ISBN: 9781844132393

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Introduction

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The book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E Frankl is a relatively short book with some simple but profound messages, along with an introduction to the practice of logotherapy.

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Viktor Frankl spent three years in a number of concentration camps during World War Two.  While over half of the book is about his time in these camps, he doesn’t use the story of this part of his life in a gratuitous manner so as to shock the reader or to increase his book sales.  Rather his description of what happened in the camps, the actions of the prison guards and the inmates, and the emotions evoked, all provide the background and context for his philosophy for living.

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The resilience shown by Viktor Frankl (and many others) in the concentration camps is to be admired and should be an inspiration to us all.  The lack of bitterness shown by Viktor Frankl, is also to be admired, but more importantly it is this lack of bitterness that allows him to explore and articulate a philosophy for living and spiritual growth from which we can all learn.

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Life in the concentration camps

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Before discussing the lessons for living that Viktor Frankl puts forward in the context of life in the concentration camps, just a few general thoughts and comments on his description of life in those camps.

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There is a phrase which one will often hear in situations of war and great oppression, and that is “Man’s inhumanity to Man”.  The operation of the concentration camps, including the selection process of those to be interned, the cruelty to the prisoners, the disrespect for human life, and the execution of men, women and children in the gas chambers, show “Man’s inhumanity to Man” in its most extreme form.  We should as individuals, as countries, and as a human race, learn from such atrocities, but do we?  Have we?  When I look around the globe, I think that in all countries, some more so than others, there are so many examples of cruelty, persecution, and disrespect towards individuals, groups, races, and nationalities.  We may not have concentration camps or gas chambers but the impact of some of our actions results in suffering and death for many, and this is by humans to fellow humans.

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However, while one could discuss this aspect of the book in much more detail, I will focus on the messages of spiritual growth put forward in the book, and what I take from it.

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On a couple of occasions Viktor Frankl quotes Nietzsche who said, “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.”  There is no better example of this than in the concentration camps.  Viktor Frankl explains how those who had meaning in their lives, those who had hope – even though such hope was unlikely to be fulfilled, coped better with all the suffering that they endured.  There is a clear and simple message from this for all of us, and that is that if we have meaning in our lives, whether this be meaning already fulfilled or a major goal or purpose yet to be fulfilled, then we can live more fulfilled and complete lives.

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Viktor Frankl speaks of “the last of human freedoms” being the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.  He says that we can choose our reaction to any situation and that is what will impact on us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  For anyone to be able to maintain this “freedom” in a concentration camp is remarkable.  However, anyone who can exercise this freedom in their life can live a much more fulfilled life.

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In Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now, reviewed elsewhere on this site, he tells us of the importance of “living in the Now”.  While Eckhart Tolle is correct in that we can only live in the Now, Viktor Frankl tells us that for those in the concentration camps a focus on positive past experiences could be uplifting, and a focus on the future could bring hope and potential meaning for any prisoner.  He shows us clearly how we can use past experiences to lift us, and how we can use hope for the future to give us strength in the Now.

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There is one poignant but “lovely” (I use that word in a very relative sense) scene where a dying woman finds “meaning” from the sight of the branch of a tree.  She said that the tree was her friend during her time of loneliness, and that it spoke to her of the message of Eternal Life.  On another occasion Viktor Frankl speaks of the joy that prisoners felt when they saw the mountains near Salzburg while being moved between camps.  These are examples of the Ikigai principle, also discussed elsewhere on this site, of “seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary”.

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Logotherapy

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The principles of logotherapy were developed by Viktor Frankl.  While there are a number of strands to this therapy, the key principle is that one can live a more fulfilled and  spiritual life by having a focus or purpose to motivate oneself.  Viktor Frankl says that such a focus can help everyone but, in particular, anyone who is “lost”, depressed, anxious, or suffering in any mental capacity.

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Some of his description of logotherapy is very technical and complicated, and is only required by anyone who wants to become a logotherapy practitioner.  However, we can all take some key learnings from this book.

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Viktor Frankl speaks of the existential vacuum where so many in today’s world have no meaning or purpose in their lives.  This leads to boredom but also leads to increased  depression, aggression, addiction, and even suicide.  This vacuum can affect anyone, but unemployed, retired, and older people can be particularly affected.  Also, some who “appear to have everything” are struggling to cope due to lacking purpose and meaning in their lives.

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There is no single “one size fits all” Meaning of Life.  The answer for each person is specific to them and to the current stage of their life.  Viktor Frankl says that everyone has a specific task in life, which is unique to them, and each person is responsible for finding their own meaning and in making it happen.

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Viktor Frankl says that we do not simply exist and that we can always decide what our existence will be, and what we will become in the next moment.  That is a very simple but powerful message.

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My Personal Lessons / Takeaways

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“He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.”

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The “how” that anyone has to bear will differ from person to person and can be very little up to the level of suffering as described by Viktor Frankl in the concentration camps.  However, I agree that all of us can benefit from having a “why” in our lives.  This “why” will vary depending on one’s circumstances and stage in life.  As Viktor Frankl often mentions it can be a major goal or purpose.

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However, while these are all “big whys”, I really am a strong advocate for the element of Ikigai, which I mentioned earlier, of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.  Linking this to expressing gratitude, for the “big” things like my family, my friendships, my health, or my security, and for the “small” things – although not really small, like coffee with friends, growing vegetables, playing golf or seeing a sunset, provide meaning and fulfilment for me.  This practice aids my spiritual growth, increases my core level of contentment, and continually re-enforces my feeling of gratitude, well-being, and the realisation of how privileged I am to be at such a stage on my life journey and my spiritual journey.

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The message from Viktor Frankl that we have the freedom to choose reactions to situations, no matter how dire they are, is powerful.  Depending on the situation it can be very difficult to take the responsibility ourselves for our reactions, and to choose to be positive, but as Viktor Frankl says that is a fundamental and powerful freedom that we have.

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Eckhart Tolle says we should only live in the Now, and that is where our focus must be.  However, we can always learn from the past to determine what to do in the Now.  We can also use the past to help us to find meaning in the Now, after the event.  I also like when Viktor Frankl speaks of the older generation having a lifetime of events, successes, and experiences on which to reflect.  These cannot be taken away but can help us in the Now to find meaning.

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“The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he tears a daily sheet, grows thinner with each passing day.  On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors after first having jotted down a few notes on the back.  He can reflect with pride and joy … on the life … already lived … even on his suffering.”

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In terms of the future, having a focus, a goal, or a purpose, can give us the direction that we need in order to decide what to do now.  It can give us the strength to do so.  It can give us hope and purpose.

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Yes, I believe that “big” events can provide meaning, and it is great when they do – and to have something major for which to strive.  However, the accumulated meaning garnered from many “small” events, some in the past and others current, can provide ongoing meaning, fulfilment, and contentment, which is an absolutely wonderful position to reach in one’s life.

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Conclusion

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For our own personal, mental, and spiritual well-being we need purpose and meaning in our lives.  We also need those “smaller” Ikigai moments.  Meaning does not have to exist solely in some future action or event.  We can find it in past experiences too.

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Putting into practice some of the philosophies of Viktor Frankl can help each of us on our own personal spiritual journey.