When we think of life, we think of organisms; we think of life as something characteristic of living things that distinguishes them from inanimate or dead things. Now, that is life seen as a noun. Life, when approached as a verb, is the participation of an individual living thing in a plethora of processes that make more individuals of its kind and others possible. But when we look at life in terms of lived experience, in terms of perception and choice, life can be understood as the flow of consciousness.

We are all subject to stress and, at times, too much of it in our lives. Stress, and most importantly, unhealthy amounts of it, can negatively impact our physical and emotional well-being, preventing us from living healthy, productive lives. Whether we manage to fight off stress or succumb to it depends a lot on our coping strategies. Our perceptions and insights on our stressors, which are perceived threats to our well-being, play a huge part in shaping our body’s response to stress and, in turn, determine how successful we are at dealing with stress.

Two thousand years ago, an itinerant preacher went around seeking to spread this message that the kingdom of God was at hand. This message formed the core of his teaching. Through his actions, he hoped to lead the haggard, despondent populace to this comforting truth, away from the self-perpetuating pain and misery that life on this planet had become. He wanted people to taste this heaven right here on earth. His message, however, did not catch on. This preacher’s name was Jesus Christ. Two thousand years hence, we are no closer to having understood Christ’s message.

Finding and staying motivated is hard for many of us. We all struggle to come up with the energy needed to pursue our goals and desires. Even when we do manage to find the drive needed, it seems to ebb or peter out over time or deserts us often at the most inopportune moments. Worse still, some of us are convinced that this is just the way it is or how it ought to be.

The teachings of Buddhism are centred around enlightenment or self-realisation, an experience that is ineffable and inexplicable, beyond speculative thought and inquiry. While someone unfamiliar with the teachings might be tempted to dismiss the phenomenon as escapist fantasy, one should understand that enlightenment is real and is not a turning-away from life. It is the return to life having understood its nature. There is, however, a genuine danger of a practitioner getting caught in mere philosophising or ritualism.