When we become aware of ourselves at a very deep level,
we discover our existential guilt, loneliness, depression, and despair.
If we turn aside, evade, repress, and deny this inner Predicament,
we will never even begin our quest for Existential Freedom.
But if we want to be released from our Existential Malaise,
we must learn to compose a special, inward posture-of-being.

     We may have struggled seriously with our meaninglessness and emptiness,
thereby discovering that Freedom is not a natural capacity within ourselves.
But this long struggle may have helped us develop into whole persons,
which will facilitate the existential change when we are ready.

     If we find our way to the edge of the Abyss (our Existential Malaise),
we must then create within ourselves the posture-of-being
that permits us to be transported across the Abyss (to Existential Freedom).
Without losing our personal integrity, we say "I give up!"
Thru trial and error we learn how to yield and surrender ourselves totally.

     When we give ourselves away without being destroyed,
we float effortlessly across the Abyss.
We are released from our internal caughtness and imprisonment.
And in response to this spiritual emancipation and support,
we radically reshape our lives around Existential Freedom.

     Now, instead of running our own lives for our own purposes,
we invent new life-projects in tune with our new peace and joy.
As we learn to redirect our energies in response to liberation,
we find that we have ever greater support and strength.

     It might take us some time to discover the best form of response.
There are no predetermined rules we must follow.
But we know we are moving toward more appropriate projects-of-being
when we find ourselves more clearly free of our Existential Malaise.

     Over the years of living in daily harmony with Existential Freedom,
our projects-of-being may evolve.
Different circumstances may call for revised modes of being.
In order to remain open to such changes, we must frequently ask ourselves
whether we are responding as well as we can in this phase of our lives.
Are we focusing and integrating our time as well as we know how?
And do we find ourselves continuing to be filled with
existential peace, harmony, meaning, hope, and completeness?

     The rest of our lives can be filed with thankfulness and joy
as we learn to bring our beings into ever more perfect attunement
with the amazing condition of Existential Freedom.

24        OUR EXISTENTIAL PREDICAMENT: LONELINESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, & DEATH