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Tonight's talk is on existential well-being. And what is that? What the hell is he talking about?

Existential well-being is cultivating a meaning for life which in some way not only gives life

a coherence, a sense of a purpose but also is a coping resource that can help us

address disillusionment, depression, is a conduit to inner peace.

Existential well-being is essentially the cognitive part

of a spiritual path.

We change the way we frame the reason we're alive. A lot of Buddhist practice

is right-brained, non-cognitive, heartfelt, experiential, but there are two hemispheres for the brain and the way

we interpret life is very important.

Certainly it plays a significant role in perspective,

appropriate priorities, and I'll be talking about that throughout this talk.

So it's very common for when people start to investigate or make inquiries as to what they believe the true purpose of their life is,

for it in some way to be triggered or activated, in some way instigated by a experience of mortality,

loss, losing someone that's important.

It certainly in the Buddha's life, it played the most significant role in encouraging his spiritual practice.

The Buddha was living a very comfortable life, by all accounts he was born into a very wealthy, powerful family.

Had a lot of, as we would say today, privilege.

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