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AKASHAPARAVAKAL AND MEANINGFULNESS IN LIFE
Integration of Logotherapy in the Life of Birds of the Air
Department of Philosophy
AKASHAPARAVAKAL AND MEANINGFULNESS IN LIFE
Integration of Logotherapy in the Life of Birds of the Air
JOSE MARTIN M.
(Reg. No. 1024711)
DIRECTOR
Dr. Saju Chackalackal
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of the Philosophy
in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Arts in Philosophy
Bangalore
March 2012
PREFACE
I
have personally experienced that akashaparavakal as a logotherapeutic
centre not merely as a curative but more as a preventive and nutritive
experience. So in this thesis, I intend to study how Logotherapy has
been applied in the life of Akashaparavakal, although it had no idea of
the theory.
With
great pleasure and gratitude, I would like to acknowledge all the
assistance that I have received from different sources in preparing this
thesis. First of all, I thank the Almighty God for having showered upon
me his graces to do this work. Secondly, I accord my sincere gratitude
to my director, Dr. Saju Chackalackal. He is a scholar in Kantian
philosophy, a distinguished educationist, a lovable teacher and he is
also the one who is loved by all students. At present, he is the Head of
the Department of Philosophy at Christ University, Bangalore. He was
spectacularly kind enough to allow me to do my masters level research
under his guidance. Working under his direction was a privilege and
pleasure for me. In spite of his tight busy schedule, he made himself
available guiding me with his expertise and encouraged me with his
suggestions, advice and corrections with a loving heart and mind, all of
which have contributed to the successful completion of this work. From
the bottom of my heart, I express my great indebtedness to my treasured
respected teacher for all that he has done to me.
With
a lot of gratitude heart I specially remember and dedicate this work to
the Late Rev. Fr. Sunny Parayil CMI, from whom I learned more, and Fr.
Sunny Ukken CMI, Director of Alphonsa Bhavan, Vetathoor and Thirumugha
Ashrama, Bangalore and also to the caretakers and Ashramites, who helped
me a lot with their experience and support. They are the people who
really gave me these good experiences and helped me to do this humble
study on them.
I
am also grateful to all my professors at the Department of Philosophy
of Christ University and Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and also the
librarians of DVK Central Library, Christ University Library and
Dharmaram College Library, especially Fr. Viju Painadath CMI, who have
helped me with great support and suggested good enough materials. A word
of thanks to Rev. Dr. Thomas Aykara CMI, my Rector and Rev. Dr.
Sebastian Edathikavil CMI, my master for their constant support and
encouragement. A special word of thanks goes to my companions at Christ
University, DVK and the brothers in my section, for all their
assistance.
Christ University, Bangalore Jose Martin
March 2012
ABBREVIATIONS
ECEC Eucharistic Catholic Ecclesial Community
FBA Friends of the Birds of the Air
CMI Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
MC Missionaries of Charity
MCBS The Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE iii
ABBREVIATION
v
v
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 1
AKASHAPARAVAKAL AND THE REALM OF MEANING 5
1.1. Akashaparavakal: Where One Encounters Meanings and Values 5
1.1.1. Spiritual Dimension of Akashaparavakal
1.1.2. Akashaparavakal for the Growth and Development of Society
1.2. Finding Meaning in the Philosophy of Religion
1.2.1. The Process of Meaninglessness to Meaningfulness
1.2.2. Religion of the Elite Became the Religion of Ordinary through Akashaparavakal
1.3. Akashaparavakal: View of Human Motivation
1.3.1. The Philosophical Foundation of Fundamental Human Rights
1.3.2. Sign of Hope
1.4. Akashaparavakal and Its Supra-Meaning
1.4.1. Trusting in the Providence of God
1.4.2. A Way of Simple Life
CHAPTER 2
PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LOGOTHERAPY
2. Logotherapy
2.1. The Human Dimension
2.1.1. Three-Tire Dimensions of Human Existence
2.1.2. Physical and Psyche Dimension
2.1.3. Noëtic Dimension
Noogenic Neurosis
2.2. Dimension of human existence
2.2.1. Spirituality of man
2.2.2. Freedom
2.2.3. Responsibility
2.3. Frankl's View of Human Nature
2.3.1. Sources of Meaning
2.3.2. Meaning – An Existential Answer
2.4. Meaning in Work
2.5. Meaning in Love
2.5.1. Three factors of love.
Love is Grace, Enchantment and Miracle
2.5.2. Self-transcendence
2.6. Meaning in Suffering
2.7. The Supra-Meaning
2.8. Frankl's View of Human Motivation
Quest for Meaning
2.9. Existential Vacuum
2.9.1. Meaning from the Past
2.10. Technique of Logotherapy
IMPACT OF A MEANING-CENTERED INTERVENTION AND REALITY OF RELIGION ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG BIRDS OF THE AIR
3.1. Meaning in Birds of the air
3.1.1. The Caretakers’ Experience and the Meaning-Centred Intervention
3.1.2. The Role of Religion in Meaning Making
3.1.3. The Role of Spirituality in Meaning Making
3.1.3.1. Prayer Life
3.1.3.2. Accepting Suffering through Spirituality
3.2. Logotherapy Improves Service Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Akashaparavakal
3.2.1. Service Satisfaction
3.2.2. Quality of Life
3.2.3. Improving the Quality of Life in Akashaparavakal through Love
3.3. Logotherapy Infuses Meaning in the Unique Life of Those Who Live in Akasaparavakal
3.3.1. Meaning in Work
3.3.2. Priests and Volunteers Realization of Meaning
3.3.3. Inmates realization of Meaning
3.3.4. Public realization of Meaning
3.4. Discovering Meaning With Mentally Retarded
APPLICATION OF LOGOTHERAPY IN THE REAL LIFE OF AKASHAPARAVAKAL
4.1. The Will to Meaning through Seeking and Trusting in the Will of God.
4.1.1. Seeking Meaning in the Poorest of the Poor
4.1.2. Meaning through Love
4.1.3. Mother Teresa’s Meaning of Life in Creative Values
4.1.4. Giving Hope to the Hopeless
4.1.5. Mother Teresa’s New Incentive to Carry Sufferings
4.2. Alamkar and Akashaparavakal
4.3. The Play of Dialogue in Meaningful Life
CONCLUSION 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY 59
INTRODUCTION
I
had spend almost a year in akashaparavakal as a full timer. And I have
personally experienced that akashaparavakal as a logotherapeutic centre
not merely as a curative but more as a preventive and nutritive
experience. Logotherapy is a school of psychotheraphy found by Victor
Frankl (1905-1997). During the World War II he was in Nazi concentration
camps. There along with many others he was subjected to unimaginable
atrocities. Deprived of all basic needs and human rights he was reduced
to bare existence. Expect his sister, his entire family of wife, parents
and brother who died or were killed in the same Nazi concentration
camps. He lost everything, suffered, hungered, cold and brutal
treatments while expecting execution any time in one of the poisonous
chambers! In the midst of all these physical and mental tortures how
could he find life preserving? His answer is logotherapy. In fact, this
is the theory that the bitter experience in the camps led him to
discover. In this thesis, I too mostly used his own words, in the first
chapter I have summarized the life in akashaparavakal and in the
following second chapter the theory of logotherapy and in this thesis, I
intend to study how Logotherapy has been applied in the life of
Akashaparavakal, although it had no idea of the theory.
In
this century 21st era, ‘Akashaparavakal’ is becoming an icon of
compassion to people of all religion; it’s extraordinary contribution to
the care of the sick, the dying, the poorest of the poor who is
suffering hunger, face cold and brutal treatments, and the thousands of
others nobody else was prepared to look after have been recognized and
acclaimed throughout the world.
The
social movement known in Malayalam as Akasa Paravakal or Birds of the
Air, grew to rehabilitate the lost, “either wandering about like birds
or dying miserably like dogs.” In 1994, Mother Teresa opened the first
official house for the Akasa Paravakal near Trichur in premises provided
by Father Kuttickal’s congregation. Akasa Paravakal now manages 116
centers across India. “So far, we have rescued 10,350 people from the
street,” Father Kuttickal says. Among the centers, 20 are run directly
by an ecclesial community while various congregations and lay people
manage the remainder. Volunteers trawl streets looking for the destitute
who want to come with them. The volunteers bring them to our centers,
feed them, shave them, bathe them and give them new clothes. “After any
necessary medical treatment, we accompany them to their home. If they
have no one, we take care of them,” Father Kuttickal said.[1]
Birds
of the Air, is a charitable movement to rehabilitate destitutes, who
include as stated just above “people with and without disabilities who
suffer on the pavements and streets, either wandering about like birds
or dying miserably like dogs,” sharing a life in Eucharistic Catholic
Ecclesial Community (ECEC). They trust their entire life in the
providential care of God the father. It seeks its inspiration from the
core root of CMI founding fathers to build-up the kingdom of God by
making people to find the meaning of life. Through the use of
logotheraphy, amidst meaninglessness and nonsensical existence by making
known the gift of people, the value of life is revealed through mutual
transformation of relationships, working together towards a more humane
society founded on the transcendental values of love and sharing, trust
and mutual acceptance.
Meaning
serves a number of important functions in human life. First of all,
meaning provides a purpose for our lives. Second, it furnishes values or
standards by which we judge our actions. Third, it gives us a sense of
control over the events in our life. Lastly, it provides us with a sense
of self-worth. When people are unable to find meaning for any of these
functions or when they lose or outgrow the meaning that they once had,
they become distressed. Many emotional problems result from a failure to
find meaning in life and can be resolved only through finding something
to make life worth living. People look to work, social relationships,
vocational interests, family, and religion to find meaning. When things
go smoothly in these areas of life, people experience their lives as
meaningful. They feel connected with life. When things go wrong in any
important area of life (e.g., life-threatening medical illness, physical
pain of diseases, and the emotional suffering of separating from life
and loved ones, a relationship breakup, the unexpected death of a loved
one, the loss of a job), people may begin to question the meaning of
life because the assumptions on which they had built their lives are
shaken up. ‘Akashaparavakal’, Birds of the Air, is a charitable movement
to rehabilitate destitutes, here in akashaparavakal we can see many
cases, who felt emotional problems and failed to find meaning in their
life. I have summarized two cases in the fourth chapter that finds the
fullness of meaning in akashaparavakal.
The
basic technique of logotherapy is Socratic dialogue, through which the
caretaker tries to make the birds of the air ‘inmates’ aware of their
own resources and help them learn to use them to connect with the many
sources of meaning. All techniques of logotherapy capitalize on the
human capacity for self-objectification and self-transcendence.
Self-transcendence is the very essence of human existence. In this way,
the thesis tries to establish an integration of logotherapy in the life
of birds of the air.
Meaning
and values play a significant role in Akashaparavakal defining one's
sense of self and identity. Lack of meaning and value may result in an
amorphous or a fragile sense of self as is often found in borderline
personality disorders. On the other hand, surplus meaning and an excess
of value placed on the self may strain its resources to the limits and
lead to various forms of escape behaviours, both benign (e.g.,
preoccupation with physical fitness and spiritual practices) and
self-destructive (e.g., excessive use of alcohol and other mind-altering
drugs and thrill-seeking).
In
the chapter one would like to review the basic concept and principle of
Akashaparavakal, Birds of the Air, and their philosophy. As a
charitable movement to rehabilitate destitutes and people with
self-destructive tendencies. The persons enter as self-destructives into
Akashaparavakal; after few days, they usually become benevolent through
the spiritual practices and loving care. As in logotherapy, the
spiritual dimension in Akashaparavakal brings meaning to lives and makes
it a home that brings joy to the suffering hearts.
Chapter
two presents the special reference to Viktor Frankl's work, the
importance of meaning and values have in human life. It describes
Frankl's theory of personality and the system of therapy based on this
theory. Viktor Frankl was one of the few who have developed a theory of
personality and a system of therapy called logotherapy, which deals
explicitly with the phenomena of meaning and the role that it plays in
human adaptation and development. People characterize some of their
experiences as meaningful and others as absurd or meaningless. Some
people experience their entire lives as full of meaning, whereas others
see theirs as futile and pointless. What makes an experience meaningful?
What makes it seem meaningless? What gives meaning to a whole life?
These questions have always intrigued thoughtful people as well as
professional philosophers, poets, creative writers, and some
psychologists. They have acquired a special significance today because
many destitute people (birds of the air) wothout professional help
suffer from a sense of emptiness, meaninglessness, and alienation - a
condition that has been called existential neurosis. In addition to
existential neurosis, a feeling of emptiness, meaninglessness, and
boredom are prominent features of a number of other psychiatric
syndromes from depression to dissociative disorders. Meaning or
coherence in life is an important correlate of physical and mental
health and longevity.
The
objective of third chapter is to review the caretakers’ experience with
several recurrent organizational, professional, and individual
challenges. To address existential and emotional demands, the
meaning-centred intervention was developed. The intervention applied
didactic and process-oriented strategies, including guided reflections,
experiential exercises, and education based on themes of The Bible. This
chapter shows how Logotherapy has been applied in the life of
Akashaparavakal, although it had no idea of the theory of Victor
Frankls’ logotherapy. The objective of this chapter shows its
efficiency, improvement in service satisfaction and quality of life in
Akashaparavakal. It also includes the spiritual and emotional quality of
life. Establishing that the logotherapy gives meaning to the life of
inmates and care takers live in Akasaparavakal.
In
fourth chapter I offer a few case studies. The first case study is
about Mother Teresa of Calcutta the Heavenly Co-patroness of ECEC.
Mother Teresa is the best case to study of the meaning making process in
her life through the self sacrificing service. The case is studied
through her private writings. She says in her private writings that her
institution will be especially for the unity and happiness of family
life- there are countless broken homes- it is to make these unhappy
homes happy- to bring Jesus into their dark homes. By their poverty,
labor and zeal they entered every home- gather the little children from
these unhappy homes. And they brought the joy to Jesus’ heart – by
bringing happiness into these unhappy homes. The case is elaborated, to
show how the care taker gets service satisfaction. The other two cases
are about those who received the necessary medical treatment and
returned to their homes with full of meaning.
There
are also other cases, who are entering Akshaparavakal as inmates, after
few months, they attained transformation through treatment, spiritual
exercises, prayer and transforming relationships. And if they have no
one to take care of them, the FBA members take care of them, they by
working together found out transcendental values of love and sharing,
trust and mutual acceptance and, now they live as a joyful family. Few
of the inmates gradually become excellent in service and voluntarily
take care of the other birds of the air –their companions as their own.
Through this wonderful service is being analysed, they too attain a
higher level of satisfaction and meaningfulness. A destitute person’s
creative working power and his readiness to take care of others with
love and concern can also be seen as he finds his own life and the lives
of others as meaningful.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT
Teaching
and process-oriented strategies, including guided reflections,
experiential exercises, and education based on a philosophy of religion.
Along with religious motivational themes, Victor Frankls’ Logotherpy
also can be given for the betterment of meaning in life in the
Akashaparavakal.
LIMITATIONS
At
present, theoretically and practically, Victor Frankls’ logotherapy is
not directly used in the units studied; however, theoretically and
methodologically I shall propose that its introduction could make
significant qualitative difference in the dynamics of Akashaparavakal,
both institutionally and also in the lives of the individuals who are
involved in the management of those units.
****
After
200 years Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara willed to instill his divine
inspired in the heart of Rev. Fr.George Kuttical, MCBS who made a visit
to Bharatpur bird Sanctuary at Rajasthan, he was inspired by the
meticulous care given by a group of naturalist who were closely studying
Siberian birds which was migrated to the sanctuary. These naturalists
showed such genuine love and concern for these birds naming, numbering
them and by maintaining meticulously medical reports in separate files
which where sent to the Siberian counterparts before the birds would
return to the motherland. This concern and love for those birds of the
air was great moment of divine inspiration and it is amazing. Now as we
travel on, we can see thousands of destitute people in India abandoned
on the streets. Although they too created in the image of God, many die
on streets, unnoticed, are they not more valuable than birds? This
bitter taste of neglect gave birth to akashaparavakal.
Akashaparavakal Rehabilitation Homes for the Least and the Lost
A
dying old man lying on the roadside under the scorching sun, having a
few food packets given to him in charity, unable to get the last drop of
water onto his tongue, is waiting for a helping hand before closing his
eyes. who would dare to pour those last drops into his mouth? A young
man with his head down cast, sitting on the divider of a highway,
misunderstood to be a drug addict, really the victim of a severe sun
storke. Who will care to shelter him? A fatally wounded and mentally
challenged women, fallen into a roadside ditch, thinks it to be a happy
fate to be buried there. Who will help her in her dying moments? Also
the children who were thrown out (avoided) by the parents. Who will
abide them and give the necessary things? People who are in crisis of
depression, those addicted to smoking, dringing and drugs, those with
behavior problems or suicidal tendencies, can avail the help offered by
the akashaparavakal through the Integration of Logotheraphy and prayer
with Biblical Vision.
Akashaparavakal
has gained the good will and friendship of several social workers,
police officers and the public. The kind hearted wise people, who draw
lasting happiness by serving the poorest of the poor, come forward and
offering land and the basic facilities required for such a noble
service.
A Home that Brings Joy to the Suffering Heart
I strongly believe that akashaparavakal
is a source of life and is a work and providence of God. Its aim is not
based on the economical or financial development, but its total aim is
to create communities with love, smile, and satisfaction, with great
heart and affection with people, people with and without disabilities
who suffer on the pavements and streets, either wandering about like
birds or dying miserably like dogs [these people are called “Makkals” in
Malayalam which means sons and daughters and they are the treasures of
this charitable movement (rehabilitate centre) and their metaphorical
name is akashaparavakal which means Birds
of the air] and those who do not have. We all know this is not an easy
task but this is a commitment to create homes of peace and love where
akashaparavakal (destitute people) and assistants live, work, pray and
celebrate together sharing their suffering and joy as like in a family.
It is a home which brings joy to the suffering heart.
Through
the daily life of the home we seek to enable each person to discover
their place of belonging and the gift they have to give to the other. We
share meals, household chores, gardening, outings, shopping and cooking
etc. we share everything together. At the beginning and end of everyday
we offer thanks to God for the gift of life and the love experienced.
People around also have witnessed much change in theirs life, in each
one, in their town, city and in akashaparavakal.
[1] “A priest’s street mission takes flight,” retrieved on 23-12-2012 [ONLINE]
CHAPTER 1
AKASHAPARAVAKAL AND THE REALM OF MEANING
1.1. Akashaparavakal: Where One Encounters Meanings and Values
Many
people with and without disabilities who suffer on the pavements and
streets, beggars like either wandering about like birds or dying
miserably like dogs comes to akashaparavakal they speak to us about
their problems and share with us the frustrating experience they were
going through. Akashaparavakal have been guiding and helping them to
find meaning in their suffering. Many of them were plagued with suicidal
tendencies and many had harboured suicidal thoughts. Some have the
feeling of the total and ultimate meaninglessness of their life.[1]Which
Frankl called this as “Existential Vacuum” an inner emptiness
especially observable among people in transition periods- those who
dissatisfied with their work and wishing; job holders approaching
retirement; Parents after their children leave home; and individuals who
are sick or facing old age or death. I have been moved to see many
persons felt as lonely, bewildered, frustrated, empty, trapped and
unhappy. Akashaparavakal gives shelter and loving care to these people
and made them to realize how life still had meaning and promise for them
and they were able to see the light in the darkness that they were
facing everywhere. They could begin their life all over again.
Without
facts nothing is possible to explain so let me explain through an
event. Mr. Augustine had unavoidable suffering from an inoperable spinal
dislocation. So that he had to abandon his government profession;
paralysis had handicapped his ability to work. Even he could not do his
own responsibilities and duties such as bathing, toileting, etc., he was
totally bedridden and completely he depended on others. The family
members were not able to accept this situation. For them he was an
unproductive and useless man. So they took him in a car saying that they
were taking him for a better treatment. But they left him in a road
side and they went away. But Augustine had a desire for life. Few
people took him to Akashaparavakal.
Due
to the above mentioned problems he neither realized creative values nor
meaning in his life. But even in this stage the realm of experiential
values remained open to him. Even in the midst of his bedsores and
unexplainable heavy pain he might shout and becomes short tempered,
though he passed his the time in stimulating conversations with other
patients consoling them and entertaining them and encouraging them. He
could listen to the music and speeches in shalom television; he used to
pray and sing the songs along with others. This attracted others and
they volunteered their help to him, such as they made him to bath and
cleanse his toilet etc., in this way Augustine bore his own suffering
bravely.
Through
the daily life of the home they seek to enable each person to discover
their place of belonging and they gifted what they have and what they
are able to give to the other. They help each other by sharing meals,
household chores, gardening, outings, shopping and cooking etc. FBAs and
inmates share everything together. At the beginning and end of everyday
caretakers and inmates offer thanks to God for the gift of life and the
love experienced. People around also have witnessed much change in
theirs life, in each one, in their town, city and in akashaparavakal.
Through this they found their lost meaning and values in their life in
Akashaparavakal
1.1.1. Spiritual Dimension of Akashaparavakal
Man
is nothing but the result of biological, psychological and sociological
conditions, or the product of heredity and environment. Such a view of
man makes him into a robot, not a human being.[2] And to be a real human
being the spiritual dimension is necessary. It is only when we rise
above from our physical and psychological nature that we enter the
spiritual dimension. Frankl did not think of the spiritual dimension in
only a religious sense. He thought of it as a realm of human existence
in which one encounters meanings and values. Therefore, both for the
FRIENDS OF THE BIRDS OF THE AIR and inmates have identified spiritual
domains of supportive care as priorities in Akashaparavakal. The
spiritual core is what lies back of these physical or psychic
appearances.[3] The inmates in Akashaparavakal include receiving
adequate treatment and achieving a sense of spiritual peace, relieving
burden, and strengthening relationships with loved ones. Clearly for
both inmates and Friends of the Birds of the air, spirituality issues
are essential elements of Akashaparavakal.
Religious
beliefs may help patients construct meaning in regard to suffering in
association with illness, which may facilitate coping and acceptance.
Other recent studies have shown that religion and spirituality generally
play a positive role in patients’ coping with illness. As well, several
recent studies among advanced cancer patients have demonstrated that
spiritual well-being and meaning have a central role as buffers against
depression, hopelessness, and desire for hastened death. [4]
Through
this we can understand, the spiritual self takes form in giving shape
to its psychic and physical modes of appearance and expression. That is
the totality which is centred on the personal core the outer layer
serves as means by which the inner layers are expressed. A person’s body
expresses his character and his characters express the person as a
spiritual being. Therefore, issues of meaning and spirituality are
essential components of the experience of persons facing serious
illnesses. They greatly shape how individuals view themselves, their
illness, and their future.[5]
1.1.2. Akashaparavakal for the Growth and Development of Society
Akashaparavakal
is not a large institution, because as numerous professional will
testify, the larger the more the individual become dehumanized. India is
getting industrialized, facing corruptions, n number of suicides and
abortions, and various other problems in the cities as well as in the
rural areas. In the busy industrial schedule people never worry what
happens to other people feel indifference instead of loving each other.
And so, people are unable to find their own meaning in their society.
Though few become rich human relationship is becoming more and more
complex not only because of industrialization, but also due to the
breaking up of the ancient family system which is adding to the stress
and strain of the individual.
Gandhi
spent restless night thinking about the difficulties and the sad
situations of the poor who could neither afford a house to live nor even
a covering. The next morning, to the amusement of those present, Gandhi
turned up without a shirt and wearing a garb with which he soon became
identified. He wanted to identify himself with the struggling masses
even in the matter of dress. It was a message not only to the British
but also to us regarding their role in the impoverishment of India. His
change of apparel was a protest against the rich, their (=who are in
good conditions) profligacy. When Gandhi attended the 1930 Round Table
Conference in London, he was invited by the King Emperor to the
Buckingham Palace. Someone suggested to the Mahatma about the scantiness
of his apparel. In his usual witty reply, he said, “His Majesty is
dressed for both of us!” In this way he supported the destitute, the
poorest of the poor all throughout his life.
Blessed
Kuriakose Elias Chavara, who is a Champion of social reformation, a
companion of the poorest of the poor, a bright star of India who had
visualized a society where all people can live in the joy of the
children of god, enjoying equality, freedom and prosperity. He said, ‘Do
not insult or trouble the poor. Don’t humiliate the poor man, nor
create difficulties to him’ and especially beggars should not leave your
door empty handed.’ Blessed Chavara also believed that the health and
strength of the society depends not only the growth of the people in
general. But it depends greatly on how the society takes care of the
weak, the disabled, the sick and the aged members of the society. In
view caring for them, it was Bl. Chavara who founded the first
‘Charitable institution’ in Kerala, in the year 1869. He is not only a
man of charity and development worker but also a social activist who
helped the people to come to the frontline and find meaning in it their
life. Today’s Akashaparavakal also does the same and fulfils that great
holy man’s vision and desires. Therefore the nations, India’s, world’s
development and growth depend not only in the growth of the people in
general. It depends greatly on how the society takes care of the weak,
destitute, poor, the disabled, the sick and the aged members of the
society. This may also lead to the dream of Akashaparavakal a world
where there were no beggars, no sick and no mental patients on the
pavements.[6]
1.2. Finding Meaning in the Philosophy of Religion
Elderly
men who use religious beliefs or practices as a means of coping with
physical illness appear to suffer less depression than their non
religious peers.[7] Rabindranath Tagore says that the more man is united
with God the more he will work for others. All great founders of
religion were men who had a deep concern for man. In the search for the
deep core of Christianity Akashaparavakal came into existence. A man
asks Jesus “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Lord answered that
he should obey the commandments. The core of the commandments is love.
Therefore love Your God and neighbours. And to show him who is the
neighbour? Jesus explains the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Lk.
10:25-37) Jesus in the end of Good Samaritan says “Go and do likewise.”
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who
were my members of my family, you did it to me.”(Mt. 25:40) When we are
doing this we are following the fundamental ethical rights and rules. By
giving food to the hungry, water to the thirst, cloth to the naked and
care to the sick. By fulfilling this golden rule of religion and the
fundamental rights in Akashaparavakal they(people live in
Akashaparavakal) find their meaning.
The
death of Jesus and Socrates have been inspirations for centuries,
giving testimony to what a human being can do for the sake of love or
truth.[8] Even ordinary human beings can become heroes if they see
meaning in their actions. It is easy for the religious people. according
to Fabry ‘Religious persons too can find meaning behind suffering in a
variety of ways, and it is an oversimplification to say they will find
it for the sake of God. [9]
Mother Teresa of Kolkata, Saint
of Gutters did more than inspire. She is the best example for Finding
Meaning in the Philosophy of Religion. She offered no magical solution
to the problems and injustices in the world. But, she showed how we can
make the difference in the life of one person at a time. She believed in
Christianity, in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, she
believed that Jesus is in the bodies of the poorest of the poor, she
touched the body of Christ in the poor. She was a luminous example of
the way in which the love of God is transferred into love of fellow men
and women and those abandoned by this world. In 1994, Mother Teresa of
Kolkata was the person one who inaugurated the first official house for
the akashaparavakal.
1.2.1. The Process of Meaninglessness to Meaningfulness
People
visualize their life as meaninglessness. It may be because of their
suffering; either it may be a physical suffering or a spiritual
suffering. By Frankl’s definition despair is caused by suffering in
which the sufferer sees no meaning.[10] Suffering itself has no meaning,
but we can assume meaningful attitudes toward events that in themselves
are meaninglessness.
Mr.
Antony who lived in the Alphonsa Bhavan Ashram, he had heart attack,
and in addition to that, he became so weak and lost the ability to walk
and to do any job by himself. He was in despair because he was also
abandoned by his two wives and children. In his late sixties, he entered
into akashaparavakal. He had been told that he had only few months to
live. Though, everyday as long as he had the strength, with the help of
others he walked, made the rounds among other (inmates) Makkals,
talking to them about their feelings and needs and pains and he also
used to lead all the prayers at the time when I stayed there. One of the
Society members in akashaparavakal commented: “No one can do this as
well as a Mr. Antony.” I was there at the time of his death and he was
the first person who died at the ashram at my regency time. One night at
the time of the supper at 08.15pm. as usual, he said the prayers and
said to me “Peace be with us”. His life was so full, he spoke joyfully,
and he said to me that he had no time to worry because he was fully
engaging himself in lot of responsibilities and had a great contact with
other suffering people like him. He continued by saying that he feel
some fullness which meant that he was more satisfied. We together had
our supper and we went to bed. Immediately somebody woke me up because
Mr. Antony slept in the Lord, on the same night. Yes he came as a
despaired and found meaningless in life but at the end he was in full of
joy, and happiness. Being in AKASHAPARAVAKAL he discovered his
meaningfulness in his life. What he did? He did nothing greater, lead
the prayer, heard the voice of other inmates, by listening and being one
among them he shared the sufferings and spoke to them.
1.2.2. Religion of the Elite Became the Religion of Ordinary through Akashaparavakal
There
is only one God and He is not a God of particular priestly class or
religious, He is the God of whole human being. So in order to equip
ourselves with the ordinary people, to engage in the social apostolate
more consistently and effectively our Coimbatore Preshitha Province
members, came with the specific objectives for promoting and
coordinating the social apostolate. In the leadership of Rev. Fr. Sunny
Ukken, the province together with the people around the Karimba Parish
house, giving due partnership to the people began a new social
apostolate called Akashaparavakal.[11]
His
Holiness late Pope John Paul II invited the whole Church to “Look to
the future with commitment for a new evangelization, one that is new in
its fervour, new in its methods and new in its expression.” and
akashaparavakal is a new method of evangelization, one that is new in
its fervour, new in its methods and new in its expression. And at the
same time, it tried to discover the trust of CMI Congregation; it was
decided to follow the spirit of the theme “With People to the Third
Millennium” and “A Movement with the People for a New Society.” These
two documents gave rise to Akashaparavakal.
Drawing
inspiration from the Gospel and the teachings of the church and
reflecting over the social situation of the people, in India, our
members shall become more deeply conscientized about our social
responsibilities. Social Apostolate whichever type it may be necessarily
demands active involvement of the people. Together with people, through
various methods like social action, social work and social service, we
shall try to build up a just society. Our main social thrust must be to
conscientize people for action for justice and transformation of the
society. We should make clear our preferential option for the poor in
their struggle for liberation from unjust social structures and
exploitative forces, and in partnership with poor initiate programmes
that will create a more just society.[12]
The document Church in Asia
states that the church has a preferential love for the poor and the
voiceless in her efforts for human development. Development of every man
and of the whole man (Populorum Progresso)
is the dream of the church. Here Akashaparavakal offers us a unique
challenge to be like Jesus in His life of poverty and preferential love
for the poor. The nearer we are to the poor, the more vibrant our
home/community/society/state/country would become.
Therefore
Akashaparavakal build up a community beyond religion. Because here all
the people who belongs to various religion, caste, and culture and
language come together; they live together; serve and share together.
They are varieties but they all contribute to one community and to one
house. Here not only the priest nor any particular serves the Christ,
all the religious and ordinary people are made involved in this
ministry. This togetherness and oneness made the religion of the elite
became the religion of ordinary through akashaparavakal.
1.3. Akashaparavakal: View of Human Motivation
Frankl
maintained that a human being's most basic and primary motivation is
not self-actualization but finding as much meaning in existence as
possible and realizing as much value as possible. Striving to find
meaning in life is the primary motivational force in human beings. The
motivations for our instinctual acts are pleasure, power, and prestige.
We act for self-actualization. For our spiritual drives; we make the
decisions, take the responsibility, and accept the commitments. The
motivation for our spiritual acts is meaning. We act for
self-transcendence, for the sake of some one or something beyond
ourselves. Our main motivation for living is not seeking pleasure but
self-chosen task, and the deepest pleasures comes form accomplishing
these tasks. And people here in Akashaparavakal themselves have a great
quest for meaning which shows their basic human motivation. Here the
patients do various task by helping one another. People who stay near by
the Ashram are also motivated towards human relationship, and the value
of human life. They are motivated to serve the least, who are sick,
naked, thirst, hunger etc. And by helping akashaparavakal many people
attain satisfaction in the experiential level and motivated to face all
the conditions such as joy and suffering in human life. They are
motivated towards a more simple life style.
1.3.1. The Philosophical Foundation of Fundamental Human Rights
Human
being as Sartre said ‘Stalkers of Meaning’. Meaning tells us ‘why’.
Indeed, some philosophical schools assert that the entire task of
philosophy centres on meaning. All human societies’ show a concern for
the value of human life, in none is the killing of other human beings
permitted (without some fairly definite justification). Whatever their
gifts or limitations, people are all bound together in a common
humanity. Everyone is of unique and sacred value, and everyone has the
same dignity and the same right. According to modern human rights
theories, all human have the rights based on natural rights, justice,
dignity, reaction to injustice, equality of respect and concern. The
fundamental rights of each person include the right to life, to care, to
home, to education, and to work. Also, since the deepest need of human
beings is to love and to be loved, each person has a right to
friendship, to communion and spiritual life. Akashaparavakal seeks to
reveal the particular gifts of people with mentally handicap, with and
without disabilities and sick persons who suffer on the pavements and
streets, and poorest of the poor, to belong at the very heart of their
communities and who call others to share their lives.
The
Indian Constitutions recognizes the fundamental rights, of its
citizens. Right to life, a fundamental right includes right to have
food, shelter, clothing, medical care, etc. All of have a duty to work
for making these fundamental rights a reality for the less privileged
sections of our society.[13]
The
CMI Constitutions makes specific contribution of today’s each citizen
is to transform human relationships, personal and structural, at all
levels of the human society through gospel/moral values. Conscious of
the unjust social and economic conditions, we should realize our
obligation to work towards a radical reformation of society[14]. In
trying to eradicate the social inequalities we should endeavour such
ministries like Akashaparavakal.
1.3.2. Sign of Hope
Akashaparavakal
is a place of hope. Each person according to his or her own vocation is
encouraged to grow in love, self giving and wholeness, as well as in
independence and ability to make choices. Akashaparavakal in India is
such a rich model for the society where people are sharing their life,
building community and being a sign of hope in our divided world, with
people with special needs with a sense of love, compassion and
simplicity. As we know that akashaparavakal is not a solution for the
growing need of our society but it is a sign of hope. I would not claim
that with this we have settled all the social injustice and social
inequality, but akashaparavakal is a very small effort to eradicate and
to protect such inequalities and injustice. Here we try to create a
family atmosphere that will be fulfilling to each person meeting their
needs of not only food and shelter, but also try to provide meaningful
work and a community life that gives sense of security, harmony and
peace to each person. The core people carried the community through its
growth and development. It is a charitable movement, a rehabilitate
home/centre which gives important to gospel/ moral values and creating a
large hearted people with values of life.
1.4. Akashaparavakal and Its Supra-Meaning
The
ultimate meaning necessarily exceeds the finite intellectual capacities
of the human. Hence logotherapy calls it the Supra-Meaning[15]. What is
demanded of human being is not to endure the meaninglessness of life
but rather to bear one’s incapacity to grasp its unconditional
meaninglessness in rational terms. Logos is deeper than logic. Once a
son (makkan) in akashaparavakal asked: “Why do you speak of the good
Lord?” Father in charge of the Ashram answered: “Some weeks ago you were
suffering from sickness in the road side without any treatment, there
were no one to love you, there were no one to take care of you and then
the good Lord send you full recovery through this FBA.” He retorted
“Well, but please father, in the first place he had send me to pavements
like dogs, he had send me sickness!” Here logic ends, if not fails!
Even Aashaparavakal has then to draw upon the spiritual resources in
terms of faith by which one transcends the limits of reason, and reaches
out for God’s mysteries including those of suffering and death.
1.4.1. Trusting in the Providence of God
Providence
is self evident that belief in a super-meaning. As a genuine faith
springing from inner strength, such a belief adds immeasurably to human
vitality. To such a faith there is ultimately, nothing that is
meaningless. Nothing that appears “in vain”, “No act remains unaccounted
for”.[16]
‘With
god I am hero and without God I am zero’ this highlights that there is
no room for a Christian to reach the zenith with out God. When we just
turn the pages of Old Testament, it clearly pictures out that, the
universe has formed because of God’s creative work and his providence
harmonize it. First God created this world and its nature. After the
creation the God protects all the creatures. God provided the manna and
protected and strengthened the people of Israelites. There are ‘n’
number of great personalities in Old Testament who totally depended on
God’s providence. Whether they were in time of crazy or trouble. Bl.
Chavara too was a person who fully dedicated himself on God’s
dependence. It is clear from his own letter where it is said that you
all are witnessed that our humble community is not made up of human
beings, but buy God through His miracles and creativity build it.
For
the religious man who put his faith in providence, there may well be no
such problems.[17] Rev. Fr. Sunny who is a faithful religious man is
also had trodden in the same track of blessed Chavara where he said we
the friends of the birds of the air will not go to anyone and collect
money for the well being of akashaparavakal. His stand point was to live
the word of God. So he suggested his notion word of God becomes wrong
when it is not practised. Dedicate and pray to God for the needs and
wishes. Believe that God will Shower his blessings when we serve the
people of God. And in the same way Akashaparavakal also protected and
provided all things what they needed for their daily life till now. The
friends of the Birds of the air never asked nor any of them begged
before others for the survival. But they fully entrusted in the word of
God, they simply sat in front of Eucharist and they prayed. Mother
Theresa of Calcutta might be the very best example for understanding
this kind of nature.
1.4.2. A Way of Simple Life
Akashaparavakal is a way of life, a Sadana
for those who (people with addictions)come to work and live here,
centred on a common belief in akashaparavakal members are Mutual
relationship and trust in God are at the core of their journey together
and they celebrate the unique value of each person. Human vulnerability
and difference often reminds us of the need of one another and to
welcome everyone as they are.
They
life in the community is not always easy as we think. Akashaparavakal
welcomes people from different pavements and streets, either wandering
about like birds or dying miserably like dogs, destitute, poorest of the
poor, it also include people with and without disabilities and
sicknesses, those who suffer physically, psychologically and mentally
and tries to live a simple lifestyle with daily prayer, unifying those
of different faiths in prayer before God the father of all. Through this
we all learn much about the rhythm of living simply through work,
prayer, leisure, laughter, and community. Even though the daily routine
and rhythm are often much demanded but at the end of the day we
experience an abounding joy, satisfaction and sacredness in their/our
heart.
Their
personality is coming to the fore. They become brighter, happy people
who take pride in keeping themselves dressed, well groomed and appear
good looking. They help willing with the house chores, cattle
management, collecting firewood’s, laundry, cleaning, cooking etc. Many
of them become confident and happy and show a great aptitude for
creative activities like dance and song performances.
If
human beings are to develop their abilities and talents to the full,
realizing all their potential as individuals they need an environment
that fosters personal growth. They need to form relationship with others
with in families and communities. They need to live an atmosphere of
trust, security and mutual affection. They need to be valued, accepted
and supported in real and warm relationships. By giving a good
environment and kind hearted support full relationship, People of
akashaparavakal have taught many of us how to welcome and celebrate
human difference and how to interact with one another. The life in
community surely changed them a lot, loving, helping, smiling; improve
their self-esteem and self-dignity. People have discovered deep human
values in their way of dealing with one another. They know that they are
loved by all of us and accepted as they are. By living and sharing life
with them they have also taught me what unconditional love means and to
be a true human person with our gifts and vulnerability, they taught me
many of life’s important lessons. I learn about different culture and
respect, love and understanding, friendship and spirituality.
Akashaparavakal is really proud of them, their treasures (Makkal).
[1] Frankl, Man Search for Meaning, 115.
[2] Frankl, Man Search for Meaning, 103.
[3] Frankl, The Doctor and the soul, 134.
[4] Breitbart, Psychotherapeutic Interventions at the end of Life: A Focus on Meaning and Spirituality, 368.
[5] Breitbart, Psychotherapeutic Interventions at the end of Life: A Focus on Meaning and Spirituality, 371.
[6] Payyappilly, Poly. Theertha Yaathra (Malayalam), 76.
[7] Breitbart, Psychotherapeutic Interventions at the end of Life: A Focus on Meaning and Spirituality, 368.
[8] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 46.
[9] Fabry, Joseph B. The Pursuit of Meaning,48.
[10] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 47.
[11] Payyappilly, Poly. Theertha Yaathra (Malayalam), 56-63.
[12] Decrees and Resolutions of the General Synaxis 1996, With People to the Third Millennium, 12.
[13] Vibrant Community for Renewed Humanity, Acts and Decrees of xxxv General Synaxis of CMI, 34.
[14] Constitution and Directory, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, 20.
[15] Kochumuttom, St. Alphonsa, 4.
[16] Frankl, The Doctor and the soul, 33.
[17] Frankl, The Doctor and the soul, 31.
CHAPTER 2
PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LOGOTHERAPY
2. Logotherapy
Logotherapy,
Logos is an education towards the responsibility. The Greek word Logo
is denoting ‘meaning’ so logotherapy is healing by helping the patient
to see the meaning in all kinds of life experience including suffering
and even death. Or rather, he/she is assisted to see such experiences as
necessary helps to realize the perceived meaning of life, and
therefore, themselves as meaningful. Logotherapy is a meaning-centered
psychotherapy. Logotherapy is as old as the Gospel. John1;1 states, “In
the beginning was logos. Logos was with God and logos was divine.” Logos
traditionally is translated as ‘the word.’ Frankl translates it as
‘meaning.’ In his translation the Biblical passage reads, “In the
beginning was meaning. Meaning was with God and meaning was divine.”[1]
Frankl believed that life has meaning under all circumstances, no matter
how bleak. Finding meaning is the surest way to overcome doubt,
despair, and a sense of emptiness.
2.1. The Human Dimension
Frankl
regarded the nature of human beings as three dimensional. In addition
to the physical and psychological dimensions, there is a spiritual
dimension to human life. Frankl considered the noölogical / spiritual
dimension as uniquely human because other creatures do not seem to have
anything comparable to it. Most of the time, human beings live on the
physical or the psychological plane, but we have the capacity to
transcend or rise above these planes. It is only when we rise above from
our physical and psychological nature that we enter the spiritual
dimension. Frankl did not think of the spiritual dimension in a
religious sense alone. He thought of it as a realm of human existence in
which one encounters meanings and values. Man lives in three dimensions
the somatic, the mental and the spiritual. The spiritual dimension
cannot be ignored, for it is what makes us human. Neither the physical
nor the psychological dimension, in itself, represents genuinely human
characteristics. But the spiritual dimension shows the true human
characteristics.
2.1.1. Three-Tire Dimensions of Human Existence
Human
being is not composed of body, psyche, and spirit as if the parts of a
whole. The person is seen as a unity, and to emphasize this oneness
Frankl speaks of the “Dimensions of Human Existence.” Just as we have a
length, breadth, and height that are inseparable, so our body, psyche,
and spirit are three inseparable dimensions. Frankl Says that we have
three dimensions in human that are a. Our Physical/biological, b.
Psychological Dimension, and c. Dimension of the spirit. Our human
dimension enables us to reach beyond ourselves and to make meanings and
values an essential part of our existence. As we already saw that life
has meaning under all, even the most miserable, conditions; we possess a
deeply rooted conscience that helps us find the specific meanings of
our unique life.
2.1.2. Physical and Psyche Dimension
Because
human beings are finite creatures and psychophysical organisms, we are
subject to the laws of social, physics, chemistry, and biology. In the
physical and psychological realms, we are confronted with many forces
over which we have little control. For example, we must eat, sleep,
procreate, grow old, and die. The conditions of social life under which
most people live impose other kinds of limitations on us and bring to
bear a whole host of other determining forces that shape and mold us.
One's family, one's social class, one's peers, one’s community, the
schools attended, and other institutions of society such as government
agencies and the mass media all determine one's beliefs, attitudes, and
values as well as behavior. Despite all these diverse forces and
influences that act on us and mold us in significant ways, it would be
an error to believe that human behavior is totally determined by these
forces. Humans thus have the ability to rise not only above our external
circumstances, but also above ourselves. To Frankl this human dimension
is the dimension of freedom. “Not freedom from conditions, not the
freedom from anything, but the freedom to something, the freedom to take
a stand toward conditions”.[2] In doing so, we shape our own destiny
and our very selves as well. This freedom gives us responsibility for
what we do and for what we are. Thus we become truly human only when we
lift ourselves into the dimension of freedom. It is through repeatedly
exercising freedom of choice that the individual creates his or her own
character.
2.1.3. Noëtic Dimension
Noëtic
the term is taken from the Greek noös or mind. But Frankl uses the term
to include everything that is specifically human. The noëtic (spiritual
and specifically human) dimension contains such as goal, ideas, will to
meaning, creativity, imagination, faith, love that goes beyond the
physical, conscience, etc., Noëtic Self is the third dimension of human
nature. Frankl calls this as a human spirit. To get away form religious
connotations, Frankl calls the human spirit as “noëtic” dimension[3].
Differ from the religious imagery here in logotherapy the human spirit
is used as in medical terms, as a source of health. It is not restricted
to religious. Sickness originates not only in the body and psyche but
in our spirit as well. We can see that our spirit supplies the resources
through which health may be restored and maintained.
The
concept of noëtic dimension helps to understand and improve ourselves
and helps the therapist understand and improve mental health. The
therapist must try to reach this human dimension in patients because it
contains the core of their humanity. According to logotherapy, sickness
can originate in our noös; but unlike our body and psyche, the noös, our
spirit, can never become sick… if this were not so, he points out, it
would not be worth the physician’s while to “repair” the psychophysical
organism. If the doctor sees only the patient’s organism and not also
the noëtic person behind it, he or she become a medical mechanic and
tacitly admits the patient is nothing but a human machine.[4]
The
noëtic (Specifically human spiritual) dimension contains such qualities
as our will to meaning, our goal orientation, ideas, creativity,
imaginations, faith, love that goes beyond the physical nature and so
on. The motivations for our instinctual acts are pleasure, power, and
prestige. We act for self-actualization, for our spiritual drives; we
make the decisions, take the responsibility, and accept the commitments.
The motivation for our spiritual acts is meaning. We act for
self-transcendence, for the sake of some one or something beyond
ourselves. Metaphorically Frankl explains the dimension of the spirit
with an airplane
“An airplane acts like a car as long as it taxies on the ground; its
true nature becomes apparent only when it lifts into the air, into the
three dimensional space. Similarly the human being is an animal. But we
are much more, an entire dimension more, than an animal. Only when we
lift ourselves into the Dimension of spirit do we become fully
human.”[5]
Similarly,
the human beings are animals. Only when we lift ourselves into the
dimension of spirit do we become fully human. In the dimension of the
body we are imprison; in the dimension of the psyche we are driven; but
in the dimension spirit we are free. In the noëtic dimension we are the
choice makers.
Noogenic Neurosis
This
disorder is characterized by a failure to find meaning in life.
Individuals suffering from noogenic neurosis feel that they have nothing
to live for. They are unable to find any goal or direction in life.
They suffer from a chronic inability to believe in the truth,
significance, or usefulness of anything that they are currently engaged
in or anything that they might contemplate doing in the future. This is
also called as a spiritual suffering. In order to face this Rousseau has
developed an approach for the treatment of spiritual suffering that
centers on 1) controlling physical symptoms; 2) providing a supportive
presence; 3) encouraging life review to help recognize purpose, value
and meaning; 4) exploring guilt, remorse, forgiveness and
reconciliation; 5) facilitating religious expression; (he emphasizes it
as extremely useful to many patients.) 6) reframing goals; and 7)
encouraging meditative practices focused on healing rather than on cure.
2.2. Dimension of human existence
Human existences consist of three characterize factors namely: i) Man’s Spirituality, ii) Freedom, iii) responsibility
2.2.1. Spirituality of man
Man is a spiritual being. Spirituality of man is
thing in itself. Normal bodily functions affect the unfolding of the
spiritual life, but they do not cause it or produce. For example
Brilliant mind offers its services completely free; the survival of the
body must be provided for by adequate salary. Life was awaiting
something from them. In fact the women were being awaited by her child
abroad. Logos is intended to signify “the spiritual” and beyond that,
“the meaning.” Spiritual does not only have a religious connotation but
also it refers to the specifically human dimension.
2.2.2. Freedom
Truth
makes us free. The evolving truth is also freeing us from concepts of
the divine that are no longer relevant. It makes us free to check new
religious hypotheses against personal experience.[6]
Freedom in the face of three things. a) Instincts, b) Inherited, c)Environment.
Man
has instincts, but that instincts do not have him. We have nothing
against instinct; it can be accepted or rejected. Inheritance, research
on heredity has shown how high in the degree of human free domain the
face of predisposition. Environment, we know that it does not make man,
but everything dependence on what man makes of it, on his attitude
towards environment. However, Man by no means merely a product of
Instincts, Inherited, Environment. There is another element called
decision. Man ultimately decides for himself.
2.2.3. Responsibility
Responsibility
implies a sense of obligation. A man’s obligation, however only be
understood in terms of a meaning the specific meaning of a human life.
It is something we face and something we may try to escape. And our will
to meaning is not from the instincts but it is from our spiritual and
freedom that which leads us to responsibility. Response for his/her own
conscience. And this conscience leads to the sources of meaning.
Individual freedom and personal responsibleness are playing an
increasing part in our search for ultimate meaning.[7]
2.3. Frankl's View of Human Nature
Meanings
and values, unlike instincts, do not push an individual; they exert a
pull on the person from the front. Also, there is no instinct that
prompts ethical and moral behavior. Such behavior is often guided by
religious meanings and values. To religious they says, “God helps those
who help themselves.” An atheist expressed in this way: “Religion’s
function is to promote us to be good. Personal responsibility can take
this function. If no one watches, everything is permitted. If God
doesn’t watch, our own conscience can. Personal responsibility can
replace a personal God.” An atheist says to be ethical we have to
respond to our conscience. The religious person says to be saved we have
to respond to God. Logotherapist maintain that to be healthy we have to
respond.[8]
In
Frankl's view, the principle of homeostasis does not apply to psychic
functioning. Human beings do not necessarily seek a state of equilibrium
in which all our basic drives have been fulfilled and in which they are
free of all tension. A healthy person is not perpetually concerned
about his or her subjective condition. The person's interests are
focused on the external world, and he or she experiences a certain
healthy tension produced by an unfinished project, the completion of
which will fulfill the meaning of that individual's life. A neurotic
individual, by contrast, is concerned only with the subjective state.
Such a condition may be corrected only by diverting the attention of the
individual from the self to the outside world, and in this way, to
challenge the person to discover the meanings of one's life.
2.3.1. Sources of Meaning
Self-transcendence
can be achievable by discovering or detecting meaning in three
different ways: by doing a deed, by experiencing a value, and by
suffering. There are three principal ways in which people can find
meaning in life are: 1) by what they give to life (creative values), 2)
by what they take from life (experiential values) and 3) through the
stand they take towards a fate they can no longer change (attitudinal
change). Past experiences and religion are other areas in which people
can find meaning.
Creative
Values are the values which are realized in creative actions.
Experiential Values are the values which are realized in experience.
Attitudinal Values are the values which are realized in person’s
attitude toward an unalterable fate. Attitudinal values make a person to
find himself comforted by a destiny, by acceptance of an unalterable
fate. The way which one accepts, the way in which one bears his cross,
what courage he manifest in suffering, what dignity he displays in doom
and disaster, is the measure of his human fulfillment.
2.3.2. Meaning – An Existential Answer
Logotherapy
helps illuminate the way forward, step by step, for each person
individually. It tells us we cannot change our past, but we are not
slaves either. We can change our present and influence our future. We
have limitations but also we have the freedom within these. We
participate in the ultimate meaning only by responding, to the best of
our limited capacities, to the meaning demands of the moment. The
day-by-day quest of meaning gives content to our lives. Happiness, peace
of mind, satisfaction, and success are only by products of our purist
of meaning.[9] Man’s desire for a life that itself is as meaningful as
possible. In chess play if one asked which is the important move in the
game? What will be our answer each and every move has its own importance
and value until the end of the game. A man’s life remains its meaning
up to the last moment until he draws his last breath. The conviction of
all logotherapist’s is that life does have meaning and meaning that is
even unconditionally meaningful, up to his last moment, to ones last
breath, and that death itself may be endowed with meaning.[10] As long
as he remains conscious, he is under obligation to realize values, even
if these be only attitudinal values. As long as he has consciousness, he
has responsibleness. This responsibility remains with him to the last
moment of his existence.
2.4. Meaning in Work
The
meaning of work includes the manner in which people bring their unique
human qualities to their work. Meaning of life is not to be questioned
but to be responded to, for we are responsible to life. It follows from
this that the response should be given not in words, but in acting, by
doing, and performing. The right response will be an active response
within the actual conditions of everyday living, within the area of
human responsibility. Within the area each and every man is
indispensable and irreplaceable. Struggle for existence is a struggle
for something; it is purposeful and only in so being is it meaningful
and able to bring meaning into life.
As
long as creative values are in forefront of the life task, their
actualization generally coincides with a person’s work. Work usually
represents the area in which the individual’s uniqueness stands in
relation to community and society and thus acquires meanings and values.
The meanings and values, however attached to the person’s work as a
contribution to the community/ society, not to the actual occupation as
such.[11]
The
indispensability and irreplaceability, the singularity and uniqueness
issue from the person, depend on who is doing the work and on the manner
in which he is doing it, not on the job itself. The capacity to work is
not everything; it is neither a sufficient nor essential basis for a
meaningful life. Work is only a means to the end of meaningful living.
Real lives begin only with the person’s leisure time, and the meaning of
that life consists in giving form to that leisure. To be sure, we must
never forget that afterward they are good for nothing but falling into
bed. They only form they can give to their leisure is to use, it as a
period for recovering their strength; they can do nothing more sensible
with it than sleep.
2.5. Meaning in Love
Love
is the only way to grasps another human being in the innermost core of
his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of
another human being unless he loves him. By the spiritual act of love he
is enable to see the essential traits and features in the beloved
person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him; which is
not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his
love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these
potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he
should become, he makes these potentialities come true.[12]
Love
means a sense of inward union. Love proves to be the area in which
experiential values are especially realizable. “Love is living the
experience of another person in all his uniqueness and singularity.”
Love is only one of the possible ways to fill life with meaning. Love is
independent of body, to the extend that it does not need the body. Love
as a form of self-transcendence and it has various characteristics. It
involves understanding or grasping the inner core of the personality of
another person. It has a quality of permanence in that the spiritual
core of the other person who is unique and irreplaceable. In real love
relationship, there is no room for jealousy since the other person is
not treated as a possession. It is love, the spiritual act, which gives a
man human dignity. Love reveals to us the valuational image of the
human being.
2.5.1. Three factors of love.
Love is Grace, Enchantment and Miracle
1.
Love is grace; love does not make one blind but seeing – able to
see values. Grace that which without any contribution of his own effort
or labor. Without effort or labor is by grace, a person obtains that
fulfillment which is found in the realization of his uniqueness and
singularity.
2.
Enchantment of loving: enchantment, love enormously increases
receptivity to the fullness of values. Thus in his surrender to the thou
the lover experience an inner enrichment which goes beyond that thou.
3.
Miracle of love: this love is a spiritual core which lies back of
these physical or psychic appearance, it enters into the personality of
the beloved, with the beloved’s uniqueness and singularity.
The
lover loves the beloved’s self not something the beloved “has” but what
he “is”. Love looks to the core of the others being no interest in
alluring physical “type” or attractive temperament he is concerned with
the person, as unique, irreplaceable and incomparable. The object of the
true attitude of love is the spiritual core. It is the unique and
singular in every person. Love reveals to us the valuational image of
the human being. True love is not directed toward the aspect of the
other person which can be “possessed” toward what the other “has”; since
true love is rather directed toward what the other “is” – such real
love and it alone, leads to go beyond all the spatiotemporal
peculiarities[13].
Love is more than an emotional condition; Love is an intentional act. What it intends is ultimately independent of existence; essential is superior to existential.
That is why love can outcast the death of the beloved; in that sense we
can understand why love is stronger than death. The existence of the
beloved may be annihilated by death, but his essence cannot be touched
by death. His unique being is, like all true essence, something timeless
and thus imperishable. The idea of the person which is what the lover
sees. This belongs to the realm beyond time.[14]
2.5.2. Self-transcendence
In
a strict sense of Immanuel Kant’s transcendentalism, man’s trust in
meaning would deserved to be called transcendental. It is an essential
characteristic of human existence. Humans become most human when they
transcend the boundaries of their selves by either fulfilling a meaning
or encountering another person lovingly. Basic human need is the search
for meaning rather than the search for the self. It is an essential
characteristic of human existence. Humans become most human when they
transcend the boundaries of their selves by either fulfilling a meaning
or encountering another person lovingly.
2.6. Meaning in Suffering
Whenever
one is confronted with an inescapable, unavoidable situation, whenever
one has to face a fate which cannot be changed e.g., an incurable
disease. It is known as suffering. Mans main concern is not to gain
pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That
is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition; to be sure that
his suffering has a meaning[15]. Meaning of life sets three categories
of values. Namely creative values, experiential values and attitudinal
values. Attitudinal values help the person at the time of suffering.
This means that the human life can be fulfilled not only in creating and
enjoying, but also in suffering.[16] Martin Luther King Jr. once said
in a speech: “The ultimate [meaning] measure of a man is not where he
stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at
times of challenges and controversies.”
Human
destiny has a twofold meaning: to be shaped where possible and to be
endured where necessary. Attitudinal values are inherent in the stand
that people take to circumstances that they cannot change. Through
attitudinal values even tragic aspects of human existence – the ‘tragic
triad’ of pain, guilt and death – can be turned into something positive
and creative. Inescapable negative situations give people the
opportunity to actualize the highest value, to fulfill the deepest
meaning, the meaning of suffering. Some people can rise to the challenge
of suffering and grow richer and stronger because of it. Though people
may be helpless victims of fate, they can still exercise the inner
freedom to turn their predicaments into accomplishments at the human
level.
Man
is nothing but the result of biological, psychological and sociological
conditions, or the product of heredity and environment. Such a view of
man makes him into a robot, not a human being. Every human being has the
freedom to change at any instant. The individual personality, however,
remains, essentially unpredictable. The basic of any predication would
be represented by biological, psychological or sociological conditions.
Yet one of the main features of the human existence is the capacity to
rise above such conditions and transcends himself; a human being is a
self-transcending being.
2.7. The Supra-Meaning
Logos
in Greek mean not only ‘meaning’ but also ‘spirit’. Logos is intended
to signify “the spiritual” and beyond that, “the meaning”. Were Frankl
specifically refers this as ‘spirit’ as one of the main human
dimensions. This spiritual self helps the individual to overcome
physical illness and emotional states such as fear, anxiety, anger, and
depression. This Spirit is the essence of a human being-the healthy
core. The body can become ill, the mind disturbed, but the spirit can
rise above a sick body and a disturbed mind. Frankl believed that humans
discover meanings, spiritual dimensions; they do not invent them.
Meanings and spirit that pervade the universe. One needs to tune in. The
human spirit is the instrument that enables one to tune in.
In
addition to the three dimensions of human existence- the biological,
psychological, and noölogical logotherapy speaks of the supra human
dimension the ultimate meaning/ supra- meaning. Supra human dimension
contains the human yet transcends it. Just as an animal cannot
understand the human world from its animal dimension, we cannot
understand the supra-human and its motivation.[17]
It
denotes the ultimate meaning of suffering and life. People cannot break
through the dimensional differences between the human world and the
divine world. The supra-meaning can only be grasped by faith and not by
intellectual means. People need to bear their inability to grasp in
rational terms life’s ultimate meaningfulness. Trust in God precedes
people’s ability to have faith in life’s ultimate meaning. The infinite
God is silent rather than dead. Supra meaning is the peculiarly human
ability to rise above or go beyond oneself toward others in a caring
relationship or toward the advancement of social causes.
2.8. Frankl's View of Human Motivation
The
quest for meaning is a basic human motivation. We all have a need to
make sense of our experience. Experiences that are not consistent with
our basic assumptions about life are disturbing.
Frankl
questioned such commonly accepted concepts of motivation as drive
reduction, the pleasure principle, and the striving for power. He
believed these concepts provide a partial and somewhat distorted view of
human motivation. What is unique about human beings is not that we seek
to reduce tensions created by biological needs and social demands but
that we seek to transcend our biological drives and our immediate social
and cultural environment in the pursuit of values and meanings. We
participate in the ultimate meaning only by responding, to the best of
our limited capacities, to the meaning demands of the moment. The
day-by-day quest of meaning gives content to our lives. Happiness, peace
of mind, satisfaction, and success are only by products of our purist
of meaning. This often gives rise to new tension that keeps the
individual oriented toward the objective values to be realized and
toward the meaning of his or her personal existence. Frankl referred to
this tension as noodynamics and regarded it as essential for the
maintenance of mental health. For the healthy individual,
self-fulfillment or self-actualization is not the issue because his or
her energies are focused on the outside world. One is engaged in
fulfilling the meaning or purpose of one's life and in realizing various
concrete values that contribute to the meaning of one's life. It is
only when this search for meaning in the external world is frustrated
that the person turns attention inwards on the self.
2.9. Existential Vacuum
Existential Vacuum is
a state in which people complain of an inner void. They suffer from a
sense of meaninglessness, emptiness and futility. It is an ‘abyss
experience’ in contrast to the peak experience. The frustration of the
will to meaning, described above, leads to a condition that Frankl
called existential vacuum. An individual in a state of existential
vacuum may feel that his or her life has lost all meaning. If this state
of existence is prolonged, one may develop a disorder that Frankl
called noögenic neurosis. He emphasized that an existential vacuum
itself is not a mental disorder; rather it represents spiritual
distress. But if continued for a long time, this vacuum may lead to a
noögenic neurosis or a psychoneurotic condition.
2.9.1. Meaning from the Past
Often
in times of suffering, but not always so, the search for meaning can
entail acknowledging and identifying sources of meaning in the past
relevant to creating meaning in the present. Even short lives can still
have pasts full of meaning.
2.10. Technique of Logotherapy
The
basic technique of logotherapy is Socratic dialogue, or self-discovery
discourse, through which the counselor tries to make clients aware of
their own resources and help them learn to use them to connect with the
many sources of meaning. Enables patients to get in touch with their
noëtic unconscious and become aware of their true evaluation of
themselves and their potentialities, their preferred directions and
their deepest meaning orientation[18].
The
dialogue explores experience of the past and fantasies for the future,
revives overlooked peak experiences reevaluates situations that had
appeared meaningless, and draws attention to disregarded achievements.
The dialogue is a useful tool in all four steps of logotherapy. In this
way it helps patients gain distance from their symptoms, guide them
toward new attitudes, draws attention to achievement of having conquered
their symptoms and enables therapist and client to go on a common
search for meaning.[19] All techniques of logotherapy capitalize on the
human capacity for self-objectification and self-transcendence.
Self-transcendence is the very essence of human existence. Existence
collapses or falters unless there is a strong idea or ideal to guide it.
[1] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 159.
[2] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 19-20.
[3] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 18.
[4] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 25.
[5] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 19.
[6] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 161.
[7] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 161.
[8] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 161.
[9] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 169.
[10] Frankl, The will to meaning, 160.
[11] Frankl, The Doctor and the Soul, 118.
[12] Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 101.
[13] Frankl, The Doctor and the Soul, 147.
[14] Frankl, The Doctor and the Soul, 137.
[15] Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 103.
[16] Frankl, The Doctor and soul, 105.
[17] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 150.
[18] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 135.
[19] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 135.
CHAPTER 3
IMPACT OF A MEANING-CENTERED INTERVENTION AND REALITY OF RELIGION ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG BIRDS OF THE AIR
3.1. Meaning in Birds of the air
I
feel that Akashaparavakal is a Logotherapeutic centre because, from the
shore of poverty, broken heartedness, depression, loneliness and
rejection, from the society to the port of hope is aakashapparavakal.
This is the place where people come together to make the least the best
the last the first and the lost the elite. As in the Psalm 133:1 “How
good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”
Aakashapparavakal are not mere institutions but joint families of love
and care. These groups of birds of the air are known as Eucharistic
Catholic Ecclesial Community (ECEC). This community has father mother
figures, they are addressed as “pithava” (Father) and “ammichi”
(Mother) thus every member is given a chance to experience their
fatherhood and motherhood in its perfection. In this Ashrams, inmates
are called “sons, daughter, children, brother, sister, daddy or mummy”
according to the age in total they are called as “Makkals”
(people/children). Hence the one who serves and served live together
with those who participated giving their time, resource and energy
etc..., make it a true home and experience a large family of love and
job.
They
live together, have food and pray together as a family. Psychiatric
tenement (Psychotherapy to Logotherapy) is provided to those who are
need and majority of the inmates are mentally retarded and require
medicines and treatments. They are grateful to the almighty for being in
this ministry. Through this ministry, God made this home as a tool for
helping many inmates and enables to rehabilitate their lives too.
This leads the ECEC to achieve their aim that is to serve the love for
our wandering brothers and sisters. Enable the least and the lost of our
brethrens to grow in virtues, values and find meaningfulness in their
life by living together. This togetherness gives the experience of a
true family. And these help them to grow as the main pillars of our
nation. They starting point was from the dark dirty street and after
being in this ECEC they are transcending themselves as the light to
many, by finding their place and purpose of life in this world. Here
they live and die in dignity.
3.1.1. The Caretakers’ Experience and the Meaning-Centred Intervention
The
care takers believe in the word, The Lord is close to the broken
hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.[1] Celin Kakasherry
says when we give shelter to the shelter less and food to the hungry,
and water to one who is in thirst and when we help them we are helping
and lovingly caring our Jesus “Truly I tell you just as you did it to
one of the least of these who are members of my family; you did it to
me;” (Mathew 25: 40.) The caretakers reflect on how to bring these words
into action? They disused and they formed akashaparavakal and through
akashaparavakal this word in the Bible came into action in reality, they
put into practice.[2]
The
striving for happiness is not one of man’s basic drives; that, in
general, life is not directed toward pleasure at all. Kant has remarked
that man wants to be happy, but that what he ought to want is to be
worthy of happiness. We hold however that the man does not want to be
happy rather he wants to have a reason for being happy. In
akashaparavakal many have seen the meaning of life in helping others to
see their lives a meaning.
The
activities that the caretakers do in these Ashrams are they bring the
street children otherwise referred as vagabond to the Ashram. They give
shelter to them, groom them lovingly and bring back to the fellowship of
the society. By the application of logotherapy (although they have no
idea of the theory of logotherapy), emotional and spiritual balm to the
wounded soul, they bring them back to normal life.
The
caretakers understand the nexus between cognitive reasoning and
personal feeling lays the realm of meaning. The process of meaning
making becomes vitally significant as one faces the physical pain of
disease and emotional suffering of separating from life and loved ones.
Different situations in life until death punctuate life, giving it
solidity and meaning. This meaning is no longer vague or trivial; rather
it becomes imbued with a sense of urgency and signification that must
be discovered, not imposed. Finding meaning in the life is not a small
endeavour: it takes courage, commitment, and conviction to reflect upon
and take ownership of one’s own existence.
The
caretakers may seize the opportunity to encourage inmates to find
meaning in the suffering as they face death. The meaning-making process
can be generative for inmates: feeling of anxiety, guilt, or
hopelessness that seems punishing and unrelenting at the end of life can
be transformed into ways of actively exploring the loving relationship
to self and others.
By
understanding the meaning associated with suffering, inmates may begin
to actively transform their feelings into signals that elicit an
actively engaged response to living and dying. For example, instead of
feeling stifled and disempowered by overwhelming anxiety or sadness,
inmates may actively seek to derive meaning from these feelings. By
exploring the meanings associated with anxiety and guilt at their life
situation, caretakers may use their own life experience as tools to
integrate their life into a meaningful whole. Negative emotions change
from impediments to sources of healing and instruments to promote
emotional and spiritual well-being.
The
caretakers say that the quality care not only include in giving
adequate treatment for pain and symptom control, but it also include
achieving a sense of spiritual peace, reliving burden, and strengthening
relationships with one another and with loved ones. Clearly for both
inmates and caretakers, spirituality issues are essential elements of
quality care in akashaparavakal. Elderly men who use religious beliefs
or practices as a means of coping with physical illness appear to suffer
less depression than their nonreligious peers.[3] Religious beliefs may
help the patients construct meaning in regard to suffering associated
with illness, which may facilitate coping and acceptance.[4] Therefore,
spiritual well-being and meaning have a central role as buffers against
depression, hopelessness and desire for hastened death.
There
are many voluntary helpers from the neighbourhoods by their service in
akashaparavakal gives meaningful forms to their surplus leisure time and
stock their consciousness, their time, and their life with content.
These persons have taken an affirmative attitude towards life and are
fair from hopeless. They know how to lend interest to life and wrest
meaning from it. They have grasped the fact that the meaning of human is
not completely contained within paid work. What we want is not money
but some content to our life.
3.1.2. The Role of Religion in Meaning Making
For
in the light of logotherapy religion is a human phenomenon, and as a
human phenomenon it must be taken earnestly. It must be taken at face
value and not dismissed by being reduced to subhuman phenomena. Taking
religion seriously allows for drawing upon the spiritual resources of
the patient.[5] Psychotherapy aims only at mental health. But religion
goes steps further and aims at salvation of soul.[6] Religious
encounters in Akashaparavakal go beyond the psychiatric plane. There is
no instinct that prompts ethical and moral behaviour. Such behaviour is
often guided mostly by religious meanings and values.
The
charitable work of ECEC will go in search of the wounded souls, live
their days in the slum and streets. Close to the people’s heart. They
would do the work of Christ in their very homes- in the dirty and dark
holes of the street beggars.
The
contention of Frankl was that faith in the ultimate meaning is preceded
by trust in an ultimate being, by trust in God. Imagine a dog – a dog
which is ill. You bring it to a veterinarian and he brings pain to the
dog. It looks up, looks at you… In spite of pain the dog keeps quiet. It
cannot understand the meaning of pain, the purpose of a shot or a
bandage, but the way it looks at you reveals a boundless trust in you,
out of which it feels that the doctor will not harm it.[7]
Frankl sees religion as expression of “man’s will to meaning.”[8]
The ECEC also fully depend on the supra human and the inmates in the
early stage cannot understand the value of these religious medical
ministry, they do not know the purpose of this coming together as a
family, but they simply trust the FBAs. Because they have experienced
the love and care and seen something supra in this FBAs. Here in
akashaparavakal the FBAs motivate them in the religious way to find
meaning and purpose in their life.
3.1.3. The Role of Spirituality in Meaning Making
As
we already saw that to Frankl this human dimension of spirit is the
dimension of freedom. Our freedom gives us the opportunity to change,
to step away from ourselves, even to confront ourselves. Our noëtic
self, concerned with other beings to love and meanings to fulfil, can
face our physical and psychological organism in a confrontation that can
bring about changes in attitudes.
Man
is incapable of understanding the ultimate meaning of human suffering
because “mere thinking cannot reveal to us the highest purpose,” as
Albert Einstein once said, I would say that the ultimate meaning, or the
supra meaning is no longer a matter of thinking but rather a matter of
believing.
3.1.3.1. Prayer Life
There
are some inmates who do not know where they are or why they are there.
But due to the daily practice in akashaparavakal they knew how to pray.
The inmates do not have much to speak, and they do not know to form
sentences, but they used to recite the prayer “Hail Mary” and used to
sing the devotional hymns that which is sung at the prayer time. Few are
there who know only to smile. In the will to meaning Frankl also speaks
about such a case.
I
shall never forget one of the most beautiful girls i have ever met. She
was Jewish community. During a manic period she went through, her
father consulted me because of her promiscuity. I pointed out that there
are two main dangers involved in manic periods, namely, contracting
venereal diseases and becoming pregnant. In this case there was a third
danger: life danger. She visited nightclubs in the company of SS men.
She danced with them and went to bed with them, endangering them as well
as herself. Finally, she was sent to concentration camp. There I saw
her again. And i shall never forget the scene. I cannot but compare it
with the last scene of the last act of the first part of Goethe’s Faust.
Like Gretchen she was kneeling on straw in an underground vault in the
midst of crowd of psychotic people who wallowed in feces. She was
folding her hands, looking upward and murmuring prayers. “Shema Yisrale...”
When she saw me, she clung to me and implored me to forgive her. I
tried to quite her. When i left her she continued murmuring prayers. In
Hebrew. Expect for this circumstance, like Gretchen. About an hour later
she died. She had been bodily exhausted, mentally disturbed, and
severely disoriented. She didn’t know where she was, or why. She only
knew how to pray.[9]
3.1.3.2. Accepting Suffering through Spirituality
Lack
of success does not signify lack of meaning. Man is not in this world
for enjoyment alone. Pleasure is incapable of giving meaning to man’s
life. If this is so lack of pleasure in life does not detract from its
meaning. Suffering has a meaning in itself. In suffering from something
we move inwardly way from it; we establish a distinction between our
Personality and this something. As long as we still suffering from a
condition that ought not to be, we remain in a stable of tension between
what actually is on the one hand and what ought to be on the other
hand. And only in this state of tension can we continue to envision the
ideal. Suffering therefore establishes a fruitful meaning. Suffering
makes an emotional awareness of what ought not to be. We can call this
suffering as a revolutionary tension. Sometimes suffering in man’s
emotions lights up to a deep wisdom superior to all reason, this in fact
runs counter to the gospel values, for instance repentance.
Life
is not for anything, it is only an opportunity for something. In the
proper sense, on the one hand, people can be sick without suffering. On
the other hand, there are people who suffer beyond all sickness, a
fundamental human suffering. Suffering which belongs to human life by
the very nature and the meaning of life. Man can fulfil himself only in
genuine suffering, and no other way. The belief that not only the noëtic
part of the person remains well even if the surrounding psychophysical
area has become sick but also that the noëtic self has the power to rise
above the afflictions of the psychophysical self. Makkals may not be
able to change their condition, but they can change their attitude
toward their own, perhaps incurably sick.
Puchalski
and Romer define spirituality as “that which allows a person to
experience transcendent meaning in life”.[10] According to Brady and
many others, spirituality is a construct that involves concepts of faith
and meaning.[11] Faith is a belief in a higher transcendent power. The
importance of addressing spirituality in akashaparavakal is becoming
apparent. Spiritual well- being and sense of meaning and peace appear to
substantially benefit persons suffering psychological distress at the
life situations. Maria Garshiama writes in her Malayalam article “annu
aniku labicha sahanatha parathi illaltha, kuttam parayatha snehathooda
sreekareikuvan sathishu. yenna throhi kunna varukoo vandi prathikuvannum
thaivam kriba nalkee.”[12](Malayalam)
To
show that spirituality makes meaning in life Kochumuttom Thomas says
“what the life on earth offered to Alphonsa was mostly unusual
sufferings of various kinds in body, mind, and spirit, which would as a
rule make any man/woman feel hopeless and despair. But the saint saw and
accepted them as effective means of realizing the goal of life. Right
from the early childhood she had the clear perception of the ultimate
meaning of life as to love and to be loved by God, to possess and be
possessed by Him. She then viewed all the life situations, pleasant as
well as unpleasant, as golden opportunities or necessary means to
realize the same goal of life and therefore, as meaningful
themselves.”[13] Thus they address spirituality in terms of inmates
suffering. They does all the things and service entirely centred on God.
3.2. Logotherapy Improves Service Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Akashaparavakal
The
fundamental goal of logotherapy is to affirm the dignity, freedom, and
responsibility of human beings in whatever circumstances they find
themselves. Additionally, logotherapy's stress on authentic,
non-manipulative, mutually enhancing human relations as a primary source
of meaning in life should provide a useful perspective. Similarly
logotherapy emphasis on self-transcendence by committing oneself to a
social cause.
The
caretakers have been committed them selves for a social cause for the
well being of the other. The caretakers aim is to help them to find an
aim and a purpose in their existence and to show a task before them. We
help them to achieve the highest possible activation of their life and
to lead them to their responsibilities in their life. The task varies
from person to person and hour to hour in accord with the uniqueness of
each person, in accordance with the singularity of each situation.
3.2.1. Service Satisfaction
Albert
Einstein once said “Only a life lived for others is worthwhile.” In
reality, life is little concerned with pleasure and satisfaction. For
the spectator in the theatre it does not matter so much that he see a
comedy or a tragedy; what allures him is the content, the inner value of
play. Therefore the caretakers see that their Value exists in itself.
3.2.2. Quality of Life
The
concept of noëtic dimension helps to understand and improve ourselves
and helps the makkals understand and improve mental health. According to
logotherapy, sickness can originate in our noös; but unlike our body
and psyche, the noös, our spirit, can never become sick… if this were
not so, he points out, it would not be worth the physician’s while to
“repair” the psychophysical organism. If the doctor sees only the
patient’s organism and not also the noëtic person behind it, he or she
become a medical mechanic and tacitly admits the patient is nothing but a
human machine. And the proper diagnosis can be made only by someone who
can see the spiritual side of man. This is very difficult to get in
hospitals and other institution, only in akashaparavakal through a
loving caring family atmosphere.
3.2.3. Improving the Quality of Life in Akashaparavakal through Love
In
the above we saw that the community in its turn confers existential
meaning upon personal uniqueness and singularity. Community can also be
a rich field for human experience. This is the intimate community of
oneself with another. It is love, the spiritual act, which gives a man
human dignity. Human beings can love and only human beings can be
loved[14] to the extend human beings love they become fully human. Love
means a sense of inward union. Scheler defines Love as a spiritual
movement toward the highest possible value of the loved person. A
spiritual act in which this highest value he calls this as the
“salvation” of a person. This is apprehended similar comment: that love
perceives the value potentialties in the beloved person the way God
“meant” him. Love reveals to us the valuational image of the human
being. Human realities are human possibility – the possibility of
realizing values, of self realization. What love do is – no more and no
less than this “possibility” of a human being. In so loving, it performs
a metaphysical act. For the valuation image revealed to us, in the
course of the spiritual act of love is essentially the “image” of
something invisible unreal- unrealized. Facts can be calculated;
potentialities are by their nature in calculable. Awareness of values
can only enrich a person. Therefore love must enrich the lover.
Infatuation
makes us blind; real love enables us to see. Love permits us to see the
spiritual core of the other person, the reality of the other’s
essential nature and his value potentialities. Love allows us to
experience another’s personality as a world in itself, and so extends
our own world.[15]
Love
helps the beloved to become as the lover sees him. for the loved one
wants to be worthier of the lover, a worthier recipient of such love, by
growing to be more like the lover’s images and so he becomes more and
more the image of what God conceived and wanted him to be. Frankl says,
“I, for one, believe that the words, ‘Comfort, O comfort my people, says
your God.’ (Isaiah 40:1) are as valid as when they were written and are
also addressed to the doctors among ‘his people.’ This is the way every
good doctor has understood his responsibilities all along.[16] The love
and comfort given in the ECEC transforms both the inmates and
caretakers.
Unrequited
love enriches them and brings happiness. Unrequited love is distinctly
creative. Unpleasurable tragedies are more profound experiences than
pleasurable comedies. Even when our experience in love turnout
unhappily, we are not only enriched, but also given a deeper sense of
life; such experiences are chief things which foster inner growth and
maturity. This is the inner enrichment which a person experiences in
love may be accompanied by tension.
3.3. Logotherapy Infuses Meaning in the Unique Life of Those Who Live in Akasaparavakal
Logotherapy
aims at bringing the patient to the point of highest possible
concentration and dedication. And to show them how the life of every man
has a unique goal to which only one single course leads. The correlate
to the singularity of human existence is the uniqueness of every human
being. If all men are equal and perfect, then every individual would be
replaceable by anyone else. From the very imperfection of men follows
the indispensability and in exchangeability of each individual; for each
imperfection is his own fashion. No man is universally gifted; but the
bias of the individual makes for his uniqueness. The significance of
such individuality, the meaning of human personality, is however always
related to community. The uniqueness of the human personality finds its
meaning entirely in its role in an integral whole. Thus the meaning of
the human person as a personality points beyond its own limits, towards
community; the meaning of individuality comes to fulfilment in this
extend, the value of the individual is depend upon the community.
Community itself has a meaning and the meaning of akashaparavakal a
community is there should not be any beggars’ in the world. The FBAs
understands the unique personalities and give them some responsibility
and make them to be responsible.
3.3.1. Meaning in Work
Work
gives meaning to our lives. It influences our self worth and the way we
perceive our place under the sun. Being great at what you do is not
just something you do for the organization you [live] work for – it’s a
gift you give yourselves. Being spectacularly great at your work
promotes personal respect, and just makes your life a lot more
interesting.[17] Makkals are voluntarily assisting in various kinds of
works and serving as unpaid helpers in akashaparavakal. They have formed
the habit of attending the patients and hearing them to their problems,
they discuss and have a good deal and relationship and makes a very
good ever growing friendship among them. This gives a positive stroke in
their life. This positive-pull pulls them into a new way of seeing
things and introduce them a new set of possibilities. They also
participate in the community activities such as field work, cooking
assistance, etc. The capacity to work is not everything; it is neither a
sufficient nor essential basis for a meaningful life. Work is only a
means to the end of meaningful living. Here both men who are incapable
and capable of physical labour find meaning and enjoyment.
3.3.2. Priests and Volunteers Realization of Meaning
On
behalf of Preshitha Province, Coimbatore, Fr. Sunny Ukken, was the one
who took the initiative to start Akasaparavakal. And then he was also
accompanied by Fr. (Jain) Thomas Kuzhiyanimattathil, Fr. Sunny Parayil,
and Fr. Joy Vemblian (For Street children) While Fr. Sunny Ukken
starting the Akasaparavakal many thought him as a fool, proud, mad,
etc., but the words of Bl. Chavara gave him the strength and meaning for
his action. Bl. Chavara at the time of inaugurating the first orphanage
home at Kainakari, he said, “Many will think of us as fools, mad, etc,
for the sake of our lord let us become fools, let us serve the poorest
of poor.” At the beginning stage of Akasaparavakal, at Threethwashram,
Karimba, Palakkad, Kerala, Fr. Sunny Ukken too faced a lot of obstacles,
sufferings both from the people and also from the Province level of CMI
congregation. But those troubles and difficulties made him so closer to
the supra meaning and the supra human.
Those
Priests and the volunteers saw their grandparents, parents, sons and
daughters, and children in the face of inmates. Through their prayers,
penance, love and self sacrificing service showed the face of kind
hearted loving Jesus Christ to the inmates. In other way, the inmates
saw Jesus in them. They all grew together in love as a one single
family. This ministry created a way to many to lead a meaningful life in
akp.
A
volunteer once said I was a drunkard, after taking alcohol I lay on
streets and created troubles in my own family. After participating in
this ministry, I am fully transformed into a new person. I love to do my
service in Akasaparavakal. Another said “I was short tempered, but
serving this mentally retarded and disoriented people for few days, I
became very calm, I do not know were my short-tempered habit went.” Some
said, “I came to know myself through the inmates.” and few said, “I see
and serve them as if I was the one who abandoned on the street as they
are.” And many others said “I was sad and distress, after relating with
these destitute and hearing their troubles, worries, and problems. I
have achieved great hope in my life and have received strength to face
my troubles and problems.” In this way many find meaning through the
destitute suffering. In another way, in spite of their incapability’s,
they are being a light for others to find meaning in life.
3.3.3. Inmates realization of Meaning
Inmates
as a chorus they says, we were unfit, unwanted and abounded by our own
relatives, parents, sons and daughters, and of the society. These
created emotional and physical imbalance within us. We became
disoriented, we were considered as capable to do nothing. But this
organization, gave the family atmosphere, gave a very great loving care
and concern, we were hopeless before the hospitals and doctors, but here
through prayer and self sacrificing service they gave us hope, medical
facilities. Now we could able to forgive, help, and love each other. And
we found meaning in this life.
3.3.4. Public realization of Meaning
Nowadays
the public have taken the role of this organisation. The people
surrounding this ashram and the people who know about this ministry, if
they found any of the human suffering in the pavements, streets, and
road sides, they voluntarily taken those disoriented to the near by
ashrams. And they do the sufficient things. Here there are no religion
differences - they feel all as one, all are poor and weak.
3.4. Discovering Meaning With Mentally Retarded
Though
most of them are disoriented and mentally retarded they teach the world
a lot. Intentionally they never hurt others, they are so loveable, so
innocent, believe everything, without doubt they thrust everybody. Even
from the food habits we can understand them. They eat the entire thing
that we give, for example if we give fish without removing the bones
they sallow the fish and trouble themselves. But we learn a much from
them, like their loveable nature, innocence, truthfulness, trusting and
their loving concern towards the other, in total we can understand the
humanness of the human beings in the family of akashaparavakal (ECEC).
Even the retarded child retains the humanness of human beings, says
Frankl and he also speak about such personalities. He says quoting Carl
J. Rote, resident chaplain in the state institution of some 4,300
mentally retarded patients, deserves a hearing:
“The
retarded have taught me more than I can ever tell. There is a world
where hypocrisy is banished; it is a kingdom where a smile is their
passport to your affection and the light in their eyes will melt the
coldest heart. Perhaps this is God’s way of reminding us that the world
must rediscover the attributes which the mentally retarded have never
lost.”[18]
For
some, it is very sure that there can be no hope of their medical
recovery. But there must be surely be some sense in which these
creatures of God can be made whole and akashaparavakal gives an
opportunity to all such cases and make them a whole human being, through
the prayer, spiritual practices, loveable self-sacrificing service and
penance. We should realize that if there is no spirituality in
akashaparavakal then there is no indifference from the veterinarians and
animal protectors. Then the only thing which makes akashaparavakal
different from the veterinarians and animal protectors are the inmates
and their spiritual life, the spirituality.
For
in the light of akashaparavakal religion is a human phenomenon, and as a
human phenomenon they (ECEC) have taken it earnestly. Taking religion
seriously allows for drawing upon the spiritual resources of the
patient. In this context spirituality means uniquely and truly human.
And in this sense akashaparavakal ministry is a reasonable task of the
society.
[1] Psalm 34:18.
[2] Kakasherry, Celin. “Theruvilaa Prubukanmar ” (Malayalam). Aakahapparavakalude Koottukar, 3,2 (January - 2011), 23.
[3]
Koenig HG, Cohen HJ, Blazer Dg. “Religious coping and depression among
elderly, hospitalized medically ill men”. Am J Psychiatry 1992; 149;
1693-1700.
[4]
Breitbart William, Christopher Gibson, Shannon R Poppito, Amy Berg.
“Psychotherapeutic Interventions at the End of Life: a Focus on Meaning
and Spirituality”. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 06 (June
2004), 368.
[5] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 140.
[6] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 143.
[7] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 150.
[8]
Man’s will to meaning is the fundamental motivational force in humans.
This meaning is unique and specific and can be fulfilled by him alone.
Then it will satisfy one’s own will to meaning. People need something to
live for. Humans are beings who encounter other people and reach out
for meanings to fulfil. Human existence is at risk unless people live in
terms of transcendence towards something beyond themselves.
[9] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 139.
[10]
Breitbart William, Christopher Gibson, Shannon R Poppito, Amy Berg.
“Psychotherapeutic Interventions at the End of Life: a Focus on Meaning
and Spirituality”. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 06 (June
2004), 368.
[11]
Brady MJ, Peterman AH, Fitchett G, Cella D. “A Case for Including
Spirituality in Quality of Life Measurement in Oncology”.
Psychooncology, 8, 1999, 417-428.
[12] Garshiama, Maria. “Shahanam Labamoo Nashtamoo...?” (Malayalam). Aakahapparavakalude Koottukar, 4, 1(December - 2011), 9.
[13] Kochumuttom, Sebastian. “Saint Alphonsa: A Case of Logotherapy - 1.” In Christo. 49, 01 (January 2011), 04.
[14] Frankl, Doctor & soul, 140.
[15] Frankl, Doctor & soul, 153.
[16] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 125.
[17] Sharma, The Greatness Guide, 8.
[18] Frankl, The Will to Meaning, 140.
CHAPTER 4
APPLICATION OF LOGOTHERAPY IN THE REAL LIFE OF AKASHAPARAVAKAL
4.1. The Will to Meaning through Seeking and Trusting in the Will of God.
Mother
Theresa searched the will of God in everyone and in every thing. And so
we find in her letter to His Grace F. Périer, SJ. “Your Grace, let me
go, and give myself for them, let me offer myself and those who joint me
for those unwanted poor, the little street children, the sick, the
dying, the beggars, let me go into their holes and bring in their broken
homes the joy and peace of Christ.”[1] She expressed that she will lose
nothing. They (MC) are of Him and working for Him and Him only. And she
quotes the Bible, if for a glass of water, he has promised so much,
(Mathew 10:42) and she asks to His Grace, “Let me go, Your Grace, let us
trust him blindly. He will do all. I have foreseen many of the
hardships and difficulties which that life will bring me – but I trust
the good God blindly and I know He will not let me down, even though I
may make mistake.[2] One of the main aims of akashaparavakal is Trust
blindly and totally in the Lord God almighty.
Archbishop
Périer letter says to Mother Teresa, “To know the will of God for those
who have the authority and to act in His Name requires consultation,
prayer and reflection.”[3] Through this we could know Mother Theresa too
searched the consultation, and she prayed and reflected a lot and for
hours before the Eucharist Lord. And many of these kinds of
consultation, prayer and reflection made her to understand the will of
God.
4.1.1. Seeking Meaning in the Poorest of the Poor
The
religious feeling and the spirituality made the mother to seeking
meaning in the poorest of the poor. Maslow found that these
meaning-centered and blissful experiences may occur anywhere, anytime,
and are not only limited to “holy” places and “sacred” circumstances.
They produce emotional satisfaction and may even cure mental
illness.[4]The feeling of Jesus’ presence, Mother Theresa had
nonetheless been recognizing Him in the distressing disguise of the
poor: “When I walk through the slums or enter the dark holes – there our
Lord is always really present.”[5] The “dark holes” had become a
privileged meeting place with Jesus. There she wanted to love Him to the
end. Her thought pattern was about what Jesus would gain (the souls of
the poor) and not what she will lose.
Her
spirituality, consultation, prayer and reflection gave her a peek
experience. Peak experiences in one ecstatic moment illuminated the
mystery of existences and gave mother a feel of participation in the
whole. One peak experience can give us the courage to “say yes to life
in spite of everything.”[6] Keeping faith in this peak experience Mother
said Good bye to all the rich safety comfortable life and endangered
herself to realize the experienced inner call/meaning/logos. There has
been plenty of suffering and tears; there has not been one moment of
regret. But Mother was happy to do God’s will.
4.1.2. Meaning through Love
Love
is the only way to grasps another human being in the innermost core of
his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of
another human being unless he loves him. By the spiritual act of love he
is enable to see the essential traits and features in the beloved
person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him; which is
not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his
love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these
potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he
should become, he makes these potentialities come true.[7]
By
the spiritual act of compassionate love Mother Theresa saw the face of
suffering Jesus in the poorest of the poor and in Jesus she saw the
suffering face of the poorest of the poor. Mother saw her Jesus as the
Hungry– to be fed, the Thirsty– to be satiated, the Naked– to be
clothed, the Homeless– to be taken in, the Sick– to be healed, the
Lonely– to be loved, the unwanted– to be wanted, the Leper– to wash his
wounds, the Beggar– to give him a smile, the Drunkard– to listen to him,
the Retarded– to protect him, the Little one – to embrace him, the
Blind– to lead him, the Dumb– to speak for him, the Crippled– to walk
with him, the Drug addict– to befriend him, the prostitute– to remove
from danger and befriend, the prisoner– to be visited, and the Old– to
be served. Through her life this is what she did to Jesus and to the
poor. This was her way that she lived, and expressed her love to her
Jesus and in other way to the poor. Through Jesus she found her entire
meaning of life. Her actualization made her to be recognized by whole
world.
4.1.3. Mother Teresa’s Meaning of Life in Creative Values
Creative Values are the values which are realized in creative actions. Creative values are what they give to life.
As
long as creative values are in forefront of the life task, their
actualization generally coincides with a person’s work. Work usually
represents the area in which the individual’s uniqueness stands in
relation to community and society and thus acquires meanings and values.
The meanings and values, however attached to the person’s work as a
contribution to the community/ society, not to the actual occupation as
such.[8]
Mother
Theresa lived in a very safe and highly rich comfortable life in Loreto
convent. She was very happy and she doesn’t want to leave Loreto. But
there she doesn’t find the meaning of her life in Loreto convent, the
strive for meaning pulled her out of the Loreto convent to the dirty
streets. Meaning of life is not to be questioned but to be responded to,
Mother responded to her life, by leaving all the safe comfortable rich
life. This shows that the response should be given not in words, but in
acting, by doing, and performing. Mother responded right way, she
through her life brought the Light of Jesus, His fire of love amongst
the poor, the sick, the dying, the beggars and the little street
children. She wanted to lead a life for Him and souls of the poor. I say
this as the right response because she responded active within the
actual conditions of everyday living. Mother Teresa struggled too much
for her existence, it was a struggle for something; it was purposeful
and meaningful and this creative struggle brought meaning into her life.
The way that mother responded to her life was not her occupation or her
job, but her response was her contribution to the whole world. Through
her creative response the whole world came to understand the lost human
values.
The
Means she used for the realization of creative vales are: she went
amongst the people- nursed the sick in their homes- helped the dying to
make their pace with God, helped the beggars of the streets to lead
respectful lives. Gave an opportunity to the little children in the
streets and in the slums to have a good education. In a word, she acted
the charity of Christ amongst the poorest- and so her creative action
made them to know Him and they want Him in their lives. Teresa went in
search of the souls, lived her days in the slum and streets. Close to
the people’s heart. She would do the work of Christ in their very homes-
in the dirty and dark holes of the street beggars.
All
the credit goes not only to Teresa alone. It is shared by all the
Missionary of charity and those who live and lead a life in
akashaparavakal. Because, though the ECEC are not the professed
religious, they to live a charitable life as a missionary, spreading the
Gospel among the poorest of the poor. They did not wait for souls to
come to them, they went in search of them and brought with their zealous
workers. This is why I said that the religion of elite became the
religion of ordinary. Because, in big schools, hospitals and
institutions – in all these the soul have to come to them or be brought
to them. But in akashaparavakal and other such institutions they go in
search of weak and destitute and little ones and they welcome them with
diginity as their inmates. And this is called as unrequited love which
is distinctly creative. Unrequited love which enriches everyone and
brings happiness.
4.1.4. Giving Hope to the Hopeless
Mother
and co-workers of akashaparavakal devote themselves with abnegation to
the care for the poor and needy who, crushed by want and destitution,
live in conditions unworthy of the human dignity. They are resolved to
spend themselves unremittingly in seeking out, in towns and villages,
even amid squalid surroundings, the poorer, the abandoned, the sick, the
infirm, the dying; in taking care of them, rendering help to them,
visiting them assiduously and instructing them in the Christian Doctrine
in endeavoring to the utmost to bring about their satisfaction and
sanctification.
The
people were pleased with her creative actions– but the little children
were all over the place and what dirty and misery – what poverty and
suffering. Mother spoke very, very little, she just did some washing of
sores, and dressing, gave medicine to some. The old man lying on the
street – not wanted – all alone just sick and dying- Mother gave him
carborsone and water to drink and the old man was so strangely grateful…
And then there was a very poor woman dying Mother thought of starvation
more than TB. What poverty what actual suffering. Mother gave something
which would help her to sleep- but the woman is longing to have some
care.
While
going about the city to meet the needs of the poor, Mother Teresa often
encountered people dying in the streets. Because these people were
considered “hopeless cases,” the hospitals would not accept them; they
were destined to face the end of their life alone, unwanted and
abandoned by all. Mother Theresa sought a home where they would be
received with love and treated with dignity at least in the last moments
of their lives. She gathered the neglected, the rejected, the unwanted
that she sheltered them closely, In this way she put her love of Christ
into living action.
4.1.5. Mother Teresa’s New Incentive to Carry Sufferings
Mother
Theresa believed that finding a purpose in their sufferings would give
them a new incentive to carry on: “Love demands sacrifice. But if we
love until it hurts, God will give us His peace and joy… suffering in
itself is nothing; but suffering with Christ’s Passion is a wonderful
gift.”[9] She says that Jesus is not Glorified in the crib, but on the
cross- alone- naked- bleeding- suffering- dying on the cross.
Mother
Theresa brought souls to God – and God to souls.[10] Many a soul has
been brought back to God through the akashaparavakal ministry. Many a
dying person has been sent to God, many a child has been taught to love
God, many a sick person has been comforted and taught to suffer for the
love of God, and above all the generous and self- sacrificing lives of
young care takers, sisters FBA. She believed for such a mission, prayer
and sacrifice were essential… This vision of faith guided her in the
establishment of her “sick and suffering co-workers,” as she explained
to archbishop Périer:
“…
I have started with the sick a spiritual relationship. Every Sister has
a second self- to pray and to suffer for her- and the Sister will share
her good works and prayers with her. –Spiritually they are children of
the society- so I have some in England, Brussels, Antwerp, Switzerland,
Calcutta who have jointed, men, women, children. They would like some
sort prayers to say in union with us. Miss de Decker amd Nicholas Gomes
are my second self. There are now 18 on the list. –It is their prayers
and sufferings that are blessing our apostolate. It makes them so happy
to have to suffer for somebody- to be a Missionary of charity- though
they be blind, lame, TB, crippled, having cancer, (HIV). Often when I
find the work very difficult, I offer the suffering of these my children
and I find help comes at once. – I think many of our sick and suffering
would be sanctified much quicker if they suffered to satiate the thirst
of Jesus”[11]
4.2. Alamkar and Akashaparavakal
Once
FBA Members Mr. Martin and Mr. Shibu were travelling to Perumbavur, via
Kaaladi, on the way at Ookal Street, both found a man sitting in the
road side and he was eating the thrown old spoiled potato, from the road
side dustbin. They started to observe him; his dress was torn and
smelled very badly. He was playing with the sand and eating the soil.
He looked as a psychiatric patient. ‘He was laying there for two days;
bothers nothing about the heavy rain and hot sun ever moved ate nothing’
expressed the nearby shop keeper. Anyhow with the help of the
shopkeeper they placed him into the FBA’s vehicle, informed the police
and Mr. Martin and Mr. Shibu took him to the Akashaparavakal Ashram.
He
was welcomed and treated with dignity, there in akashaparavakal. At the
first dialogue there was no respond from him. The care takers made him
to bath and dressed him with new clothes gave food. In this way the FBA
provided to the necessary physical need of the person. They never
stopped with this; the FBA’s and the ashramities gave the sufficient
care and concern to each other it created a loving family atmosphere.
The dialogues of sharing and loving touched the emotions / psychological
aspect of the man. Within a week he started to respond positively. To
awaken his spiritual core, he was also taught to recite prayers and
trained to spiritual practices. Days passed and in a months time he was
fully recovered from his mental illness. He started to communicate with
all.
He
said that his name is Alamkar and house was at Mathvpur, Chapra, in
Bihar District, has a wife and four children. Spending two months in
Ashram, he expressed his will and likeness, that to be in his own house.
The FBA members two of them took him to his home town Bihar. When the
family members saw him, they were filled with great joy and happiness.
With little tensed his brother enquired him where he was till then? And
his brothers’ wife asked anxiously why he not even made a phone call?
And questions came so on. Knowing all things, his brother rung up to
Alamkar’s wife. Hearing the sound of Alamkar her wife with overwhelming
joy made a loud voice of cry; all of them heard that through their
telephone conversation. From his house they all went to his wife’s
house. Where he was joyfully welcomed by great crowd of people.
It was his story, two and half months before Alamkar with his friends
traveled in train to Kerala as laborers for building construction works.
While travelling he was also suffering from a slight fever. On the way
he got down the train to collect drinking water. By the way he missed
his Train and friends. In addition to the fever, this gave him a feeling
of loneliness. He does not know the language to communicate. All were
busy strangers for him. None of them neither looked nor listened and
cared him. His physical illness and emotional or psychological suffering
led him to meaninglessness. As broken hearted he lost all his
consciousness. Only after two weeks, the FBA members found him on the
pavement and brought to akashaparavakal.
People
passed by the way, thought about him as a drunkard. He was considered
as an unwanted fellow. But FBA Members took him to Akashaparavakal under
their own risk. All at Akashaparavakal, treated him with a great human
dignity and with loving concern. This Loving care and concern touched
his spiritual core, trusting in the providence of God, here at
akashaparavakal, he was fully satisfied of his biological, sociological,
psychological needs. And in Akashaparavakal, he himself found his lost
meaning in his life. His family members and the society around him
found the meaning in their lives through akashaparavakal.
Ultimately
in akashaparavakal, the meaning of life is same for all, though
everybody has his/her own specific vocation or mission to fulfill. In
the case of the FBA’s, they hear the word of God, which creates a
healthy tension in them. The tension between their natural doing and the
word’s saying what ought to do, establish a gap between what one
performs and what one should perform. This creative healthy tension
leads a FBA to Self- transcendence. Through self transcendence he/she is
directed to someone other than himself/herself. FBA considers this as a
mission to fulfill, realizing another human being and loving him.
The
meaning of life can be discovered in different ways: either (i) by
creating a work or doing a deed, or (ii) by experiencing something like
goodness, truth and beauty, or (iii) by experiencing nature and culture,
or (iv) loving another human person with all his/her essential traits
and features, and enabling him/her to actualize his/her potentialities,
or (v) by loving God above all other things and people unconditionally
and whole-heartedly [is not merely a way but the ultimate meaning of
life], or (vi) by turning the unavoidable suffering and even death into
effective means of realizing the meaning of life.[12]
In
akashaparavakal one forgets oneself by giving oneself to a cause of
another human being or God. Through love he/she does a creative action,
and experiencing the happiness as well as suffering for the sake of God
and discovers their own meaning of life. The different ways of
discovering the meaning of life are inter-related in the above fact.
4.3. The Play of Dialogue in Meaningful Life
Few
FBA members after attending a three days programme at Chennai and they
were returning to Kerala. On the way they found an unhealthy weak man
walking with a thick lengthy hair and unclean suit on the road side.
They stopped the vehicle and generously asked whether he is joining
them. He sat on a side of the Jeep. The volunteers who brought him to
akashaparavakal Ashram, feed them, shave them, bathe them and give them
new clothes. They cut the hair gave him a bath and dressed him up with
good clothes and gave him the food. With in a month he fully recovered
his strength, both physically and psychologically. He attained a state
of mental equilibrium. He too then expressed his will to going to his
own home. He said that he is a landlord and from the royal family in
Rajasthan, own about 25 archers of land etc.
One
day while the rich man working at the field, he received a SMS stating
that his son met with an accident and died on the spot. This message
took away the balance of his mind/consciousness and he became a
psychiatric patient. He himself does not know how he reached here. Eight
months after missing from his place, the FBA members found and took him
from Palakad. Latter one day, when the Ashramities took him back to his
own house, He was gratefully welcomed by his son who was told death. He
also told that the absence (missing) of his father gave the emotional
suffering to his mother and finally ended with his mother’s death, three
months before.
The
meaningless message took away and destroyed the happiness of landlord’s
family. But on the other way, the spirit of our Akashaparavakal- (total
surrender to God, loving trust and perfect cheerfulness) the good news
and meaningful messages of love, care and actions gave back all the lost
meaning and happiness to him and his family members.
The
missionary of charity and the akashaparavakal’s aim is one and the same
the only difference is that the akashaparavakal is fully entrusted not
only to the religious person alone there is a great cooperation of
laity. Wherein the MC Sisters the whole service is done by the sisters.
There is no much involvement and cooperation of other people’s. The
difference between psychotherapy and religion (religion in
akashaparavakal) is Psychotherapy only aims at mental health were as
religion aims a step further more than that finding meaning in the
transcendental and aims at salvation.[13]
*****
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frankl, Victor E. Man’s Search for Meaning. Mumbai: Better Yourself Books, 2003.
Frankl, Victor E. The Will to Meaning: Foundation and Applications of Logotheraphy. New York: Penguin Books, 1988.
Frankl, Victor E. The Doctor and the Soul: From Psychotherapy to Logotheraphy. New York: Souvenir press, 1967.
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Adams C. W. The Soul of Love. New Delhi: Readworthy Publications, 2008.
Fabry, Joseph B. The Pursuit of Meaning: Victor Frankl, Logotherapy, and Life. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1980.
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Onah, Godfrey Igwebuike. Logotherapy and the Philosophy of Man. Roma: Urbaniana University Press, 2000.
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Mother. Come Be My Light: the Private writings of the saint of
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New York: Doubleday, 1987.
[1] Teresa, The Private Writings, 65.
[2] Mother Teresa to Archbishop Périer, January, 10,1948.
[3] Archbishop Périer to Mother Teresa, April, 7, 1947.
[4] Fabry, The pursuit of meaning, 152.
[5] Mother Teresa to Archbishop Périer, June 21,1950.
[6] Fabry, The Pursuit of Meaning, 153.
[7] Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 101.
[8] Frankl, The Doctor and the Soul, 118.
[9] Mother Teresa to the Co-workers, March 1, 1995.
[10] Mother Teresa to Archbishop Périer, June 5, 1947.153.
[11] Mother Teresa to Archbishop Périer, October 23, 1953.
[12] Kochumuttom, St. Alphonsa, 3.
[13] Frankl, Victor E. The Will to Meaning: Foundation and Applications of Logotheraphy. New York: Penguin Books, 1988.
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