The Meaningful Life

1. Adequate Knowledge of Objective Reality
2. Clarity of Values and Goals
3. Wholesome Character and Self Mastery
4. Spirituality or Transcendence

I. Why Important

This is a review of the previous outlines on Self-Transformation. We shall relate it to the pursuit of a meaningful life, which is a life that has significance or purpose, characterized by inner peace, happiness and the capacity to resolve the problems of living, whether personally or socially.

II. The Meaningful Life

These are some of the important factors that contribute to the Meaningful Life (significant, purposeful, inwardly peaceful, happy, relevant, etc.)

The values we set in life are greatly determined by our understanding of life and reality. Hence a deeper understanding about the purpose of human life, death, destiny, happiness and unhappiness, etc. is a necessary step towards living a significant life. Familiarity with the Ageless Wisdom, comparative religion, psychology and science is a valuable background that can help us evaluate what reality is all about.

Example: Research regarding existence of inner self, life after death, rebirth, can influence our understanding of life and reality.

We must be aware of narrow views of life and superstitions that tend to distort our perception of reality, thus affecting how we form our values.

Example: Fear of the unknown or of religious authorities make some people unreasonable.

Topics Covered in this Series: Happiness and Unhappiness (#1), Maturity and Self-Actualization (#2), How to Face Adversity (#17), Overcoming the Sorrow and Fear of Death (#18)

We must clarify what is important in life and what is less important. Then we set priorities in life. These are the values that form the foundation of our planning and actions. They are the bases of the goals we set.

It is important to remember that the more universal our values are, the more lasting and deeply rooted they are, and the more adequate they are in answering the problems of living.

Topics Covered: How to Clarify Values and Set Goals (#10), How to Form and Change Habits <#25), Concentration and One-Pointedness (#9)

Our values determine our character, and our character determines our destiny.

Character includes capacity to master our lower nature, such as physical and emotional tendencies.

Topics covered: Character Development (#4), Conquering Fear ($5), Handling Worry (#6), How to Handle Anger (#7), Cheerfulness, Optimism and Humor (#8), How to Face Adversity (#18), Emotional Quotient and Character Development (#20), The Importance of Integrity (#23), Attaining Inner and Outer Peace (#24), How to Form and Change Habits (#26)

The significance of human life is not limited to the day to day things that we do. These are also fleeting things that lasts only for a lifetime. There is a vaster reality which our ordinary faculties are unable to perceive or appreciate. To do so, we must cultivate the awakening of deeper sensibilities that open the gates to deeper truths, such faculties include spiritual intuition or mystical consciousness. This is beyond being merely religious in the ordinary sense. It is an experiment exploration into spirituality itself, not just a belief about it.

This is considered the most significant level of experience known to man.

Topics covered: Meditation (#9), What is Intuition (#14, Awakening Intuition (#15), Love (#12), Tolerance and Religious Understanding (#22), The Advantages of Service Orientedness (#21)