It Is Life That Asks The Questions Of Us
ये जीवन ही है जो हमसे प्रश्न पूछता है : द्वारा विक्टर फ्रान्कलअब यह प्रश्न नहीं हो सकता है कि “ मैं जीवन से क्या उम्मीद कर सकता हूं?” वरन अब यही प्रश्न हो सकता है कि “ जीवन मेरे से क्या उम्मीद रखता है” ? जीवन का कौन सा नियुक्त कर्म मेरा इंतजार कर रहा है ?
अब हमें यह भी समझ में आने लगा है , अंतिम विश्लेषण में, कि कैसे जीवन के अभिप्राय का प्रश्न, सामान्य पूछने के तरीके से , सही नहीं पूछा जाता है | हमें जीवन से उसके अभिप्राय के प्रश्न पूछने का अधिकार नहीं है, वरन जीवन ही प्रश्न पूछता है, हमारी ओर प्रश्न रखता है| हमें ही जवाब देने है, जीवन के प्रत्येक , घंटेवार ,निरंतर प्रश्नों के, जीवन के अनिवार्य प्रश्नों के| हमारे जीने का अभिप्राय उन जीवन के प्रश्नों के उत्तर के अलावा कुछ नहीं है, यही नहीं, जीवन का पूर्ण अस्तित्व ही जीवन को जवाब देते रहना है, उसके प्रति उत्तरदायित्व की भावना रखना है| इस मानसिक दृष्टिकोण से, हमें कोई भी घटना डरा नहीं सकती, कोई भविष्य या भविष्य का प्रत्यक्ष आभाव, डरा नहीं सकता.| अभी वर्त्तमान ही हमारे लिए सब कुछ है क्योंकि उसी ने जीवन के अनंत नए प्रश्न हमारे लिए छुपा रखें हैं |
जीवन जो हमसे प्रश्न पूछता है, और जिनके उत्तर देने में हमें वर्तमान छण के अर्थ समझ मैं आते हैं, यह सिर्फ घंटे दर घंटे ही नहीं बदलते बल्कि व्यक्ति से व्यक्ति में भी बदलते हैं| जीवन प्रश्न हर छण , हर व्यक्ति के लिए बिलकुल अलग होता है|
हम देख सकते हैं कि कैसे जीवन के अर्थ का प्रश्न , बहुत ही सरल लगता है, जबतक कि हम उसे पूर्ण ठोसता से वर्त्तमान की स्थूलता के सन्दर्भ में नहीं देख रहे हों| जीवन के अर्थ के प्रश्न को साधारण तरीके से पूछना, ठीक उसी तरह का होता है जैसे कोई पत्रकार किसी शतरंज के विश्व विजेता से पूछता है “ मास्टर , कृपया बताएं कि शतरंज में कौन सी चाल सबसे अच्छी होती है?” क्या कोई ऐसी चाल , कोई भी ऐसी विशेष चाल, अच्छी या सर्वोत्तम हो सकती है , जो उस गेम की विशिस्ट , ठोस , परिस्थिति या उस गेम के विशिस्ट छनिक प्रारूप से परे हो?
एक तरह से या दूसरी तरह से, हर समय में सिर्फ एक ही विकल्प जीवन को अर्थ देने का हो सकता है, हर छण को अर्थ दें ताकि किसी भी समय जीवन प्रश्न के उत्तर देने के लिए सिर्फ एक ही निर्णय लेना रह जाता है , परन्तु, हर समय जीवन हमसे बहुत ही विशिष्ट सवाल पूछता है| इन सब बातों का यह निष्कर्ष निकलता है, जीवन हमें, उसके अर्थ के पालन करने के, हर समय मौके देता है और इससे यह भी समझ आता है की जीवन का अर्थ है | हम यह भी कह सकते हैं, हम अपने मानव अस्तित्व को अर्थपूर्ण , अपनी आखरी सांस तक, जब तक हम में सांस है, जब तक हम में चेतना है, बना सकते हैं, और इस जीवन प्रश्न के उत्तर देने की जिम्मेवारी भी हमारी है|
मनन के लिए बीज प्रश्न: इस धारणा से आप कैसे सम्बन्ध रखते हैं, की जीवन का अर्थ , व्यक्ति एवं छण के साथ बदलता रहता है? क्या आप ऐसी कोई व्यग्तिगत घटना साझा कर सकते हैं, जब आप जीवन के तरल किन्तु वास्तविक अर्थ से अवगत हुए हों| आपको जीवन प्रश्न के उत्तर , वर्त्तमान छण में, देने में, किस चीज़ से मदद मिलती है?
Excerpt from Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything. Viktor Frankl (1905–1997) was a Viennese neurologist and psychiatrist imprisoned in the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he lost his mother, father, and brother. His 1946 memoir Man’s Search for Meaning remains one of the profoundest and most vitalizing books ever written, abounding with wisdom on how to persevere through the darkest times and what it means to live with presence.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion that the meaning of life can change both by individual and moment? Can you share a personal story of a time you became aware of the fluid but real nature of meaning? What helps you answer the question of meaning in the present moment?
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10 Past Reflections
On Mar 14, 2021 Colleen Mac Mac Dougall wrote :
Frankl is an elder of wisdom, born out of pain and eternal hope for the human condition. He trusted beyond the moment though I sense he would come back to a core meaning his life held even as his circumstances had no apparent meaning.
A moment: In 2010, standing in front of the crash site marking how fear broughtdown the very mission of hopeHammarskjold was bringing, I remember the questionLife asked me: How will I and my generation respond to the call he began to open?
I return to that question, along with "Who can I be here so others can be and live their dreams?" every time I feel fatigued, alone.
To lve the questions Life asks me takes everything I got - always, a labor of heart, mind, and soul. I cannot not answer in the way I can at any moment ot time.
A moment: In 2010, standing in front of the crash site marking how fear broughtdown the very mission of hopeHammarskjold was bringing, I remember the questionLife asked me: How will I and my generation respond to the call he began to open?
I return to that question, along with "Who can I be here so others can be and live their dreams?" every time I feel fatigued, alone.
To lve the questions Life asks me takes everything I got - always, a labor of heart, mind, and soul. I cannot not answer in the way I can at any moment ot time.
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On Jul 2, 2020 Sonal Shah wrote :
Being in present moment. Awarenessof mind should be there. Consumption of things matters for our day to day life if possible.
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On Jul 1, 2020 Ambika wrote :
Choices a plenty. Constantly we are bombarded with making choices. Sometimes its difficult, most often it is confusing andrarely easy. Choice between 'this or that'. We are not familiar because we have not been woken up to the truth that it does not have to be between this or that but a third option. Beyond this or that there is 'My Way' as an option. Why not my way? This can remain as a question. The answer lies within the person. The truth is that a question always arises from an answer. No answer, no question. Most often answers appear through the process of Osmosis. We need to allow the question to rest and grow in the warmth of the answer. Then the answer appears when you are ready to receive it. The question disappears. The answer was always within you. At the necessitated time it makes it's appearance.
Life is not a question. life is an answer to it's desire, excitement and need to celebrate the created.
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Life is not a question. life is an answer to it's desire, excitement and need to celebrate the created.
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On Jun 30, 2020 Sandra wrote :
I think the general meaning of life for everyone is to learn to love ourselves, each other, & the world around us to the best of our ability.
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On Jun 30, 2020 Sunil, Bangalore wrote :
Spiritually, in life impermanence is the only permanence. The meaning of
thisfleeting human birth may be found in serving its core purpose of crossing the cycle of 84 to merge self into HIM.
​​​​​While practicing the Surat-Shabd yoga to achieve this you may have a glimpse of such an experience. The intellect and wisdom gained during this process may offer all the answers to move forward meaningfully.
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thisfleeting human birth may be found in serving its core purpose of crossing the cycle of 84 to merge self into HIM.
​​​​​While practicing the Surat-Shabd yoga to achieve this you may have a glimpse of such an experience. The intellect and wisdom gained during this process may offer all the answers to move forward meaningfully.
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On Jun 28, 2020 David Doane wrote :
All creation is one whole, one activity, one being that is constantly changing. There may be the appearance of separate and static, but the nature of real being is oneness and fluidity. The meaning of life is to grow individually and collectively, which means to be continuously responsive to constantly changing reality in a way that enhances growth. Awareness of that came to me through discussion, reading, reflection, and living, an awareness that was initially a whisper and has grown and continues to grow in volume, clarity, and depth. As stated earlier, what makes sense to me is that we are here to grow, and my inner voice and my best judgment help me know that.
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On Jun 26, 2020 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
There is an existential approach or standpoint when it comes to asking the question what is the meaning of life. The meaning of life is not static and so is the question. Life is dynamic. Life is changing. How do I relate to this truth of life? By using the past frame of reference or by planning for thee future? My response to life is relating to life as it unfolds. The unfolding life presents specific challenges in the concreteness of here and now.
We all are aware of the challenges we are facing at this time. We see the cruel face of mankind, the hurting heart of mankind, the angry outburst of mankind. This is an existential challenge to all of us. How do I relate to this existential challenge? I do not believe in remaining indifferent or quiet. I also do not believe in taking it in piecemeal or in a fragmented way. It is a systemic problem and it needs to be tackled in a systemic way. I am examining myself and becoming aware of my own biases and prejudice. Is my mind static? Am I h... [View Full Comment]
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On Jun 26, 2020 rahul wrote :
Not so long ago, I was struggling with a person who lived near me. Her behavior seemed hostile, selfish, destructive, and obstinate all at once. In the face of directly observable facts-- like those that were recorded on video-- she rejected any notion of an agreed upon reality or set of baseline facts. I was simply flummoxed and at the end of my wits to understand how to deal with this person. Then it just so happened that I became aware of her extreme financial vulnerability. The room spun. Suddenly I understood why she couldn't meet me in 'reality'. My view of her transformed from 'destructive and obstinate' to 'scared and desperate'. I could see both of these views, and knew they were both stories -- two among many that existed simultaneously. This multiplicity of views does not mean that all views are equal, but exposes a nearly universal flaw in our thinking where we simultaneously assume there is only one right view (ours) and also identify with and c... [View Full Comment]