Image: Unsplash, downloaded (https://unsplash.com/photos/oxQ0egaQMfU) 26.03.2022.
THE SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE
The illusion to which we are subject leaves us with a variety of mirages that entice us, takes us further and further away from the peace in which we would turn to ourselves. The deafening noise with which we feed the senses, just follows the long-paved paths. Like an addiction. It disperses like a puff of smoke from a passionate smoker. We inhale a deadly poison, but we can't stop smoking. Not today. We'll stop tomorrow. It is the same with the search for the meaning of life. We will start once we satisfy the senses. And wherever we go, there is a latent danger. Consumerism is systematically devouring us. Along with everything it is made of.
Most often we forget that we ourselves need to give a signal to start the search. In fact, we somehow can't. It is more comfortable and easier to surrender to the current. Follow others and not set out to explore our primordial being. The dream of "being" that we are aware of somewhere deep inside, does not come to the surface of a rippled reality. That is why it is so difficult and mostly hopeless, to search, because we usually search for something outside ourselves, we give importance to the external, where we will certainly not find the essence.
„The purpose of life is a life of purpose.“ said Robert Byrne. Yes, but what's the purpose? How do we find the answer to that question? To what is meaningful and what is meaningless in our short duration. What is it that persistently accompanies us and does not give us peace?
A centuries-old mystery. Eternal search for the "Holy Grail." There is a lingering longing in each of us to confirm ourselves and leave a visible mark after leaving this world. To be able to find the way again, the illuminated path at the time of the descent. The purpose of origin and battle preoccupies all people in some way. Whether they are silent warriors who persistently unravel darkness so as not to succumb to vast ignorance, whether they are the army of salvation that attacks violently and seeks answers by breaking reality with the sword, or they are passive observers who feel deep down that we are not just a passing moment.
Yes, whether we realize it or not, we are constantly in search of the meaning of life. We often stumble, wander, carried by the current of life, spinning in a circle. Only the "road less traveled" can lead us to spiritual maturation. Where a quantum leap is possible. That crumb of consciousness that manages to elevate us above the duality that complicates our search and veils our path to self-understanding, which we long for without ceasing. For that pure essence of the soul that alone can take us to the spirit world while we are still alive. Made from mud. “… For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” We dust ourselves of every time we make a mistake. We live and search, and mostly, we turn back to dust without finding the meaning of life.
We do not dare to "be Daniel." To open our spiritual eyes and to believe. Let our faith guide us with pure unconditional trust. To be our muse of thoughts, words and pens, images and right actions. Inspiration that opens the door to the unknowable through the gifts of the spirit.
What exactly is our purpose? Where do we travel with only that tiny light in our souls as we rejoice, mourn, pray? Let's think about the destiny to which we attribute all the good and bad that has found us. We blame the burdens with which we ourselves have weighted down our own existence; external factors, bad luck, black magic, bad cards. Everything, just not ourselves. We don't take responsibility for our actions and deeds that pave the way to even greater hell. And so we travel.
We go through the book of life. We choose passing stations. Petty pleasures. Page by page. We open gifts received according to our expectations, far from possible merits. There is no way to set off, step by step, on a steep path towards the "mountain" of our greatest life temptations. And there is no skipping the stairs, because recklessness will fall on us, unwillingness to take responsibility for everything that has happened to us and what is happening to us. Without the wisdom that teaches us to distinguish. When we become aware of this, we will patiently and slowly make our way to the light.
Alas! A miracle! When we finally realize this, hell recedes, the fire that roasted us turns into a torch that lights our way. The road less traveled opens up the possibility for us to move and turn to ourselves. The encounter with destiny is now slowly showing us our true nature. We finally dare to accept responsibility for our actions and all that we are. We are no longer afraid of the consequences of our thoughts, words and deeds, because we know what is good and what is bad for us. Only now can we begin the real search. The search for the meaning of life, because we travel to ourselves looking forward to each new day.
On that journey, we can finally give a toast from the "golden chalice", and then tackle the "hungry lion." Dare to be Daniel. Now we can finally be at peace. Now we are building everything in the material world "puzzle by puzzle." And we long to last as long as possible. To get to know each other as much as possible in our lifetime. And that we can take these insights with us into a new birth, without sinking into eternal oblivion.
About the Author: Zdenka Čavić was born in Koprivnica. After earning her academic title in Zagreb, she earned a degree from the International center for computer graphic design IVORA in Varaždin. As a member of cultural associations; the Croatian Parliament of Culture, Croatian national institution - Matica Hrvatska, Varaždin Literary Society, Society of Croatian Writers of Herceg Bosna, Association for the Promotion of culture KVAKA and Cultural arts Society Podravka, she is a frequent participant in literary manifestations. Her poems and prose have been published in all relevant proceedings recitals in Croatia, in literary journals, as well as on some domestic and foreign literary portals. In addition to a number of recognitions, she received several notable awards. So far she has published six books.
Croatian version:
POTRAGA ZA SMISLOM ŽIVOTA
Iluzija kojoj podliježemo prepušta nas šarenilu opsjena koje mame, odvodi sve dalje od mira u kojem bismo se okrenuli k sebi. Zaglušna buka kojom hranimo čula, samo slijedi davno utrte putove. Kao ovisnost. Raspršuje se poput koluta dima strastvenog pušača. Uvlačimo duboko u pluća ubojiti otrov, ali ne možemo prestati pušiti. Ne danas. Prestat ćemo sutra. Tako je i u potrazi za smislom života. Otpočet ćemo jednom kad zadovoljimo čula. A kud god da krenemo, vreba latentna opasnost. Konzumerizam nas sustavno proždire. Zajedno sa svime od čega je sazdan.
Najčešće zaboravljajmo da mi sami trebamo dati znak za početak traganja. Zapravo nam se nekako ne da. Lagodnije je i lakše predati se struji. Povoditi se za drugima a ne krenuti u istraživanje svojeg iskonskoga bića. Snoviđenje „biti“ koje smo svjesni negdje duboko u sebi, ne izlazi na površinu namreškane stvarnosti. Zato je toliko teško, većinom i uzaludno tragati, jer obično tragamo za nečim van sebe, dajemo značaj izvanjskome, gdje bit sigurno nećemo naći.
„Smisao života je život sa smislom“, rekao je Robert Byrne. Da, ali što je to smisao? Kako doći od odgovora na to pitanje? Do toga što je smisleno a što besmisleno u našemu kratkomu trajanju. Što nas to uporno prati i ne da nam mira?
Vjekovna misterija. Vječita potraga za „Svetim gralom“. U svakom od nas prebiva i tinja čežnja da se potvrdimo i ostavimo vidljiv trag nakon odlaska s ovog svijeta. Da bi mogli ponovo pronaći put, osvijetljen put u vrijeme ponovnog silaska. Svrha postanka i bitka zaokuplja na neki način sve ljude. Bilo da su tihi ratnici koji upornošću razgrću tamu da ne pokleknu pred ogromnima neznanjem, bilo da su vojska spasa koja nadire silovito i traži odgovore lomeći stvarnost mačem, bilo da su pasivni promatrači koji negdje duboko u duši ipak osjećaju da nismo samo plod trenutak.
Da, osvijestili to mi ili ne, bez prestanka smo na neki način, u potrazi za smislom života. Često se spotičemo, lutamo, nosi nas struja života, vrtimo se u krug. Samo nas „Put kojim se rjeđe ide“ može voditi k duhovnom sazrijevanju. Tamo gdje je moguć kvantni skok. Ta mrvica svjesnosti koja nas uspijeva izdignuti nad dualnošću koja nam otežava tu potragu i koprenom zastire naš put do samorazumijevanja, za kojim bez prestanka čeznemo. Za tom čistom esencijom duše koja nas jedina može odvesti u svijet duha još dok smo živi. Napravljeni do blata. „Spomeni se čovječe da si prah i da ćeš se u prah pretvoriti“. Pepelom se posipamo svaki put kad pogriješimo. Živimo i tragamo i najčešće se u prah pretvaramo a da ne pronalazimo smisao života.
Ne usuđujemo se „biti Daniel“. Otvoriti duhovne oči i vjerovati. Čistom bespogovornom vjerom pustiti da nas vjera vodi. Da nam bude muza misli, riječi i pera, slika i ispravnog djelovanja. Nadahnuće koja otvara dveri nespoznatljivog kroz darove duha.
Što je zapravo naša svrha? Kuda i kamo putujemo samo s tim sićušnim svijetlom u duši dok se radujemo, tugujemo, molimo? Razmišljajmo o sudbini kojoj pripisujemo sve dobro i loše što nas je (s)našlo. Sve terete kojima smo opteretili vlastito bivanje predbacujemo vanjskim faktorima, zloj kobi, lošoj sreći, crnoj magiji, loše bačenim kartama. Svemu, samo ne sebi. Svojim postupcima i djelima koja si utiru put prema još većem paklu. I tako putujemo.
Listamo knjigu života. Biramo usputne stanice. Sitne užitke. St(r)anicu po st(r)anicu. Otvaramo darove dobivene prema našim očekivanjima, daleko od možebitnih zasluga. Nikako da se otputimo, korak po korak, strmom stazom prema „gori“ naših najvećih životnih iskušenja. I nema preskakanja stepenica jer će se na nas obrušiti nepromišljenost, nespremnost da na sebe preuzmemo odgovornost za sve što nas je snašlo i što nam se događa. Bez mudrosti koja nas uči razlikovati. Kada to osvijestimo, strpljivo i polako si utiremo put k svijetlu.
I gle čuda! Kad to napokon shvatimo, pakao ustukne, vatra koja nas je pržila pretvara se u baklju koja nam osvjetljava put. Put kojim se rjeđe ide otvara nam mogućnost da se pokrenemo i okrenemo sebi. Susret sa sudbinom sada nam polako pokazuje našu pravu prirodu. Napokon se usuđujemo prihvatiti odgovornost za svoje postupke i sve što jesmo. Više se ne bojimo posljedica svojih misli, riječi i dijela, jer znamo što je dobro a što je loše za nas. Tek sad možemo otpočeti pravu potragu. Potragu za smislom života, jer putujemo k sebi radujući se svakom novom danu.
Na tom putovanju, napokon si možemo nazdraviti iz „zlatnoga kaleža“, i potom se uhvatiti u ukoštac s „gladnim lavom“. Usuditi se biti Daniel. Sada napokon možemo biti mirni. Sada sve gradimo u tvarnom svijetu „puzzlu po puzzlu“. I čeznemo da (po)trajemo što duže. Da čim više spoznamo još za života. I da te spoznaje do kojih smo došli možemo slobodno donijeti sa sobom u novo rođenje, bez da utonemo u vječni zaborav.
O autorici: Zdenka Čavić rođena je u Koprivnici. Nakon što je akademsku titulu stekla u Zagrebu, diplomirala je i na Međunarodnom centru za računalno grafički dizajn IVORA u Varaždinu. Kao članica kulturnih asocijacija, Hrvatskog sabora kulture, Hrvatske nacionalne institucije - Matice hrvatske, Varaždinskog književnog društva, Društva hrvatskih književnika Herceg Bosne, Udruge za promicanje kulture KVAKA i Kulturno umjetničkog društva Podravka, česta je sudionica književnih manifestacija. Njezine pjesme i proza objavljene su u svim relevantnim zbornicima recitala u Hrvatskoj, u književnim časopisima, kao i na nekim domaćim i stranim književnim portalima. Osim brojnih priznanja, dobitnica je i nekoliko zapaženih nagrada. Do sada je objavila šest knjiga.
