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ยป Home ยป Spiritual Calling

Meaning of Life VS. Purpose of Life (the Difference!)

by Aletheia Luna ยท Updated: Apr 3, 2025 ยท 119 Comments

The meaning of life image

What is the meaning of life? We are terrified by the question and at the same time, madly thrilled by it.

Itโ€™s an age-old, primordial question at the heart of all humanity.

Whatโ€™s the point of going through all this fuss? Why were we born? Why do we die? WHY does everything exist anyway?


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If you’ve come to this page, you’re likely at a crossroads in life. You might feel lost and completely without a clue as to what your true calling is.

Perhaps you’ve searched for years, but nothing quite “fit” or seemed right. Or perhaps, you’ve only begun the search recently and feel completely stranded, overwhelmed, and demoralized.

Deep down, you want to make your life mean something. You want to dedicate your time to doing what you love. But HOW?

WHERE do you start?

Wanting to know what the meaning of life is can be compared to opening a humungous can of worms: question after question comes spilling out. Pretty soon, weโ€™re curled up in the fetal position choking on a huge existential crisis grub.

Sound macabre? Thatโ€™s not half of it.

Wondering โ€œwhat is the meaning of life?โ€ is often at the core of dark and dreary human experiences such as the Dark Night of the Soul, identity crisis, and existential depression.

Sometimes, the more we search for answers, the more they evade us, leaving us feeling hopelessly lost and like victims of life.


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In this article, I plan to help you move through these complex and frustrating emotions (to the best of my ability) so that you can feel empowered again. By the end of this article you should:

  • Be able to understand the difference between meaning and purpose
  • Possess a greater sense of clarity
  • (Hopefully) feel a sense of relief
  • Know what to do with your life next โ€“ and how

By the way, I also recorded this article in audio/visual form. If you prefer to listen rather than read, you can do that here:

Table of contents

  • The Major Difference Between Life Meaning and Life Purpose
  • What is the MEANING of Life?
  • What is the PURPOSE of Life?
  • How to Find Your Meaning in Life (7 Paths)
  • In Conclusion

The Major Difference Between Life Meaning and Life Purpose

The meaning of life image

People from all walks of life share an innate drive for meaning, direction, and purpose. This drive to understand our life purpose seems as important to our psychological growth as eating is to our biological survival.

โ€“ Dan Millman

You probably use them interchangeably โ€“ and have heard others do likewise โ€“ but meaning and purpose are not the same things.

Itโ€™s important to make clear distinctions here because otherwise our โ€œwhat is the meaning of life?โ€ exploration will become tremendously convoluted very quickly.

Hereโ€™s how I distinguish the two:

Life meaning is of the mind โ€“ itโ€™s a philosophy, idea, or belief we ascribe to our lives. Itโ€™s subjective. Itโ€™s something you create.

Life purpose is innate โ€“ ย itโ€™s โ€œprogrammedโ€ into everything at a core level. Itโ€™s objective. Itโ€™s something you fulfill.

Does that make sense?

When talking about the meaning of life we often confuse and mix up the subjective and objective (or personal and impersonal). Hence why it can feel like our brains have been put through a blender when even considering the topic.

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Again, to clarify:

Meaning is subjective. It comesย from the mind. It is dependent on your personal tastes, desires, goals, and dreams.

Purpose, on the other hand, is from Spirit. It is programmed into us. It is within our very cells. It is written into each and every destiny. We’ll explore this distinction a little more later.

But first, to go more in-depth into this topic, what is the meaning of life? And what does that mean for you? Letโ€™s explore that next:

What is the MEANING of Life?

The meaning of life image

So … what is the meaning of life?

To put it simply, meaning itself is very personal and varied. Itโ€™s something that emerges from your soul as a deep calling.

For one person, their meaning in life may be to raise kids, for another, their meaning may be to create a charity, or breed horses, or become a world-renown artist, or live off the grid, and so on.

Your meaning can be fixed or it can change.

Ultimately, your core essence (i.e., your heart and soul) will know what your true meaning in life is.

To find your meaning, youโ€™ll need to do some soul searching. Youโ€™ll need to understand yourself, your gifts and weaknesses, your passions, and your interests.

This process of soul searching is an exciting process โ€“ but it can also be frustrating and disheartening if the voice of your soul is getting drowned out by the stress of daily life.

Weโ€™ll explore how to find your meaning in life a little later.

But first:

What is the PURPOSE of Life?

The meaning of life image

Our soulโ€™s purpose, seen energetically, is already there, within us.

โ€“ Christa Mackinnon

As I mentioned above, while your meaning of life is subjective, your purpose in life is more objective.

In other words, itโ€™s not something you have to create or find. Instead, your purpose is something you realize or tune into.


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Because itโ€™s already there, because itโ€™s already intrinsic and innate to who you are, thereโ€™s no need to go chasing anything.

Isnโ€™t that kind of a relief?

If you’re still in doubt, let me explain further.

You might be wondering, “so what is this innate purpose of life?”

In an earthly sense, your purpose is the same as everything you see around you: to grow, change, and expand.

Just look at the plants, animals, and trees; they all go through cycles of metamorphosis. The planets also go through cycles, as do the seasons. And the Universe is expanding every moment! You too are destined to go through these cycles of expansion.

But is that it?

Those skeptical about the spiritual dimension of life would shout a hearty, โ€œyes!โ€ But Iโ€™m not an atheist. I donโ€™t have a mechanistic outlook nor do I believe that this is โ€œallโ€ there is.

Why reduce the complexity of life in that way? I have personally experienced the spiritual dimension of reality many times, and that is enough for me. And so too have millions since the dawn of time.

However, as the spiritual purpose of life is immaterial, itโ€™s more open to interpretation. (Hence why there are thousands of spiritual movements and religious ideas in the world.)

Personally, I believe that our purpose in life is to mature or expand on ALL levels: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

The spiritual awakening process is an expression of that maturation process: our souls are expanding and growing just like the galaxies. And like pregnancy or childbirth, this growth can be a painful process. But itโ€™s part of lifeโ€™s purpose.

As professor of cultural anthropology and religious studies, Bonnie Glass-Coffin writes,

As I have come to realize through my lifeโ€™s journey, the purpose of our human embodiment is, actually, to grow a soul. Like the making of a body during nine months of gestation, soul-making is also a process. For, although we are born with it, our soul continues to develop with every life experience. Our sufferings are simply the secretions that add to its lusterโ€”like a pearl inside an oyster. Making soul is the process of a lifetime, or several lifetimes. Mystics, saints, and shamans of ages past and of today, from places far and near, refer to this eternal sojourn in many ways, yet whatever terms are used implies a conscious engagement with our true potential as divine partners in creation. This is what it means to โ€œgrow a soul.โ€ This is what it means to commune with our essential nature.

On a metaphysical level, the question can be asked, โ€œWhat are we maturing toward?โ€ What is the point of all this hassle?

This is a complex topic, but in a nutshell, to summarize many spiritual and religious ideas, our metaphysical purpose is to unite with our True Nature or to become one with the Divine.

Subconscious Mind Test image

Ancient spiritual traditions all throughout the world affirm this conclusion and have referred to such a culmination by many names: Enlightenment, Illumination, Self-Realization, Heaven, Oneness, Nirvana, Bliss, Wholeness, Moksha, non-dual awareness, Buddhahood, and so on.

How do we get there?

Thatโ€™s a topic for a whole other article. But there’s a multitude of spiritual and religious paths that will suit you based on your mental/emotional/spiritual level of maturity.

Meditation is a common and recommended path. Inner work is another powerful practice that we heavily focus on within this website. It is a non-dogmatic practice that can be integrated into any belief system. The healing and inner transformation it can produce are quite amazing.

How to Find Your Meaning in Life (7 Paths)

The meaning of life image

Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.

โ€“ Joseph Campbell

So far weโ€™ve established the clear difference between what is the meaning vs. purpose of life.

As weโ€™ve seen, meaning is subjective, it is highly personal, it is something your soul feels called to do or create.

To find your meaning in life, you need to learn how to find yourself. Youโ€™ll need to do some soul searching.

If you have no idea how to do that, here are some simple pathways:

1. Think back to what you loved doing as a child

Image of a happy child running in an animal costume

Your inner child is your original self, the first version of โ€œyouโ€ that entered the world. S/he holds a tremendous amount of wisdom that is just waiting to be accessed.

As children, we didnโ€™t carry the same level of baggage, social conditioning, or fears that we now lug around everywhere. We were free spirits. As such, reconnecting with your inner child is a powerful way of finding your meaning in life.

When you were a child, you were attracted to the things that brought you the most joy. This joy is often the secret key you need to uncover your authentic life path.

Reflect on what you loved doing the most as a child โ€“ what activities did you always gravitate toward?

Perhaps you liked to read a lot, construct things, dress up your dolls, care for your toys, climb trees, talk to your pets, pretend you were a police officer, construct imaginary realms, and so on.

Take some time to carefully think about what you most enjoyed doing. Get a journal and make some notes. Look for the activities you did for the longest amount of time and most consistently.

The answer may not slap you in the face immediately, but think about what was the heart and core of the activity you did. What quality were you attracted to the most?

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2. Explore your personality (by taking tests)

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I know this suggestion may sound banal, but free personality tests are a wonderful way of getting to know yourself. Plus, theyโ€™re fun! Not only do you get to learn about your strengths and weaknesses, but you’re growing in self-understanding in a matter of minutes.

Not all free tests online are created equal. As our whole website is dedicated to the pursuit of self-awareness and self-knowledge, youโ€™ll find some unique tests in our free tests area.

As always, take these tests with โ€œa grain of salt.โ€ Gather what you need and leave the rest. You never quite know what unique things may be revealed about yourself and how this may guide your life onwards!

3. Expand your mental horizons

Image of a lighthouse

We all have a โ€œcircle of competenceโ€ โ€“ a phrase coined by tycoons Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger. What this means is that we all have some things that weโ€™re really knowledgeable about, and other things we arenโ€™t.

Expanding your mental horizons means widening your circle of competence. This could mean exploring a topic you know literally nothing about. Also, this could mean delving into an area that youโ€™ve always been secretly curious about but have stopped yourself from exploring (for one reason or another).

Take a moment to think about what you would like to learn about if you were given a chance. What thought first pops into your mind? Whatever that thought is reveals the place you need to go next.

Even if you feel silly, be an explorer. Soul searching isnโ€™t always convenient or comfortable โ€“ instead, it is often wildly unexpected and can be supremely illuminating, particularly if youโ€™re wanting to find your meaning in life.

4. Think about what life has taught you

Image of a man practicing spiritual meditation overlooking some blue mountains

We are each given a set of experiences in life. The experiences are neutral. They have no meaning. It is how we interpret the experiences that gives them meaning. The interpretations of experiences shape our beliefs and theories about the world. Our beliefs and theories, in turn, determine what we observe in the world to confirm our beliefs, which, in turn, reinforce our interpretations.

โ€“ Michael Michalko

Ultimately, answering โ€œwhat is the meaning of life?โ€ comes down to how you think about and interpret life. Do you ever think about the experiences youโ€™ve had? Do you ever give them a higher meaning? If not, itโ€™s time to do that.

One of the most powerful ways to find your meaning is to reflect on the entire timeline of your life. What have been your major highs and lows? What successes and tragedies have befallen you? And most of all, what have they TAUGHT you?

If you can answer this single question โ€œwhat have all your experiences in life taught you?โ€ and take a higher perspective, you might just find your meaning in life.

For example, if you believe all your experiences have taught you to surrender and let go, you might become interested in studying Zen Buddhism and make that your meaning in life. If youโ€™ve learned that all your experiences have taught you the importance of sticking to your truth, you might become an advocate for something.

Make sense? Itโ€™s a simple but powerful soul searching technique.

5. Visualize yourself on your death bed

Image of a graveyard and flowers

โ€œTell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?โ€ the poet Mary Oliver once wrote.

This activity may at first appear morbid, but it holds within it the seed of true insight. When death is upon us, everything becomes clear, crystalline, precious. Thereโ€™s no time to waste and the choices weโ€™ve made in life dance before our eyes.

For this activity, youโ€™ll need to set aside five or ten minutes. Get into a quiet and dark room. You may even like to wear a sleeping mask or blindfold so your vision becomes pitch black. If you want to put yourself into an even deeper mindset, you can play some funereal or ethereal music quietly in the background. (And just in case you feel too uncomfortable, ensure someone is in the house with you.)

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Now, once youโ€™re ready, imagine youโ€™re lying on your death bed. You are reflecting on all that youโ€™ve done in your life. When you think of your biggest achievements, what comes to mind? What are you the happiest to have done, practiced, or committed to? Donโ€™t be modest here. Think about something simply amazing you have done. What is that?

If nothing comes to mind, you can always return to this activity later (perhaps in the early morning or late at night). Once youโ€™re ready to stop the visualization, feel into your body, stretch your legs and arms, and take off the blindfold. Consider journaling about your experience โ€“ it will be extremely valuable to remember and reflect upon this visualization.

Learn more about how to journal.

6. Practice inner work

Image of a man watching the aurora borealis symbolic of doing inner work

Why is it that we struggle to find the meaning of our lives? One reason is that we are emotionally or psychologically blocked.

We might suffer from self-doubt, low self-worth, or general self-destructive tendencies. We might be trapped within the pits of an existential crisis, a toxic relationship, an addiction, or mental health issue.

We may have even experienced a spiritual awakening so strong that our life seems to be melting around us โ€“ and we donโ€™t know how to put back the pieces of ourselves.

One way to create inner harmony, balance, and wholeness is through a practice known as inner work. Inner work is the mental, emotional and spiritual practice of exploring your inner self. It is about gaining self-knowledge, learning how to love yourself, working through your core beliefs, and maturing (or individuating) as a human being.

For anyone soul searching, inner work is a vital practice. It can be all too easy to skim across the surface of life without going deeper. But whatever is buried within you will eventually rise to the surface, sooner or later. Inner work is about exploring and working with the different facets of our inner selves.

The three major types of inner work that I recommend are self-love, inner child work, and shadow work.

7. Think about what type of meaning you need right now

Image of a person's hand reaching out to the light for a meaning of life

Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl once wrote about meaning:

For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.

There is a quote by the German philosopher Nietzsche saying that “if a man finds a WHY he can bear with almost any HOW” – and it’s true. It was humankind that built the Auschwitz gas ovens, it was also humankind who marched into them with their heads held high and a prayer song on their lips.

As Frankl pointed out, meaning is not some solid rigid thing, but it is fluid and changeable. We need to focus on finding our meaning of life right now.

In my perspective, there are three types of meaning in life:

The first is meaning in accomplishment or achievements, where we feel fulfillment in completing tasks, goals, and dreams.

The second is the meaning we find in values such as the loyalty we feel toward a noble cause or the compassion a mother feels toward her child.


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Finally, the third is meaning in suffering, where we embrace a specific attitude to empower us within certain circumstances, e.g., “This pain I feel from the loss of my job will teach me what I truly want from life.”

Above I have just defined three types of meaning:

  1. Meaning in accomplishments and achievements
  2. Meaning in values (e.g., love, friendship, community, loyalty, courage)
  3. Meaning in suffering (an attitude/belief about why weโ€™re experiencing something)

Think about where youโ€™re currently at in life. What type of meaning do you need the most? Reflect on the most painful feelings you experience on a regular basis โ€“ this will be the way to find what type of meaning you need.

For instance, if you suffer from feelings of boredom, fatigue or listlessness you may need to find the first type of meaning (achievement/accomplishments).

If you suffer from feelings of general unhappiness, loneliness or a specific yearning for something, you may need the second type of meaning (values).

And if you are going through an intensely painful period in life that is characterized by anxiety, depression, grief, hopelessness, and other strong forms of emotions, you may need the third type of meaning (attitude/belief about suffering).

Or hell, maybe you need all three types of meaning โ€“ thatโ€™s okay too! Be true to yourself and listen to your needs.

In Conclusion

Image of a woman holding a pink peony flower

Iโ€™ll leave you with a quote from the Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo,

It takes six million grains of pollen to seed one peony, and salmon need a lifetime of swimming to find their way home, so we mustn’t be alarmed or discouraged when it takes us years to find love or years to understand our calling in life.

There is no race here. You will find your meaning in your own time. And remember, your meaning can stay the same or it can change as you mature. There is no black and white manual of rules here.

Very few people just wake up one day and shout โ€œWOOHOO! I finally know my indisputable life purpose!โ€ Itโ€™s more like a messy awkward food party, where you eat one thing and throw it away until you find something that finally tastes really nice.

You may have come to this article wanting a definitive answer to the notorious โ€œwhat is the meaning of life?โ€ question. But the thing is, your meaning is of your own creation.

Your meaning springs from the depths of your heart and soul. To hear it, you need to find ways of going inwards and of listening carefully. I sincerely hope the above activities will help you to do that.

Tell me, after reading this article, what are your feelings or thoughts? Do you need any clarification? Perhaps you wish to share your own experience? Please share below!

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About Aletheia Luna

Aletheia Luna is a prolific psychospiritual writer, author, educator, and intuitive guide whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide. As a survivor of fundamentalist religious abuse, her mission is to help others find love, strength, and inner light in even the darkest places. She is the author of hundreds of popular articles, as well as numerous books and journals on the topics of Self-Love, Spiritual Awakening, and more. [Read More]

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  1. Rick says

    July 02, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    EXIT TICKET:
    Shhhhhh!!!
    The blue moons Sphere Beings you saw floating about my apartment are nothing but balls hanging on fishing line operated by hidden electric motor controls and hidden switches and magicianโ€™s threads. Did you believe? Gotcha!!!
    lol
    I do believe in sphere beings as seen in THE WIZARD OF OZ (as Glenda the good witch appeared to Dorthy in Munchkin land ) and as testified by Corry Goode on line at SPHERE BEING ALLIENCE. Itโ€™s fun to pretend and let you believe, but it would be wrong and sorcereric of me to allow you to leave my place believing an illusion. Please keep this our cult secret and play along if you ever are here again. Let the Sphere beings invelovpe us in love and take us places beyond what we could dare to dream!! It could happen twice in a blue moon.
    EXIT TICKET:
    Shhhhhh!!!
    The blue moons Sphere Beings you saw floating about my apartment are nothing but balls hanging on fishing line operated by hidden electric motor controls and hidden switches and magicianโ€™s threads. Did you believe? Gotcha!!!
    lol
    I do believe in sphere beings as seen in THE WIZARD OF OZ (as Glenda the good witch appeared to Dorthy in Munchkin land ) and as testified by Corry Goode on line at SPHERE BEING ALLIENCE. Itโ€™s fun to pretend and let you believe, but it would be wrong and sorcereric of me to allow you to leave my place believing an illusion. Please keep this our cult secret and play along if you ever are here again. Let the Sphere beings invelovpe us in love and take us places beyond what we could dare to dream!! It could happen twice in a blue moon.
    EXIT TICKET:
    Shhhhhh!!!
    The blue moons Sphere Beings you saw floating about my apartment are nothing but balls hanging on fishing line operated by hidden electric motor controls and hidden switches and magicianโ€™s threads. Did you believe? Gotcha!!!
    lol
    I do believe in sphere beings as seen in THE WIZARD OF OZ (as Glenda the good witch appeared to Dorthy in Munchkin land ) and as testified by Corry Goode on line at SPHERE BEING ALLIENCE. Itโ€™s fun to pretend and let you believe, but it would be wrong and sorcereric of me to allow you to leave my place believing an illusion. Please keep this our cult secret and play along if you ever are here again. Let the Sphere beings invelovpe us in love and take us places beyond what we could dare to dream!! It could happen twice in a blue moon.

    Reply
  2. Claire Korte says

    January 07, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    Hi, Sol
    Insightful and thought provoking as always. The obession with providing a singular objective and quantitative answer to all life’s perenial questions is so much akin to a dieter. One who fevently samples diet pill after diet in belief that it would be the singular resoltution to vapourising fat and attaining better health. Rather its a journey of a mulitude of emotions and experiences which progress us further along our spiritual path. Ie. Cosuming a variety of nutrious foods, and targeting each element of the body to tone ourselves.
    Seems to me the fixation with the destination obfuscates the small revelations and joys which compose our inner journeys or involution as you dub it. Like confucious would attest ‘roads are made for journeys not destinations’
    All the best for a wonderful 2015 :)

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      January 09, 2015 at 11:36 am

      Hola Claire,

      It’s wonderful to see you commenting on here. Your analogy of a dieter perfectly embodies our work with Involution.

      The pursuit of an innate meaning in life (that our minds create) is a way to fill an inner void we all carry, a longing for a whole, higher self.

      This diet, or pursuit, searching and struggling to find the answers is necessary only as to create enough tension within us that we eventually be liberated to provide us with the understanding we seek. One must first define themselves in order to be able to go beyond that which we’ve defined.

      I touch a bit on this in my next article on Self Mastery which I’m sure will resonate with a few who are sincerely seeking.

      Look forward to reading more from you,

      Sol

      Reply
  3. Corben's own says

    January 06, 2015 at 9:38 pm

    The fact that we were developed to our exact specifications by a certain massive set of events and by an infinite set of nonoccurrence’s is not proof in a phenomenal event. All self reflecting intelligences will suffer observer bias when looking at the endless states that contribute to its being.

    The manifestation of endless possibilities culminating into a physical result which can be represented by a unique number, (Ill refer to it as a number from here on) that is plucked out of infinite other possibilities is not a rare event or improbable. But a second occurrence of the very same unique number out of infinitive more is by definition, a miracle. Something impossible becoming real. The chances of picking a pre defined number, the 2nd occurrence, is 99.999… % against (infinite Repeating decimals). The number 99.999… Is equal to 100. As in 100% not ever happening. It’s easiest to show they’re the same by taking a third of 1 the same as 0.333…and multiplying by three to get 1 again. So 0.333… X 3 is 0.999… 1/3×3 is 1.

    The observer bias falsely makes some one feel a predestined set of events is the explanation for reasonably complex and therefore a unique number for them, or weighs the number down with how unlikely this is how it came to be by chance. The observer’s false 2nd occurring of 1 out of an eternity of possibilities is seeing it as a directive as well as before as a occurrence But its not a double infinite paradox.

    The meaning of life could be definable still. First to me when we desire a answer to lifes purpose we want to know if there is any reason or goal in mind to more evolved self questioning entities being brought to this point. Less conscious and unconscious life could just as well be more proprietary lifeless materials.
    A way to try and figure it out might be to look at how life is different then nonliving stuff so far. does life in the past or future effect or cause a precedent that no other nonliving or non self-aware unconscious thing couldn’t do. All I can do is to boil it down to a less abstract question into a simpler cause and effect to the question. Is their something only possible to occur within our cosmos with fully aware life its self, can the rest of existence benefit from life, how so?
    Ok what for sure then cant the cosmos do alone? Easiest answer is breaking its own laws. breaking of a universal law is a miraculous phenomenon, unless we misunderstand the law.

    Self aware Consciences life reproduces but so does unconscious bacteria, it reacts to stimulation but so do slime molds. We express our feelings but so do animals who can’t acknowledge life on their own. A computer simulation of a being trying to download everything and categorize all works on the meaning of life could be close to us with a body. still until he decides to do it with out being told, or is self aware he’s not doing anything that couldn’t have evolved on its own given billons of years of trial and error.

    Self recognizing conscious life can make its own decisions with its will freed from programing. It can possibly break the laws of cause and effect, if there’s true free will, and turn the universe from its present domino like predictability to a unique unknowable unimaginable point. We may not even be at the point of true free will but were getting close as anything known, deciding less by emotion and stimulated reactions and being more free of causality.

    So the meaning of life, true reflective questioning lives, may be to give a purpose to a directionless eternal cycling machine universe by causeing the first impossibility to happen, the first action with out cause. A creating of the first new information that has never been a piece of the complete theory of it all. This will then effect some of the original information about the universe unpredictably. And on and on, multiplied by more causeless choices.

    Given long enough it will make all of everything at some point become realized. All things no matter how impossible before or do able it isnt just changes in matter, it will at some point change time and space itself.
    Either a big bang big crunch repeating cosmos or a fading forever type existence is occurring. Because the new free choices are not based in cause they are not repeating on account of it happened before. If its fading universe it could run out of time unfortunetly. Lifes reason why maybe is that it is to make an unending future of change beyond infinity’s cold reality thats experienced by what created the new and the everything that will be created by the resulting changed existence.

    Or else maybe we are all just different machines set in a eternal repeating cycle of action reaction fooled into thinking we are individualized, purposed, self regarding, with presence of being. In which case the question is just a unintended ironic trick of monotonous reasonless causalities’ that help disguise unknowing machinations into thinking we are something that is existing beyond other kinds of reality.

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      January 09, 2015 at 11:03 am

      That’s all a good interpretation of the many possibilities that can arise.

      Personally, the moment I asked myself what the meaning of life was my first instinct was to dig deeper inwardly and ask myself first who was the one that wanted to find our why we were here.

      In that very moment, the question itself lost its meaning.

      Reply
  4. Ezekiel Silver says

    December 15, 2014 at 12:39 am

    I found this most interesting and inspiring. Personally, I think the very reason I have gained such an interest in philosophy is because it is a mystery that can never (whether in our lifetime or all of time) be given an explanation. It’s a mystery that you can never solve, much like life in fact.

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      December 15, 2014 at 7:06 am

      Hola Ezekiel,

      That is indeed the beauty of it. I was captivated in studying philosophy when I was younger because I innately felt this mystery and my mind wanted to understand it.

      As I grew older and got back in touch with my ethnic roots I came to realize that the beauty of this mystery was to experience it, not so much think about it. In that very moment my whole life was changed and I found a great mental tension disappear for good.

      Thank you for sharing your own insights into this mystery :)

      Reply
  5. Indie says

    October 21, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    I love your article and I agree in a lot of ways, but I do believe you can fall in love with an explanation, too. I think it’s all about your values and perspective. I am a “poet” – a child at heart – but my sister is a scientist and a very logical person. She detests mystery but goes crazy over explanations. There are moments where she tells me information about how something works and I marvel at the intricate science that brings many things together. To me, that in itself is still a mystery and a wonder, though, so I may not feel the same way that she does. For me, nothing would be less wonderful or amazing if the science turned out to be wrong lol.
    I am a very imagination and intuitive person, rather than a concrete here-and-now type, so I can fall in love with ideas just as readily as with actual things. My feelings come from the way my own mind and soul interprets the world around me, so I often wonder if people who are more grounded than myself experience things in an entirely different way. Perhaps finding explanations and answering questions allows some people to appreciate the wonder of life in a way which is uniquely meaningful to them? Just a thought :) anyways, I’m keen to read more of your blog now!

    Reply
    • Mateo says

      October 22, 2014 at 7:28 am

      Hola Indie,

      Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful comment :).

      Finding answers for some people helps them appreciate life more. But the reason this occurs is because they listen to much to their minds, their thoughts, their logic and are controlled by them. It could also be considered a sense of neurosis.

      You see our minds cannot simply accept and embrace life with openness, the only way the mind can understand anything is if it divides it and asks questions of how these two pieces fit together. The pieces were never separate, only the mind creates the illusion that they are, and then feels fulfilled when you can answer how to join those pieces again.

      I feel this is where the problem is. Our minds distract us from experiencing, through our senses, our deepest beings, the true whole reality that exists. Instead, we spend our lives (some more than others) listening to the questions and trying to get rid of the tension (of this need to make it life whole again) our minds create. Our minds create the problem, the unnecessary division of life into pieces, and then our minds feel ‘accomplished’ and relieved from the tension of inquiry when they manage to join together the pieces again.

      It seems like an unnecessary pursuit because it will take us many many lifetimes to answers every question the mind falsely creates. Instead, why not bypass that and directly experience the wholeness of life, through our souls, our beings, instead of getting lost is the labyrinth of questions and answers. We are not our minds, we experience our minds, but often because of our lack of awareness, we don’t realize that and think we are one of the same.

      Warmly,

      Sol

      Reply
  6. Ms. Blue says

    May 04, 2014 at 6:40 am

    This is a wonderful article. I’ve had a similar experience as you had on the mountain. Often, when I see a beautiful sight or hear music that touches me deeply, I find it impossible to describe. I once tried to write a poem about the beauty of the cloudy sky outside my window. When I had finished I was disappointed with the fact that I hadn’t captured enough. I then realized that it all didn’t matter because I could still look outside and see it.

    Reply
  7. Lady Guinivere says

    April 20, 2014 at 10:52 am

    You describe it like it is. All that is can only be perceived through the heart. Felt by emotion. Analysis is good, but not in the moment you feel. If you feel very deep, then it is impossible to think. You only exist and sometimes it seems that time and space doesn’t matter, because you don’t feel them any more, the deepness of your emotions overwhelmes you. These are the moments in live, when you are really happy, because nothing else matters.

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      April 20, 2014 at 6:07 pm

      That’s exactly right Ms Guinivere. The mind is an instrument that has become our masters without us noticing. I for one spent much of my childhood feeling everything deeply, sensing my roots, my connecting to nature. As I grew older, and moved to the West, I was slowly taught the mental knowledge was the most important thing. It has taken me years of searching, to finally return to my roots, to feeling energies, to getting lost in timeless moments, without my mind dragging the attention away from the present with thoughts and fears.

      One is to never make the mistake of allowing out minds to dominate us, logic and thought is an instrument we must have control of, not the other way around. Cultivating this way of living takes a lot of practice for those of us who are inclined to thought, but when we do escape the prison, it’s a blissful sensation to feel whole, to feel the non-friction, the flow of us with the stream of life.

      Thank you for your thoughts and heart felt feelings :)

      Reply
  8. Istvan says

    February 23, 2014 at 5:45 am

    You said it right that: if we had discovered the meaning of life, that would mean it has an end, and we cannot go further. As Lao tzu said: the world is exist forever ago and will exist forever.
    You follow the tao, and everyhing will goes well, in its original form…

    As for the planets and the earth is going around the sun, they have their own orbit. It’s scientifically proved that the earth is exist very long ago. I’m not sure if other planets have lives on it, but the earth needs to be in a certain distance from the sun, that gives the optional heat for living creatures. If the earth moves out from its original orbit, every life would come to and end. Through the billion of years that this planets existed, it doesn’t move an inch from its original orbit, it always kept its original distance..
    Is this even possible?

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      February 25, 2014 at 8:06 am

      That’s a very interesting question Istvan, and it does make you reflect on the magnitude of our ephemeral existence .

      It seems almost like an impossibility to exists, us humans, that the amount of events that had to happen for us to be here is amazing, and not only that, but the amount of events that had to stabilize to create time for us to be born.

      Science will tell us it is because of this reason and this reason. But that only allows us to understand how interconnected all these events are. Not only that but we are part of those events, we are part of that initial energy that appeared in the universe the moment everything was created.

      Thank you Istvan, for leaving a great comment!

      Reply
  9. Bea Kesch says

    October 19, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    Very well written (that sounded very arrogant, I’m sorry) I like this view on life, at least it has given me peace of mind most of my life, though I feel I’m still searching for something I don’t quite know how to define. Certenly not the “meaning of life”. The last part of the article reminded me of a book called “The Tao of Physics” by Fritjof Capra

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      October 20, 2013 at 5:30 pm

      You don’t have to be sorry, I receive immense joy in knowing someone felt kinship from one of my articles. It’s the best way to live life, to just ‘let go’ sort to speak, I remember once I heard immense wisdom in perhaps the shortest sentence; “Resist, nothing.”

      I think we all have that “feeling” inside of searching for something in different degrees, it’s what drives us to keep living, to keep existing and waking up every day with something that’s yet to be found.

      Finding our ‘meaning’ in life is important also, something we strive for, some passion that consumes us when we are embarked on it, finding your own meaning is something I’ll write about very soon.

      Great comment Bea!, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience :D

      Reply
  10. Iqbal Halim says

    August 26, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    well, i kinda surprised when you’ve discovered the meaning of life. really. Haha.

    to me, the meaning of life can be described with million billion words by a person. Yes. it is subjective. And it can be influenced by mood too, i thought. Cause when we are happy, we will think that the life is such a great “place” to be through. But otherwise, for those people were feeling “unlucky”, they will think this life is so bored and tend to choose to end their life.
    Yes. i’m agree with you about this life is mystery. our logic won’t or never reach the reason why. In my religion, we are created by God to pray, doing goodness and stay out from what God’s hates. And after that, we may go to heaven or hell. i believe with the end.
    So, in my conclusion, I will let it be the way it is. let to keep the life is a mystery until the end. Always do my best while i’m on earth.
    I know i can be very crazy if i keep trying to find what life meaning is. lol. :D

    Reply
    • Mateo Sol says

      August 29, 2013 at 10:04 am

      That’s a brilliant comment Iqbal. Life is very subjective, so there are tons of subjective meanings we can give it.

      In my point of view, as long as our meanings don’t hurt anyone, including ourselves, and we don’t inflict our meanings onto others, as some religious people like to do, then all meanings are perfectly valid.

      Now what classifies as “harmful to anyone, including yourself” can be quite vague. Because deep down many behaviours are harmful to ourselves unknowingly. Things like beliefs in destiny or fate for instance, can affect greatly our perception of how capable and in control we are of our present moment circumstances, blaming “bad luck” for our misfortunes instead of ourselves for approaching many aspects of our life with a negative, insecure or fearful state of mind.

      So Mystery, that is what we can all appreciate, the beauty we can all learn to admire. We can never really know what really answers the mystery, but the fact that there is a mystery makes life uncertain, and consequently, teeming with risks, challenges to grow and excitement :)

      Thanks for the comment Iqbal!

      Reply
      • ะ™ัŽัั‚ะธะฝ 'Otter' says

        September 02, 2013 at 4:58 am

        Profound. Wow. I never cease to be awed by the way both you and Luna think. It is revolutionary! I am so thankful to you both for making this site. I love it for articles like this one, that change the way you look at things. Especially things that we are taught: Age = Wisdom for example (Luna straightened me out on that one :). I would liken you to Morpheus, breaking people out of the matrix. The principal is the same: a cage that cannot be seen, smelled or touched – a cage (made by society) for the mind. Either way, it is just a thought. I hope you don’t mind…

        Reply
        • Mateo Sol says

          September 03, 2013 at 10:55 am

          Morpheus hahah, thanks ะ™ัŽัั‚ะธะฝ ! :). The further you go into your involutionary path, the more you realize how tipsy-turvy everything seems to be. We have so many things upside down and inside out.

          This articles was written along time ago, but whenever I read it I see how passionate I felt about my eye opening experience, that the world isn’t as we’re told it is, that there’s much more to observe, to find, discover and question.

          Thanks for posting :D

          Reply
    • ะ™ัŽัั‚ะธะฝ 'Otter' says

      September 02, 2013 at 4:13 am

      Allo Iqbal! I can’t help but have a small question: why would god make something he hated? Or perhaps a better question is: how could a god, presumably good, make evil that he hates? I am simply curious, as is my nature.

      Reply
      • Mateo Sol says

        September 03, 2013 at 10:57 am

        It’s a good question, but one that seems to never have an answer to those who have faith.

        To me personally, growing up they would tell me I had to choose between Love for life and God Fearfulness. I always told they I would choose love, I will forget all about God, because those who know love are bound to know God. But it is not vice versa; those who think about God and philosophize about God may never know about love – and will never know about God, either.

        Reply
        • ะ™ัŽัั‚ะธะฝ 'Otter' says

          September 03, 2013 at 4:23 pm

          Thank you for sharing! Again, you saw the choice in a very unusual light. Genius! Do you have an article on love?

          Reply
        • Iqbal Halim says

          September 09, 2013 at 1:35 am

          Thank you for answering it Mr.Sol. I don’t know how to answer that question above. I prefer to let it as mystery of life :D

          Reply
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