There is one more secret of meaningful life which I would like to mention: we should not be guided by feelings or judge by appearances. There are times when we feel that our life is meaningless and empty. Should we accept those testimonies as the final judgment? Certainly not. As we continue to move forward, a new meaning will dawn for us.

The same thing often happens with our work. We begin a certain project, we dedicate our time and efforts to it, but it seems that we don’t succeed at all. At this stage, some people decide that it is better for them leave this plan and move on to something else. They aren’t passionate enough about this project and do not have their will developed in sufficient measure in order to follow it through. But this is a lousy and an ignorant attitude which can never make anyone successful in anything.

Nothing happens instantly. There is always time between planting of seeds and reaping the full harvest. There is always time between starting of a project and its completion. There is always time between searching and finding – including our search for meaning.

Meaningful life is not to be taken for granted. The meaning of our life is not always evident. The old saying still holds true: “Seek, and you will find”.

Not so long ago I received a message from a lady who wrote: “Once I felt that my life is meaningful, but now this feeling is gone. Why did it happen? What is the problem with me?” Frankly, I don’t know what the case with her is – she did not give me enough information to analyze. Every person is a complicated and multidimensional being, and we should not settle for simplistic answers in dealing with others. Yet there are universal principles which work for all people; and there are directions where we may look for possible answers when difficulties arise.

From my own experience I learned that life is the path of ascension. We ascend form meaning to meaning, and it is quite natural that things which were important and meaningful at some point of our life lose their value for us. Perhaps we tried to settle at one place which we liked (and I mean a mental place, not a physical one), forgetting that life is a journey. Yet life always prevails and forces us to move if we aren’t willing to do so of our own accord.

There is a positive way to look at our discontent and seeming unhappiness. Those feelings are promises that there is something greater waiting for us. It is up to us to rise up and walk forward and to discover new meaning of our life.

The worst thing we may do to is to sit and wait for something to happen or for someone to come and “save” us from our miseries. The desired transformation will come from within, not from without. We are masters of our lives. We are to choose, to make up our minds.

So, even if our life looks empty at the present moment, let us not think that it is over. There is no absolute darkness; there is always a glimpse of light. Can we see it now? Let us look carefully enough, and we will notice it. Let us then stay focused on it. Let a small desire become a dream; let a dream become a passion; let a passion be translated into an action. Let us become engaged in creative work which stimulates us, challenges us – and leaves us no time to feel sorry about ourselves. At this point we should not look for immediate fulfillment – it will come in due season. Our goal to gain a momentum.

At the same time, let us observe our inner and outer life – and be flexible. Certain things looked meaningful and important at certain periods of our development, but now they exhausted themselves. So, why should we drag them around forever? Let us not hesitate to let go of things, relationships, and even ideas and beliefs which do not add value to our life.

In the coming year, I wish every one of you to enter into more abundant and more meaningful life. Let us travel from meaning to meaning!

I mentioned earlier that meaningful life for me involves non-attachment to particular forms of my inner and outer expression at any given moment. Non-attachment is a hidden ingredient of meaningful life which most people don’t realize – yet it makes all the difference in the long run.

“Let go, and let God”. This well-known phrase summarizes the essence of non-attachment. “Let go, and let God”. I don’t know exactly who said it first, but that person was a genius.

Letting go has to do with recognition of the transient nature of life. I repeat it often, because this truth cannot be overemphasized: life always moves. It cannot stand still. Energy is never lost, but it is always translated into other forms and goes to another planes. No our possession, no our relation, no our achievement is permanent.

What does it mean to let go? Don’t cling – even to things and to people you love with all your heart. Don’t grasp. These attempts are vain and fruitless, and they lead to sufferings.

People often pray to God, asking to approve their clinging and grasping. They wish to keep something or someone with them – and when it doesn’t happen, they blame God, as if the Divinity has to fulfill their whims. This is why I have to agree with Emerson that most of prayers are foolish. According to him, “prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view”. One of these facts is that we cannot keep anything as our private possession forever. We will have to let it go.

In many cases we cling and grasp because of our insecurity, which is rooted in an illusion of separate existence. If we have a notion that we are separate beings, estranged from the world and alienated from God, we desperately look for something or someone which will make us complete, whole, and fulfilled. Once we decided that we have found it, we guard and protect it. And by doing so, we misuse things which are potentially good.

It might be a shocking realization for some individuals, but by clinging to other people they abuse them. True relationships imply freedom from attachments and willingness to let go when the time comes.

Do not fear, because fear turns to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Don’t be afraid to be left alone, lacking, or unfulfilled. You are an integral part of the rich and generous universe; and all of its resources will be freely given to you when you will align to the universal laws.

Letting go reduces stress which we experience because of our compulsive attempts to hold on to something or someone, to “fix” other persons or seemingly troublesome situations. Letting go makes us inwardly poised, and it becomes easier for us to stay opened to the divine inspiration. When we follow this intuitive guidance, our actions are more effective. We steadily move to even greater achievements and relationships.

Let go, and let no good thing ever keep you from greatness.

As we let go, we let God to bless us in a new and exiting way. People who complain that there is no advancement in their life should carefully consider whether they cling to something, therefore making their progressive movement impossible.

Finding a meaning of life is an inside job – yet it affects all our relationships with others, making them enriching and fulfilling. As we come to the knowledge of ourselves, grow, and express ourselves, we make our unique contribution to the universal evolution.

The whole world is made in such a way that all things are interconnected. Separate existence is an illusion. If we are alive, we are part of the universal whole. Therefore, it is quite natural thing for us to make the difference, to affect the world in positive ways.

If that is true, why so many people experience difficulties in their relationships with others, and with the world in general? One of the reasons is that the flow of creative energy through them is restricted because of offences and resentments. People blame their life and “accidents” which happen with them. They blame other people and count their faults. What is the result? Their own condition only becomes worse.

Would you like to know how an ignorant person looks like? That one always complains about his/her misfortunes, and at the same hopes for “miraculous deliverance” to happen. As Richard Bach wisely said, “The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly”.

When we are enlightened, we see justice and meaning in all things. We know that the universe is not chaotic. It is governed by laws – and we learn to apply these laws for our benefit. We aren’t looking for ways to avoid our responsibility for our world and for constructive interaction with it.

“The messengers and the prophets will come to you and give you what belongs to you. You, in turn, give them what you have, and say to yourselves, ‘When will they come and take what belongs to them?”, says Jesus in the gospel of Thomas.

Here is one of the great secrets of life: no person comes to us accidently. All encounters are meaningful. Every person we meet is an angel in disguise, a messenger from God. He/she brings us a gift. What kind of gift? Let us look and we will see. And if we don’t see it at once, let us look deeper.

Sometimes, their gift could be a challenge to us – to become smarter, stronger, more patient, more loving. Should we deny this gift? Sometimes, their gift could be a question. Should we deny this gift? When we are wise, we know that questions often are of greater importance than answers.

Here is another great secret of life: no matter who you are, no matter how insignificant you seem to be, you are a God’s angel to others. It is up to you to “give them what you have”. Of course, it doesn’t make you superior. It does not give you rights to become preachy or to intrude into lives of others. Offer your gift – the best of what you have within – but don’t take it as a personal offence if your gift is seemingly ignored, rejected, of misused. Handling of that gift is that person’s business, not yours. Your business is to take good care about gifts which belong to you.

Love never violates the freedom of others, but encourages it. Love is generous enough to embrace the fact that God loves and protects others, giving them unlimited opportunities to experience divine abundance.

Growth is the supreme law of life. Every living thing grows – including a human being. And even when our physical development stops, we still progress and unfold at other levels, such as mental, emotional, and spiritual. We acquire new knowledge, learn new skills, and express ourselves in greater measure. The problem with most people, however, is that mostly their growth is not conscious – they are forced to grow in order to find a job and make a living, to establish and to keep a family, to become an esteemed and respected member of the society, and so forth. And they are not willing to go beyond that which is necessary. When they are not pressured to become successful in some area, they easily become content with a usual routine, or even regress. At the same time they might feel meaningless of their life – failing to connect this emotional state with lack of passion for growth.

Once we realize that growth is the law, not an option, we can make conscious steps toward unfoldment and expression of our inner potential.

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have that within you, what you do not have within you will kill you”, says Jesus in the gospel of Thomas. Unexpressed gifts and talents “kill” us by blocking our living connection with God, the Source of all life and all power. When it happens we become dry, our day-to-day existence becomes boring. Being estranged from the fullness of life and happiness, we call it “an unrealistic fantasy”.

If we came to a conclusion that growth is necessary, we will easily find directions where to go and what to do by looking within. In quiet meditation, we may open ourselves to the inflow of divine ideas and the inspiration from the Spirit. We will feel divine restlessness – an urge to do new things, to explore new dimensions, to look expand our knowledge.

Of course, fear will stand on our way. At times we might become afraid of losing blessings which are already ours. We might suffer from insecurity and loneliness. But let us remind ourselves that we keep our balance while we move, not while we stand still. A fearful person will never be a winner in life’s game. By avoiding a temporary discomfort, that one misses greatest benefits.

Growth implies courage to move beyond our petty fears and anxieties into a new world of adventures and discoveries.

Overcome fear by staying focused on love. Love life, and you won’t be afraid to explore it. Love yourself, and you won’t be afraid to unfold your potential. As you contemplate an idea of growth, always take love into the consideration.

Of course, there could be unhealthy manifestations of growth which are similar to growth of cancer cells in a human body. Some people strive to become wealthier by taking away from others. Some people wish to have more power, to become more popular or sexually attractive in order to manipulate others and to take advantage of them. But greedy, power-hungry, and obsessive individuals do not enjoy divinely ordained growth – their apparent success is but temporary. Those people are not happy, because their unloving ways betray their fear and deep-seated resentment. If they could only allow themselves to grow in love, their lives would be miraculously transformed.

Growth implies sincere love and giving of ourselves without any thought of selfish gain or return – but with knowledge that the universe will amplify our efforts and brings us back divine abundance.