As a matter of fact, it is not to late to remind everyone of views of Solomon - one of kings of ancient Israel. He was one of first to have put his views about purpose and meaning of human existence on public record. His dissertation on subject, if you do not know, is titled Ecclesiastics (one of wisdom books in Old Testament). What was his answer? Well, let me paraphrase it for you. He said that life is actually for nothing at all. And let me assure you that he was not singing sour grapes either. He had a high intellect, political power, financial wherewithal (he taxed his people rather hard for his new Temple of God), not to say ladies and servants in waiting. It is not until one gets to one of his closing remarks that one realizes why he was so nihilistic. He said that after human body returns to dust, its spirit therein will have to be returned to God. From a statement such as this, it seems rather clear to me that he did not really believe that persons would persist as souls with memories and self-identity intact in hereafter. That may also explain why he had to whine and grind so much about futility of being human.

Be that as it may, I, for one, would think that baby should not be thrown out with bathwater. In eyes of any helpless parent, being able to hold onto some of remaining bits and pieces may still be better than none. In this connection, I think that some of ‘existentialist’ insights of Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre, not to mention those of Kierkegaard and Marin Heidegger, are indeed more appropriate. In very commonsensical and simplistic terms, what they said was that life is not a Chinese dinner party where everyone must wait to be served (i.e., with meaning and purpose). It is more like an outdoor BBQ where one must choose and make one’s own. The purpose and meaning of life is something that everyone must try and cook for himself, in terms of what he wants and decides to do, as well as what one actually managed to get done. To just respond obediently to dictates of another (either human or divine), or surrender completely to programming of popular culture (religious or secular), is not a meaningful way to live.

To this, I should also like to add three further notes of my own. One is that as every life is bound to undergo various stages for reason of physiological changes and unforeseen circumstances, meanings and purposes of a life are in fact many - not just any ‘this and only’ as it is usually mistakenly taken to imply. Another is that worth of any life (or success, if one must use word) is not confined to any one top or bottom that one may have managed to conquer or endure. It must also be defined in terms of total distance and nature of terrains covered. Even if one had to limp through in end, I would rather think, is still more worthy of respect than quitting midway. Last but not least, it is perhaps more appropriate to think about purposes and meanings in life, or its worth if you like, rather than of it. There is no justification for anyone to write off former simply for lack of latter – that is, if one would not want to be so honest and uncouth as to say that from biological point of view, meaning and purpose of life is perhaps to eat first and be eaten later.

====================================== What is role of religion in an agnostic (with respect to supernatural) and neuroscientific (or soul-less) world? http://www.geocities.com/philosophyofreligion_pmkchan/index.html ======================================

My spiritual guidance or what I also refer to as my personal empowerment spread consists of following:

* The first position is background, which points out general areas of concern in querrent’s present situation

* The second Position expands on this a bit by showing me what is motivating individuals concern, what drives or compels their actions.

* The third position I use to point out fears and underlying problems that person needs to address, things that block their progress.

* The fourth position I use to point out gently things that they may be overlooking or different perspectives to explore.

* The fifth position I use as an "action plan' to point out ways in which individual can move past problems/fears, restrictions, and go forward with new awareness.

The Spread itself is laid out from left to right, shuffling and reflecting on position meaning as each card is drawn.

Sometimes this reading is a little difficult to hear, as it shows us things we don't always want to see. Our job as an effective reader is not to placate someone or simply say what we think they want to hear. Our goal should always be truth even if it is uncomfortable. The reason that is so is that it allows for growth for individual, placating someone does not serve their highest good. Of course that doesn't mean that one should be overly abrasive or condescending in any manner. When reading about a painful situation, try to understand why querrent feels way they do while still remaining objective. In next lesson we will learn in detail how to do a Spiritual Guidance Reading for ourselves and others.