Educational articles

Photo by Povilas Antanavičius

Humanistic psychology suggests that despite all the achievements of civilization, people continue to suffer as they always have: psychological issues are increasing and becoming deeper, even though life today, thanks to technological progress, is much easier than before. Suffering is understood as a poor internal state of being. Its root cause is existential fragmentation, something we have all experienced: I think one way, feel another, and act yet another. Existential psychology emphasizes that this lack of internal unity is the fundamental problem of human existence, from which all other issues arise.

Breaking free from this existential fragmentation is quite difficult. On one hand, we carry the baggage of our upbringing, shaped by our family and childhood experiences. On the other hand, we constantly feel societal pressure - norms, rules, fashions, and trends.

How can we reduce this internal fragmentation?

First of all, we should view society from a bird's-eye perspective. Learn to observe your environment objectively, seeing what is truly happening instead of just listening to what people say. Often, words do not reflect reality.

The second is to feel your surroundings and fully inhabit your actions. People often live not in reality but in their own minds, which is why their outcomes are not what they hope for. Fundamentally, I exist first, and only then does my consciousness reflect my actions, which I later analyze. Spending too much time lost in thought makes us lose touch with the present moment - we fail to notice, feel, or hear countless things. We ignore the "here and now" because we live in a world of "what ifs." This detachment from the present leads to the loss of internal unity.

There is much talk today about various paths to spiritual development, but this can risk distancing us even further from reality. Existential psychology does not focus on spiritual development. Its goal is to return people to their original connection with reality. Growth and improvement will naturally emerge through self-expression, projects, and endeavors.

Each of us has a unique "coordinate" in life. This uniqueness manifests when we are fully conscious of where we are. The key is to feel this coordinate and act as a subject. The source of action lies within me: I express intent, I act. This is the center from which my reality forms. If I fail to do this, others will quickly step in to claim my energy and resources. If I am not a subject, I become an object for someone else. Therefore, the question we should answer for ourselves is: "Am I living or am I being lived?”

Subjectivity is like the central point of a circle, serving as the basis for measurement. Measurement is essential to ensure that the results we aim for are as accurate as possible. If my "circle" contains multiple points - social opinions, roles, etc. - which point will I use for measurement? This is existential fragmentation.

Subjectivity is understanding your responsibility. Being responsible for your reality also means being accountable for your mistakes. You are the sole master of your life.

In some ways, humans are similar to fractals in nature: we have a basic form, identity, talent, potential, and specificity. Just as nature's beauty emerges from the repetition of patterns, human self-realization follows a similar process. The key is to discover your core principle and apply, realize, and repeat it in various life situations. This geometric simplicity - the understanding of your essence - leads to the discovery of yourself and the ability to reproduce it authentically. This underlines the importance of subjectivity: a person who is not a subject cannot feel well because they are not fulfilling their nature. Their actions conflict with the fundamental energetic laws that govern the world. These fractal structures show that energy in nature flows along certain routes, forming patterns and following logic, not chaos. As part of nature, we must align with this universal order. We need to understand that measuring ourselves by only social criteria, opinions, or cultural stereotypes will keep us on the path of existential fragmentation.

This text is based on lecture material by Vilius Adomaitis from the HAI Institute.