ADDING MEANING TO LIFE

**"Ego says: Everything must be exactly as I want it to be; only then will I be at peace.

The soul says: Be at peace, and then everything will be exactly as you want it to be."** – Osho

For billions of years, the Earth has maintained its balance under the ruthless laws of the universe. As we evolved step by step from primitive life, we entered into a race with the natural laws we have only recently begun to understand. But are we truly the winners? Take, for example, the discovery of the atomic bomb—how has it benefited humanity?

Anthropological research has defined the search for meaning in life or the quest for truth as having begun in the earliest periods of humanity. When spiritual values in primitive societies were attacked by civilization, they lost their belief in the meaning of life, leading to social and moral collapse. Are we experiencing a similar situation? How is it that, as modern humans, we can become so aggressively destructive?

According to analytical psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, human beings need assumptions and beliefs that give life meaning and help them find their place in the universe. With such beliefs, they can endure unbearable suffering. In primitive times, we acted more on instinct and learned to control ourselves over time. However, as we became more civilized and disconnected from nature, we distanced our consciousness from the impulses of our souls, inner guidance, and the collective unconscious. This disconnection led to individual isolation and, in turn, to a sense of meaninglessness in life, insatiable desires, pleasure-seeking tendencies, or extreme dogmatic beliefs. Yet instincts have not been completely lost. They remain hidden from our conscious awareness, occasionally surfacing in symbolic dreams, unexplained melancholy, slips of the tongue, or even psychosomatic illnesses, subtly influencing our decisions.

As contemporary humans search for a meaningful adventure in life, some have turned to Eastern teachings, some have pursued careers, and others have worshipped material wealth—only to become lost in the meaninglessness of life. Western culture attempted to fill the void by imitating ancient wisdom, but it failed. The true journey lies in setting out freely toward our own inner wisdom—one that is uniquely ours. This journey cannot be imitated or understood by others; it can only be discovered by the individual. This uniqueness makes it a fundamental instinct that satisfies the human need for meaning. And when we remember… when what is unconscious becomes familiar in our conscious state, an enlightenment occurs—like the joy of seeing a long-lost loved one turn the corner. Suddenly, life becomes meaningful.

Life is both profoundly concrete and infinitely variable. Thus, the meaning of life differs from person to person and from one era to another, shaping our unique destinies. But how can one find meaning amidst the conflicts between defense mechanisms, drives and instincts, and the clashing desires of the ego and superego? In this search, one may experience inner tension. However, did you know that this tension is essential for spiritual growth and the realization of one's potential? Striving for a freely chosen goal can unlock our potential energy, though it also creates a duality. The struggle between ego-driven desires and the needs of our true nature—between our conscious mind and the unease of unconscious drives—leads to what Jung described as the confrontation between our "shadow" and our "ego."

By "ego," we do not mean an arrogant personality. The ego serves as the filter of our reality, the guardian of our identity, and the barrier between the conscious and unconscious.

The term "shadow," though it represents our darker aspects, is not something to be feared; rather, it is an aspect that must be embraced. Our shadow consists of suppressed, denied emotions as well as forgotten fears and aspects of ourselves that need to be developed or transformed. It is everything we believe we are not—the raw, primal side of our unconscious that erupts in fits of anger, discomfort under criticism, or repressed desires.

The "shadow archetype" (archetype: an unconscious, primordial form inherited from our ancestors over thousands of years) extends beyond the individual and can manifest as societal rage, disasters, or victories. Suppressed energies can have destructive consequences, threatening entire societies. Perhaps this is why even people from developed countries are drawn to corrupt terrorist organizations. But is it possible to understand and transform our collective shadow through individual efforts? Yes, it is. By connecting with the "Great Human" within us, we can find meaningful purposes in life and even change the course of the world. Jung emphasized the necessity of the "Individuation and Integration processes" for this transformation:

"The individuated person, through self-awareness and acceptance of the unconscious, realizes their kinship with all living beings—even with inorganic matter and the cosmic whole."

Individuation begins in adolescence when we start distinguishing life's dualities. The self is divided into ego and self, marking the separation of different systems within our personality. This initiates the discovery of life. The choices and paths taken at this stage determine whether one realizes their potential or falls into self-destruction. Integration, on the other hand, involves merging the conscious with the unconscious. It is a form of enlightenment—uniting the fragmented self, reconciling the dualities of matter and spirit, and achieving self-completion. It is the path to the "Great Human" within us.

However, due to ego-based pressures, this process is not easy. Often, external psychological or physical traumas act as catalysts. Many transformational journeys begin with sentences like "Everything changed after my accident" or "That was the hardest time of my life." These life-altering experiences are not mere coincidences; rather, they are the force of the self shaping and guiding our paths. Such transformations often coincide with midlife stages. However, excessive preoccupation with materialistic ego desires prevents this transformation in some individuals. Blaming external circumstances, playing the victim, and choosing passivity only deepen the darkness. Yet, overcoming hardships and achieving growth is always possible. Change is undoubtedly challenging, but as the saying goes, "What does not kill me makes me stronger."

As Nietzsche put it:"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."

According to Dr. Viktor E. Frankl, "The primary pursuit of human beings is not pleasure or the avoidance of pain, but rather the search for meaning." Through his experiences in World War II, Dr. Frankl observed that those with responsibilities and a sense of purpose had a higher chance of survival. Psychiatric studies on war prisoners in North Korea and North Vietnam confirmed similar findings. When individuals see their suffering as an integral part of their destiny and accept it as a mission, their pain can become meaningful and even transformative.

As we near the end, the question remains: What should we do?

First, we must recognize that each of us is unique, yet we are also part of a whole. We shape the collective consciousness that has existed for thousands of years, and our individual transformation influences the masses. We must remember our essence—our loving instincts, harmonized with nature.

But this does not require sitting cross-legged for hours chanting "Om" or spending large sums of money to follow a guru. It can be as simple as silencing the mind to hear the voice of silence—through breathing exercises, meditation, or dream analysis (since dreams, often symbolic, contain echoes of ancient mythological memories, with meanings unique to each individual).

When we finally meet our own "Great Human," the paths to adding meaning to life naturally reveal themselves. Once our perception of life shifts, we never return to who we once were, nor do we collapse in the face of hardship. The happiness we attain is not dependent on external circumstances. Decisions made through inner guidance always lead to peace, never at the expense of others or nature.

To conclude with Jung’s words:

"In this chaotic world, we must continue to confront the violence within ourselves—until we learn, until it transforms into compassion. If we cannot stand before guns, then let us stand before the violence within us."