If life is a source of continuous happiness write by Prof Ilchi Lee, then we may not need philosophy or spirituality. We do not normally bother ourselves with the meaning of life when we feel happy. When happiness recedes, we question the meaning of life. “Why is this happening to me?” “What point is there to life?” When happiness returns, we forget about these questions. But then another change arrives and we question again. “How can this happen to me again?”

The conditions that make us content do not last forever. Eventually, they are bound to disappear, and we will once again find ourselves wondering about the meaning of life. Only when we mature sufficiently to the point where we are no longer deceived by this repetitive cycle, do we begin to question ourselves deeply and earnestly.

Eventually we strip off the layers of meaning that we had so carefully constructed around our lives, a process that leads to emptiness and loneliness. Most of us cannot bear this loneliness. We try our best to forget these questions, yet we remain haunted always by their echoes in the back of our minds. However, if we wish to realize the truth behind life, we need the courage to look this emptiness straight in the eye.

When you have realized that life is basically suffering punctuated by fleeting moments of happiness, when you accept that state of unbearable emptiness, then you will know you are on the path of the soul. When you find yourself demanding the unchanging truth with all your being, know that voice and remember it. You need courage and discipline to hold on to these questions that cry out from the depth of your soul.