Sensible Advice for Living a Meaningful Life

 

A meaningful life is high on the list of priorities for most people. Meaning is defined as worthwhile quality and purpose. There is significant latitude in this simplistic definition to allow anyone to determine what is meaningful for themselves. Assuming the philosophical perspective, everything takes on an entirely different complexion.

One cannot live a genuinely meaningful life without understanding the essence of existence. On a superficial level, meaning masquerades as acquiring earthly treasures, but enduring meaning is all about inner peace. When the heart and soul are in sync and the mind is at peace, meaningful existence begins to flourish.

Self-Doubt and the Illusion of Simplicity

The greatest bugbear to a meaningful existence is self-doubt. Yet this is an overly simplistic rationalization of a highly complex human conundrum. Often, what portends as self-doubt is uncertainty cloaked in a shroud of the unknown. 

Given that we are the total of our biology, experiences, and future aspirations, we may feel overwhelmed to the point of paralysis. All too often, we pursue fame and fortune, favor and frivolousness, hoping that these will contribute to a meaningful life. 

Some boldly claim that everyone can chart their own course along life’s journey. The pursuit of objectives may well satisfy the requirements for a meaningful life. Our multifaceted existence complicates this overly simplistic definition. Like it or not, human beings exist across multiple dimensions. 

We are physically rooted to planet Earth and all its corporeal elements, but the energy source that powers our life is free to roam the universe ad infinitum.

The Inner World Comes First

Assuming that our essence – our life force – drives our actions, desires, aspirations, and manifestations, perhaps a meaningful life should focus on the metaphysical first. It has been said that the same matter cannot occupy two places at the same time, but our saving grace is the disparate nature of our existence. 

If meaning is conferred through achievement, then we must drive ourselves accordingly. That true inner peace we seek is something entirely different. It is about understanding forces beyond objects; it’s a meeting of the minds, a warm embrace from a loved one, a soulful understanding of the plight of others in need, a connection with a higher power, and an awareness of oneself.

The Mind’s Defense Mechanisms

At times, we may need assistance, tapping into those troubled areas of our mind in need of TLC. For whatever reason, the mind attempts to protect itself by avoiding those issues that bring about anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction. Many of us learn to put those feelings aside and focus on that which we can control, like doing our job, taking care of the essentials, and maintaining a routine. 

All the while, we are a bundle of nerves wishing for change. It’s extraordinary, really; too often, we bottle up all of our anxieties, hoping that they will go away. We may be fully aware of our concerns or need help opening those doors to enlightenment. Given the highly sensitive nature of opening up and making ourselves vulnerable, these are difficult topics for many people to discuss.

Seeking Insight from Within and Beyond

Fortunately, plenty of options are available – resources as far as the eye can see. The universe is ready to embrace anyone who opens up and seeks guidance. Sometimes, these insights come from unlikely sources, such as a professionally trained medium expertly talented in this field. We must adopt an open mind when seeking guidance and understanding. 

Traditional therapy channels present favorably, and supplemental assistance in the form of astrology can provide meaningful insights into mood, comportment, and trajectory, given our place in the broader scheme of things. Nothing was created from nothing. Everything is something. Pure energy is uninhibited, uncontained, and universal. Striving for a meaningful life is a noble imperative that doesn’t detract from anybody else’s happiness.

Final Reflections on a Life Well Lived

Pursuing a meaningful life is not a straight line or a rigid formula. It is a mosaic of experiences, connections, and quiet awakenings that resonate deeply within us. Meaning unfolds when we start paying attention to ourselves, others, and the small signals guiding us through joy and struggle. 

It is present in the quiet courage to try again, the humility to ask for help, and the willingness to grow from within. When we live with authenticity, curiosity, and compassion, life feels less like a puzzle and more like a real poem.

Source: https://www.articlesfactory.com/

Demonic Foes (Review)

 

Demonic Foes

This is a work written by New Yorker Richard Gallagher. The printed version contains two hundred and fifty-five pages of content.

This book, which I read and enjoyed in approximately nine days, tells the story of a psychiatrist (the author) who delves into his professional practice as a consultant and collaborator in behavioral cases, as well as in Catholic exorcisms and the work of some evangelical pastors, who presented supernatural and inexplicable characteristics.

Throughout the work, Richard Gallagher shows us the characteristics and origins of demonic manifestations, as well as their structural and detailed classification, using as examples the anecdotes of cases he experienced firsthand.

Do you believe in evil or demonic spirits? Do you suspect their existence? Have you had strange experiences that you can't explain? Well, this work is for you; it will captivate you from the first page to the end.

And one last, very special recommendation: read it during the day, never at night. Enjoy it!

Note: The reviewer only writes about books they liked.

Author: Miguel Ángel Moreno Villarroel

A History of the World in Six Glasses (Review)

A History of the World in Six Glasses.

This is a work written by Londoner Tom Standage. The printed version contains 286 pages.

This book, which I read in about a month, tells the story of six types of beverages and the enveloping cultural circumstances that accompanied each of them. From the now very popular beer, through wine, aromatic coffee, aristocratic tea, and culminating with the globalized and always refreshing Coca-Cola.

Standage did extensive research and left this literary gem for the annals of history and for future generations to research. This is a necessary manual in today's world, to understand the origin and evolution of these socially gratifying liquid companions.

Note: The reviewer only writes about books he or she enjoyed.

Author: Miguel Ángel Moreno Villarroel

Podcasts: substitutes for communication and associative deficiencies?

"Podcast" is a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcast".[8][9][10] The earliest use of "podcasting" was traced to The Guardian columnist and BBC journalist Ben Hammersley, who coined it in early February 2004 while writing an article for The Guardian newspaper.[11][12] The term was first used in the audioblogging community in September 2004, when Danny Gregoire introduced it in a message to the iPodder-dev mailing list,[13][14] from where it was adopted by podcaster Adam Curry.[15] Despite the etymology, the content can be accessed using any computer or similar device that can play media files. The term "podcast" predates Apple's addition of podcasting features to the iPod and the iTunes software.[16] Source: Wikipedia

While podcasts originated in radio broadcasting, as of this writing, the dissemination of these content files on a wide variety of topics has shifted to social media, subscriber communities, and audiovisual consumers. YouTube is the most preferred program by creators, with programs in which two or more people ramble on a wide variety of topics. Some, if not most, even offer presentations in theaters or on stages specially designed for this purpose, attracting a large following.

I decided to write about this form of communication because I was surprised by the enjoyment my children felt for such productions—young people who already smell like they're in their thirties. At first, I thought it was a trend spread by word of mouth; but then I said to myself: this must be due to something more psychological, something emotional, or a lack of communication.

Seeing oneself reflected on a screen has always been a fascination for human beings, and theater and film have demonstrated this over the years. People paid an admission fee to enjoy seeing themselves in the mirror of these manifestations of sociocultural expression. The same thing happened with the advent of television, which went even further by making its way into the living room of homes; it was no longer necessary to incur a monetary outlay or leave the house.

I can believe I've come to an understanding of why podcasts are so popular: young people who are within the most intense parameters of an economically productive life, having less time to spend with their peers, successfully manage to catch up on the elements that emerge in everyday life, as well as on fashions and trends in various aspects of daily life or those closest to reality. In this way, I believe that podcasts constitute a necessity within these social groups, as they become substitutes for significant communicative and associative deficiencies within this globalized and somewhat dehumanized world.

Author: Miguel Ángel Moreno Villarroel

 

Max Weber: The Protestant Ethic and the "Spirit" of Capitalism. (Review)

 

Max (Karl Emil Maximilian), was born in Erfurt on April 21, 1864, Germany and died in Munich, Germany, on June 14, 1920. He was a sociologist, economist, jurist, historian and political scientist; considered one of the founders of sociology and public administration.

In his work The Protestant Ethic and the "Spirit" of Capitalism, Weber analyzes the rational and even methodical modus vivendi of ascetic Protestantism and its influence on the formation of the capitalist spirit, which was based, in his opinion, on rational economic conduct.

This is a work in which one must pay close attention to the preliminary study and the footnotes, in order to achieve a historical and socioeconomic understanding in its proper dimension.

Author: Miguel Ángel Moreno Villarroel