, "we make our own meaning." This satisfied me at the time, but didn't do much about it, just carried on as I was, drinking. Unconscious.
Now in sobriety I am trying to find meaning to my life, by doing the things I never thought possible, or was afraid to attempt. And this includes relationships with others, and more importantly relationship with self. Sobriety has had me think again, something alcohol allowed me to ignore. No turning back now.
I'm not much of a philosopher Be123, but think forming and developing relationship with self is going to be where I find my meaning. I've hardly even kicked off. But that means something, surely?
Steely x
I can recall asking an old bloke, not an alcoholic, "what was the meaning of life", and he said, "we make our own meaning." This satisfied me at the time, but didn't do much about it, just carried on as I was, drinking. Unconscious.
Now in sobriety I am trying to find meaning to my life, by doing the things I never thought possible, or was afraid to attempt. And this includes relationships with others, and more importantly relationship with self. Sobriety has had me think again, something alcohol allowed me to ignore. No turning back now.
I'm not much of a philosopher Be123, but think forming and developing relationship with self is going to be where I find my meaning. I've hardly even kicked off. But that means something, surely?
Steely x
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Originally Posted by MissPerfumado
For me, the answer lies in the mystery of consciousness. We really have no idea what consciousness is. But it's a fair observation that nothing is experienced without consciousness.
I have been a searcher of the truth in some form for decades, going back to childhood. About 12 years ago, I began searching in a more organised fashion, and started reading a lot of books on various esoteric subjects. When I got sober, the pressing feeling that I needed to find out my purpose - what I was here for - amped up the search another few notches.
I now have a satisfactory explanation for the meaning of life, for my purposes. I'm not sure my explanation would satisfy you or anyone else though, because the thing about consciousness is, it's a subjective experience. I'm also not sure I can express my explanation in simple terms, but let me try.
Taking the highest perspective I can think of, I would say - all life is unified (Source or Oneness) and individualised (fragments of Oneness) at the same time. Life on Earth is part of a vast, almost infinite, multi-dimensional, multi-universal experiment in Oneness experiencing itself in an individualised manner. (Or to put it another way, God dreams through us.) As our consciousness evolves, we as fragments of Source or Oneness will eventually make our way 'back' to Source, replete with our experiences. This is the explanation for the impetus for evolution, to constantly grow towards more knowing and more experience... or as Terence McKenna said, more complexity and more novelty.
At our relatively low level of consciousness as humans, much more than this sort of explanation lies beyond our grasp. I truly believe that. However, from personal experience, it does enrich life to go through the everyday and aim to maintain this sort of higher perspective.
That's what I believe, at its simplest.
I have been a searcher of the truth in some form for decades, going back to childhood. About 12 years ago, I began searching in a more organised fashion, and started reading a lot of books on various esoteric subjects. When I got sober, the pressing feeling that I needed to find out my purpose - what I was here for - amped up the search another few notches.
I now have a satisfactory explanation for the meaning of life, for my purposes. I'm not sure my explanation would satisfy you or anyone else though, because the thing about consciousness is, it's a subjective experience. I'm also not sure I can express my explanation in simple terms, but let me try.
Taking the highest perspective I can think of, I would say - all life is unified (Source or Oneness) and individualised (fragments of Oneness) at the same time. Life on Earth is part of a vast, almost infinite, multi-dimensional, multi-universal experiment in Oneness experiencing itself in an individualised manner. (Or to put it another way, God dreams through us.) As our consciousness evolves, we as fragments of Source or Oneness will eventually make our way 'back' to Source, replete with our experiences. This is the explanation for the impetus for evolution, to constantly grow towards more knowing and more experience... or as Terence McKenna said, more complexity and more novelty.
At our relatively low level of consciousness as humans, much more than this sort of explanation lies beyond our grasp. I truly believe that. However, from personal experience, it does enrich life to go through the everyday and aim to maintain this sort of higher perspective.
That's what I believe, at its simplest.
I also tend to agree in the one ness of creation (although I personally don't believe in a creator), but this doesn't help me understand my place in it. I've developed a belief in a higher power, the power of science and nature, and i am part of that power, but day to day I'm still a lost soul (but not an unhappy one, I must keep stressing that!)
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I see life as an "unfolding". A process of growing to achieve realization and self actualization. We will all leave some type of legacy behind.
I've been into astrology for 20 years. According to the planets, we are on the cusp of the Aquarian age (which is a really good thing). We are at a critical point in world history and for anyone who believes in astrology, the past year has been extremely validating because the predictions about world upheaval have come true.
As someone with a science degree, I embarked on astrology mostly to disprove it but instead became a believer. It brings me a sense of purpose.
I've been into astrology for 20 years. According to the planets, we are on the cusp of the Aquarian age (which is a really good thing). We are at a critical point in world history and for anyone who believes in astrology, the past year has been extremely validating because the predictions about world upheaval have come true.
As someone with a science degree, I embarked on astrology mostly to disprove it but instead became a believer. It brings me a sense of purpose.
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Originally Posted by Be123
I agree consciousness is a great mystery, and concepts such 'mind', 'free will', 'decision' are really hard to define (and for me have been thrown under the spot light in getting sober).
I also tend to agree in the one ness of creation (although I personally don't believe in a creator), but this doesn't help me understand my place in it. I've developed a belief in a higher power, the power of science and nature, and i am part of that power, but day to day I'm still a lost soul (but not an unhappy one, I must keep stressing that!)
I also tend to agree in the one ness of creation (although I personally don't believe in a creator), but this doesn't help me understand my place in it. I've developed a belief in a higher power, the power of science and nature, and i am part of that power, but day to day I'm still a lost soul (but not an unhappy one, I must keep stressing that!)
If you'll indulge me to go further into my belief structure, the idea of being a fragment of Source or Oneness has many important implications for the individual.
One is that we are each essentially an aspect of Creator, so have powers of creation ourselves. That's what conscious experience is: a basic form of creation. Hence the popular mantra: you create your own reality. I believe we both individually create and co-create realities depending on the clusters of consciousness we form.
Another is that, coming down from the highest perspective of Oneness to the Earth level of reality (which is also an immense co-creation), there is a part of you that is immortal (usually called the soul) and a part that lives and dies (the personality and the physical body).
The immortal part or the soul has much more access to higher consciousness than the personality. The personality can achieve more realisation and self-actualisation (as Sober 45 put it) by aligning itself with the soul and allowing more of the soul's vaster access to consciousness into this plane of reality - and in this way will live with more 'purpose'. Some believe this is the original design of the Earth 'game' or level of reality - to be highly conscious souls experiencing through physicality.
Accessing more consciousness is therefore beneficial, as it will allow the individual personality to realise what its soul would like it to 'do' on Earth. Accordingly, your purpose as Be123 in the year 2020 on Earth is unique to you and communication with your soul will tell you what it is.
Ways to enable access to your soul wisdom include keeping a clean physical vessel (staying sober and being vegetarian, for example) and setting a clear intention through practices like mindfulness and meditation (intention being a manifestation of consciousness on Earth).
Also, learning to discern and trust your intuition. The intuition part is very, very subjective and is hard for people with a scientific bent to accept. I can never prove to anyone how I know what I know, but I have learned to trust my intuition and go with it. In this way, I align with my soul wisdom.
I agree with Sober45's view of a New Age dawning. I think this is part of a very complex co-creation involving Earth. As it has an astrological connection, the Age of Aquarius construct is not just an Earth creation, but it's hard to say how far 'up' it goes.
On Earth, it is experienced as a New Age of higher consciousness and my soul wisdom guides me to believe I've been born here as MissPerfumado at this particular time for this particular ride. It's been an incredible journey so far. Honestly, I can see why I've chosen to be here. What a show.
Later today I'm travelling to Uluru for a few days, which is one of the most sacred sites in Australia. I'll see in the Summer Solstice which will be marked by a traditional ceremony by the Indigenous custodians there, who themselves have been gathering their own signs of the New Age. Since I started tuning into my soul wisdom, I've learned when to go where.
If you've read this far, thank you for indulging me this very long explanation!
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In simple terms, I believe my purpose in life is to be the best person I can be.
I believe that our souls hold the answer to the purpose of our lives. It's our soul which connects us with every other being on the planet. And, when we are very quiet, our soul will speak to us and give us the answers we need.
I believe that our souls hold the answer to the purpose of our lives. It's our soul which connects us with every other being on the planet. And, when we are very quiet, our soul will speak to us and give us the answers we need.
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I try to do good, because I am other, too. Without empathy we are dead.
If I can practice empathy without denying self, and my MO since 1st century, I move closer to "oneness" with the planet, and its people. We can all rock together.
We all know there's a lot more to this than just the navel gazing. Think too, real practical effort must be employed to make it possible for us all "to rock on together". Hard to do when you ain't got a dime.
"There are no philosophers with a toothache." Someone said that.
Ommmmm! And it's the ommmmm, that helps me get there.
Uluru will be great MissP. It's on my wish list.
If I can practice empathy without denying self, and my MO since 1st century, I move closer to "oneness" with the planet, and its people. We can all rock together.
We all know there's a lot more to this than just the navel gazing. Think too, real practical effort must be employed to make it possible for us all "to rock on together". Hard to do when you ain't got a dime.
"There are no philosophers with a toothache." Someone said that.
Ommmmm!
And it's the ommmmm, that helps me get there.Uluru will be great MissP. It's on my wish list.
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For me, the meaning of life is found by learning and helping from and with all life forms on this planet on a journey towards peaceful coexistence.
I am light years away from walking my talk, but I am making progress, even if by inches. I just need to stay in forward motion. :~)
I am light years away from walking my talk, but I am making progress, even if by inches. I just need to stay in forward motion. :~)
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This is such a great idea for a thread. When I was newly sober I was horribly disconnected from myself and the world around me. I put a lot of work into this in the early years and I found it enjoyable. I was lucky enough to be going through it when RobbyRobot was still here and got to participate in a thread about being authentic. That philosophy bug has left me so maybe I need to think about this again. Right now my purpose is my daughter. I want to be able to set her up in life so she doesn't have to go through what I did. I want my future grandchildren to have an amazing start in life. I want the cycle to end with me. One of the things I'm most grateful for is that I am still here to help her.
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I find purpose through my children. But I also find that as they grow that purpose has changed and now is decreasing. People always say, 'They still need you, just in different ways' and they're right up to a point...but also it's not true. I really want my kids not to need me and it's happening, slowly and in degrees which is great.
A few of my friends and cohort have split up from long term partners, as I have, aged 40-50. I'm 41 and I think there is something of the 'mid life crisis' going on. The all-consuming madness of young children has gone and life takes on a new perspective. But I'm too old for certain choices too.
Its exiting not knowing where you fit in the world, if you fit at all
A few of my friends and cohort have split up from long term partners, as I have, aged 40-50. I'm 41 and I think there is something of the 'mid life crisis' going on. The all-consuming madness of young children has gone and life takes on a new perspective. But I'm too old for certain choices too.
Its exiting not knowing where you fit in the world, if you fit at all
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Haha - another feature of my 'mid life crisis'.
I don't know how old people are. It's hard to explain but one simple thing, when I look at people I find it really hard to tell their age. "Anywhere between 25-60" I often think 😂
But more than that I don't know what age means. (Yikes this is hard to explain and I don't think I'm doing it justice.) When I was a kid my parents aged 41 were 'old'. Now I know everyone thinks that but also the way people behave has changed...photos of them
and their life style meant they were like 'old people' then, whereas people live like 'young people' into their 80's now. So what do I mean by 'old' and 'young' people?? And where do I fit in with that?
If anyone says age is just a number I'll scream because of course it isn't! 😡
I haven't explained that well so if anyone feels any understanding and wants to take it on I'd be grateful
I don't know how old people are. It's hard to explain but one simple thing, when I look at people I find it really hard to tell their age. "Anywhere between 25-60" I often think 😂
But more than that I don't know what age means. (Yikes this is hard to explain and I don't think I'm doing it justice.) When I was a kid my parents aged 41 were 'old'. Now I know everyone thinks that but also the way people behave has changed...photos of them
and their life style meant they were like 'old people' then, whereas people live like 'young people' into their 80's now. So what do I mean by 'old' and 'young' people?? And where do I fit in with that?
If anyone says age is just a number I'll scream because of course it isn't! 😡
I haven't explained that well so if anyone feels any understanding and wants to take it on I'd be grateful
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I struggle with finding my purpose in life. What I see and have experienced so far is that we are programmed to go to school, get a job, get married, have children, save for retirement and die.
Simplified of course, but that is what modern society seems to be built around.
Simplified of course, but that is what modern society seems to be built around.
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