What is the Meaning of Life?

Café-Salon Philosophique #22

September 26, 1998

No. of Participants: 10

vening's Topic: "The Meaning of Life, What is it?"

The group was small and intimate tonight, and those who were unable to join us, we hope will plan to be at our next meeting October 10, 1998.

Since almost everyone was new to the group, Samuel asked those in attendance why they had come to Cafe-Salon. Richard enjoy's "dialoguing and discussing today's problems." Damian came to "meet new people and enjoys expressing himself." Lester was here out of "curiosity."

Mary had been in Barnes and Noble the last time the group met and saw what looked like a group of people having a "stimulating conversation and alot of fun." Gregg was visiting from California and "likes to philosophize." Maxim thought he was coming for "a lecture." Lavaun "came with her friend David out of curiosity." David also came out of "curiosity to see what Cafe Philosophique was about."

Cafe Guidelines were then read and Samuel began the evening discussion by asking the group, "What is a thought?" He said, "A thought is not just fragments or fractions of words." "A thought is a whole concept." "Not very many people know how to think all the way through a whole thought or concept." A lot of people live their lives from fragments of thoughts and impulses.

Once again, Samuel pointed out how people in civilization are "not civilized." We continue to "kill each other" in many different ways, not just physically. Our civilization hasn't advanced beyond "crude competitiveness for power." We live with pretense and falsehoods. We wear many masks daily. There is only a small minority of people who have the courage to envision beyond this pretense. We continue to be alluded by so called, "reality" of the world of today.

After this short introduction, the group decided that they wanted to discuss "the meaning of life." Samuel mentioned his book, "The Conception Mandala," a book written by he and a former student, that assists couples in consciously having a child. This book is also good for others to read for reflecting on their own lives.

Samuel then asked, "Who gives meaning to your life?" Damian said, "we need to recognize life in our selves, and be at peace with others and our selves." Reinhard said, "we are life and we don't even know it."

The next question was "Why live?" David said, "for sex." (ha! ha!) Samuel said that he once asked a little girl where she was before she was born. She replied, "I was a thought." Lester thinks, "we shouldn't destroy life. Life begets life. What you put out is what you get back."

Mary first stated that she didn't know. "I never know what I'm going to feel when I wake up." Samuel asked if she could choose a mood. Mary did not feel like she had that choice. She feels as though she wakes up every day with a different mood. Why can't we choose a mood? Don't you think that is possible?

Mary feels like that by living, she is "taking up the world's resources." Honestly, "I don't know the meaning of life. Each day is different. Alot of times I make stuff up to keep things going, day to day." "Like caring for other people." "This is a way to channel my energy." Greg thinks we are here "to develop wisdom and compassion for other people." But he said that he wasn't at that point yet.

Maxim lives by "his instincts." He "goes with the flow" of life. When asked what he meant by this, he replied, "Just whatever is instinctual." Lavaun tried to distinguish between "merely surviving" and "real living." She admits she is in her "own search for meaning with no real answers as of yet." "It is hard to get away from the noise, consumerism and commercialism of the world." "Sometimes there seems like no objective cause or reason for being here."

David observed that "animals live naturally." "If you watch them, you can learn from them." Damian thinks we ought to "contribute something to Society."

Someone then asked "What is meaning?" The group defined meaning as, "an explanation of what's important in life." Greg asked the question, "Why do we exist?" Others said, "to find out what others are thinking, to benefit others, to evolve as a human being, to grow, to obtain new insights about the world, and someone said "I don't know, it is a secret. I don't have the answer."

Samuel asked a very good question. "Why do we postpone moments in life? Why do we WAIT to live life?" Damian said that there are "certain properties and movement connected with life." Destructive things are not life." Lester answered that we need to "produce life in order to produce values. "Life begets meaning, meaning expands into values which then become ethical questions defined by personal meaning."

Someone asked Samuel what he thought the meaning of life was. He stated that, "the meaning of life is to learn." "Living to merely survive with no meaning is not living." Living is learning and applying what you know. That is wisdom. Wisdom is what benefits everyone.

Lavaun said that she "observes herself and others, and how there seems to be a division of mind and body at times." She feels like at times that she is "merely existing or subsisting."

David then wanted group members to rate on a scale of 1-10, "how happy and satisfying their life is?" Reinhard gave it a 5.0. Damian rated his life a "6 or a 7." He said that, "there is always room to grow." Mary said that she was "totally satisfied" with what she was doing in her life at the present and would give it a "10." Lester said "9.5."

Greg said that he too, was also happy with his life and would give it a "10." David interjected and believed that Mary, Lester and Greg were "not telling the truth." Maxim added to the exaggeration by stating that he would rate his satisfaction in life as a "12." (ha! ha!) "There's no way that anybody could possibly live their life at a 10!" David exclaimed. Lauvaun quietly gave her answer of "4." Allie said she was at a "7" right now in her life. "There's always room for improvement." David said, "Now this person is being honest."

Samuel then asked the group what their definition of "happiness" was. Do you know who you are? Most people are totally ignorant of themselves. What masks do we wear? What roles do we play? Why do we compromise our selves to the world? For the world?

In order for one to learn more about "who they are," a person needs personal space and time with no outside distractions in order to be in a quiet, constructive activity. Not many people are able to find this quiet time and space. They become uncomfortable with "being too quiet" or they "just remembered" that they "need to do something." OR "I'm too busy, this needs attending to."

The last question was, "So what is your philosophy for life?" David replied, "to not hurt others or my self." Greg responded with, "to learn, understand and to know each other's sufferings." Mary said that she's always followed "The Golden Rule." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Also, she stated that she likes "to be nice," but she has had to learn to "keep within her own space at times." Lester thinks that the essence is promoted through "thoughts, actions and deeds." Damian is here to "better himself." Reinhard believes that he is here to "feed the law of life through the artist's way."

Samuel ended the evening's discussion with this remark, "develop your own philosophy in life, and wear the "impermeable"=raincoat. (May you radiate and not let the exterior world penetrate your being, physically or mentally)

The next Cafe-Salon meeting will be held October 10, 1998 at Barnes & Noble, 2915 Pearl, St., Boulder, CO at 7:30 p.m. We will continue to "Envision the Future." The subject matter is up for consideration.

Reported by Alessandra