Logos, Meaning, Logic, and Transcendence

Hey all! Sorry about the long absence. First, let me just say that, although much has happened in the past few months, I've been more or less following the same old routines; one small step after another. I'm building a solid relationship with our core members now and I think that, for the most part, they're getting used to me as a presence and (more or less) a person to rely on when needed. Kim, especially, has taken a liking to me.

I recently polished off Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. It's an old classic that I've just now gotten round to reading. I have to mention here that alot of what we do in Ethics in the 21st century has been directly influenced by WWII and the Holocaust. That influence is incredibly clear in Frankl's work. Another thing I should mention is that Frankl practiced Psychology and Neuroscience, despite the fact that he writes about meaning and purpose. I think that this marks a good turning point from Modernism toward the Post-modern. We probably wouldn’t do that today, since all the psychologists that I know are concerned with phenomena such as “memory” and all the neuroscientists that I know are concerned with things like brain anatomy and physiology. I think that what we would call Frankl's work today would be something closer to "Spiritual Direction" or maybe just "Counciling." Indeed, the development of personal guidance and spiritual direction as they are now practiced as separate fields, especially in the United States, may be directly attributable to Frankl's insight (though that could be stretching the point). For my own work here, I'll be viewing Frankl's thoughts and experiences through a philosophical and theological lens instead of a psychological one, but that shouldn't detract from the idea that Man's Search for Meaning represents a bridge between the two that blurs the lines between Science and Ethics.

Henri Nouwen wrote The Wounded Healer in 1979. When I first read his work, I thought that Nouwen must have been one of the first to encounter a generalized social problem of listlessness and moral frustration. Now I see that Frankl was doing it even earlier. Nouwen called a general, social feeling of meaninglessness the difficulty with "nuclear man" and the "nuclear age." Quite easily, we can translate this language into that of the Post-modern, once we realize how much this perspective has in common with writers such as Frankl. Writers of this period seem to become less concerned with “truth” as such, and more and more concerned with Ethics and the “goodness” of people. Again, there is a clear turning-point in philosophical concern after WWII, evidenced by Frankl's words. With both the Holocaust and the atomic bomb in recent memory, this is hardly a surprising turn. (Keep in mind that both Nouwen and Frankl wrote before the inclusion of gender-neutral language.)

"A man's concern, even his despair, over the worthwhileness of life is and existential distress but by no means a mental disease. It may well be that interpreting the first in terms of the latter motivates a doctor to bury his patient's existential despair under a heap of tranquilizing drugs." (Man's Search for Meaning, p.103)

"[...] [P]rogressive automation will probably lead to an enormous increase in the leisure hours available to the average worker. The pity is that many of these will not know what to do with all their newly acquired free time." (p.107)

What prophecy. I have to wonder if Frankl was gazing into a crystal ball that could have somehow showed him the current state of my American, Prozac-laden society. Frankl was encountering the failure of the medical model long before it was widely implemented as a cultural viewpoint. I can only speculate that this is because he recognized that medical "curing" was a form of Empire; that this notion of "fixing" a person leads only to caging and destroying them. Nouwen agreed, I think, when he said that ‘curing’ is different from ‘healing.’ Nouwen figured that Jesus did not cure people, but rather gave them a sense of healing by offering them a place within the Kingdom of God. Christ does not ‘fix’ anyone, even ideologically, but offers only himself as evidence that God is with the broken. At this point of agreement, Frankl essentially critiques more "medical" psychologists such as Freud, Adler, and Maslow when he goes on to say this (among other things):

"It is only thus [providing a sound amount of mental stress] that we evoke [a person's] will to meaning from its state of latency. I consider it a dangerous misconception of mental hygiene to assume that what man needs in the first place is equilibrium or, as it is called in biology, "homeostasis," i.e., a tensionless state. What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. [...] If architects want to strengthen a decrepit arch, they increase the load which is laid upon it, for there by the parts are joined more firmly together." (p.105)

Frankl uses the words of Nietzsche's for wisdom and inspiration: "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." He continues along the same vein as Nouwen when he says, "[...] [S]o many patients complain today, namely, the feeling of the total and ultimate meaninglessness of their lives." This Neitzsche-Nouwen-feeling combination develops into what Frankl calls, "The will to meaning." There is what he describes as an "existential vacuum," which must be filled by every individual according to the meaning which he or she develops or has a will toward. But Frankl's not conflating meaning with power. In fact, Frankl openly critiques Neitzsche when he says that, "Sometimes the frustrated will to meaning is vicariously compensated for by a will to power, including the most primitive form of the will to power, the will to money" (p.107).

Frankl looks into the eyes of the Nazi's Holocaust and he smells the stink of Empire. Given this, I don't believe that it should come as any surprise that both he and Emmanuel Levinas confront the need for transcendence. In Frankl's case, viewing things psychologically, he calls it "self-transcendence."

"I wish to stress that the true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system. I have termed this constitutive characteristic ‘the self-transcendence of human existence.’ It denotes the fact that being human always points to, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself [...]. What is called self-actualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side effect of self-transcendence" (p.110-111)

Ethically, "self-transcendence" may be a bit of an oxymoron, but the point is still clear that Other is needed in order for the Self to reach meaning and purpose. Levinas defined the word 'responsibility' as simply the ability of one to respond to another. In that way, Morality hinges upon the provocation of the Other (Ethics). I think Frankle agrees with this as well. He says:

"Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. [...] As each situation in life represents a challenge to man a presents a problem for him to solve, the question of the meaning of life may actually be reversed. Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible. Thus, logotherapy sees in responsibleness the very essence of human existence" (p.109).

Needless to say, I see much that I can use and learn from as I am challenged to live out my sense of Ethics here at L'Arche. Remember that post I did on Love? Well, I come into agreement with Frankl yet again:

"Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. no one can become fully aware fo the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized" (p.111).

So, love enables transcendence. Then, the transcendence implicit in ethical encounter seeks to become justified by making a new sense of Being, a new actuality. That’s just awesome to think about. It's both reassuring and disheartening to know that I'm not the first person to have these ideas. I'm not even close, but I guess that I should have gotten used to that by now.

At any rate, I do have a few points of argument with Frankl. First of all, he's trying to figure out what is essentially philosophy utilizing psychology. There are definite gaps here, especially when Frankl comes up with things such as "self-transcendence." If the Self is able to reach transcendence, then why Other? If he had had the tools to do this, I think he would have dropped the psychological cloak altogether. Merely trying to be scientific about an idea is not automatic justification for it, so why dress it up?

Another point of argument is with Existentialism. Frankl articulates the fullness of his ideas using the language of Existentialism, as if, prior to talking about love or meaning or purpose, we all must become Existentialists. Answer me this if you can, dear readers: Is the ground floor of Post-modernism Existentialism? Our modern lives have indeed, over time, become more and more hyper-individualized, but is this individual sense of "dealing with" life the basis for meaning and purpose? I think not, but I haven't come up with any reasoning yet. It must be said that Existentialism has exerted huge influence over the philosophy and theology that is done today.

My next series of research and my next line of philosophical questioning will center on the idea of "freedom." What is freedom and what does it mean to be free? My last point of argument with Frankl is that he says every person is “free” to decide the meaning of their lives and even the meaning of their suffering. It works like this: We cannot decide our fates, but we can decide how to respond to them. Wait. Back up. If moral responsibility is simply the ability of a person to be vulnerable to outside stimuli from his or her Others, then what is it which determines this sense of freedom? If we're being actively influenced by Others and, if it is good to be transcendent in this regard, then why speak of personal freedom at all? Nostalgia perhaps? I won’t deny that there is a need for people to have ownership over their lives, but I refuse to gain this sense of ownership if it also means being ignorant of the Other. There’s a dichotomy here that I have to either work out or see past.

Personally, I'm leaning in the directions of Physicalism and Determinism. The next work on my plate: Freedom Evolves by Dan Dennett. This should give me a contemporary view of the problem of freedom, even if Dennett is a bit overly concerned with being "scientific." I should say that I'm leaning in these directions because I'm beginning to dislike Mysticism a great deal. In my life here at L'Arche, I find that mystical experiences of the Divine are often (intentionally or unintentionally) used as a license to make stupid decisions and be generally ignorant. More on that, as well as some big news in my next post.

L'Arche Kapiti: History and Overview

L'Arche International has a periodical publication called "Letters of L'Arche" and, each time they put one out, there's a focus article that highlights one particular community, ususally a newer one. I have been fortunate in that, for this particular circulation, L'Arche Kapiti has been selected for the highlight. I realize that, for those of you reading this blog, you're really only getting my personal perspective on an organization that is much much larger. Given that, I'd strongly encourage all of you to have a look at the "Letters of L'Arche" publication as it will give you a feel for the truly international nature of the L'Arche vision.

I've been meaning for a while to give all of you a somewhat larger perspective by describing some of the history and defining characteristics of my community here in Paraparaumu. Lucky for me, I just finished writing one for "Letters of L'Arche." Christian, the House Leader at Rangimarie house, and I have conducted interviews with our core members and fellow assistants and edited a full article that describes L'Arche Kapiti. What follows here is what we came up with. I hope that you find it insightful.

L’Arche Kapiti, New Zealand July 2009
For: "Letters of L’Arche"

Kia Ora!

For those of you reading this from France, a rendezvous with our community at L’Arche Kapiti would take around 10,000 miles of travel. It’s a long way, but if you’re ever in the neighbourhood, come around and share a meal with us! The name of this land is “Aotearoa,” which is Maori for “the land of the long white cloud.” In English, we tend to say simply “New Zealand.” This place is chalk-full of Norwegian-like fjords, deep turquoise ocean bays, emerald rain forests, alpine peaks, gleaming glaciers, parched deserts, steaming geysers, and ancient volcanoes. Here at L’Arche Kapiti, we are tucked away in beauty at the bottom of the world, somewhere in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. It is said that when God created the world, He took from it all the most beautiful things and placed them on these peaceful little islands. From the wide landscapes of this gorgeous country to our tiny little homes, our blessings and joys only increase.

In January of 1993, our story began with a visit from Jean Vanier. He came at the invitation of Faith and Light New Zealand, to give a retreat in Christchurch. About 180 people attended. During the retreat, Jean was invited to attend a meeting of about 30 people who wished to ask of him some direction that might help the establishment of a L’Arche Community in New Zealand. He reminded us then that L’Arche does not begin with having a board or a trust or a building or even any amount of money. No, L’Arche begins when there are people who are prepared to share their lives with other people who have intellectual disabilities. L’Arche, of course, begins in different ways in different places, according to its people and the movements of the Spirit. In our case, it began with the Friends of L’Arche New Zealand, formed after Jean’s visit. From there, our community grew slowly but surely along a few important lines: prayer, networking with a newsletter, connections made with L’Arche Australia, and the many community relationships that were forged here in our own back yard. Instrumental in these efforts was Eileen Glass, a roaming Spiritual Director who hails from L’Arche Genesaret in Canberra, Australia. Eileen was our Zone Coordinator when L’Arche Kapiti was founded.

Drawing on the Maori language, our community was named “Te Waka Whakaruruhau,” (pronounced: "tay-waka-faka-rooroo-ho")which loosely means, “The Vehicle of Shelter.” The most prominent landmark of the Kapiti coastline is Kapiti Island, located just off our beautiful beach! As a community icon, we place the L’Arche rainbow above the island and a canoe below it. This image stands for protection and shelter, both symbolic and real, in three senses: First, the rainbow of L’Arche shines over our communities and homes, keeping us under the banner of God. Second, the canoe is the traditional Maori vehicle which brought them safely to these shores of plenty. Finally, Kapiti Island is always shielding us from the storms that blow in off the ocean. Located North of Wellington in the town of Paraparaumu, our first home opened in 1998: 15 Redwood Close (now known as “Arahata”). Angela Capes, our very first Community Leader, welcomed two core members then, James and Kim. She was aided by many, but for spiritual guidance, Father Rod Milne became our community’s first Pastoral Minister. Kim still lives at Arahata, James has since moved into the home of another service provider, Angela has retired, and Father Rod is now happily the “granddad” of our community. These founders sowed the seeds that have since sprouted and grown. The community expanded to its present size to include an office and two more houses in Paraparaumu. We now own a total of three houses: “Arahata”, “Rangimarie”, and “Te Waka.” Respectively, these house names are Maori for “The Bridge”, “Peace”, and “The Canoe.” Today, L’Arche Kapiti includes seven core members and ten assistants.

One year ago, our Community Participation Service was established and named “Te Waka o Hopara,” which means, “The Canoe on a Journey of Discovery.” This CPS provides our core members with a broad range of experiences and opportunities for self-expression. These experiences include visual art, reading and literacy, mathematics, performance art, and socialization. In addition to these, our core members regularly compete and participate in physical exercise such as horse riding (including vaulting) and swimming for the Special Olympics. In all of these activities, our core members are not alone, but have ample opportunity to meet others who live outside of L’Arche in our wider community, those both with and without disabilities. To highlight one activity specifically, the practice of Kapa Haka deeply links us with the roots of our country and the Maori people who natively inhabit our land. Our house names as well serve to strengthen this link. The weekly practice of Kapa Haka at our CPS as well as our community retreats to various Marae (Maori meeting houses) cement our particular, Kiwi expression of God’s diverse love for His creation. Three of our core members in particular, Peter, Emmet, and Stephen, bear this spirit with a deep sense of responsibility. At every celebration, welcome, and farewell, these three prepare themselves with Moko (Maori facial drawings) and dance the Haka. Though the dance is arduous for them to perform, they never fail to present it. From the point of view of our core members, we are, first and foremost, a community of faith. We seek to praise God always and in many different ways, both at home and in our wider Roman Catholic church community.

In 2008, we were fortunate enough to be within close proximity to World Youth Day, which was held in Sydney Australia. Julie, a core member at Rangimarie, recalls the hard work put into fundraising through wine-tasting events, sausage vending, lawn mowing, window washing, and even a car wash, all to raise money so that our community could attend. In one instance, John Coleman, a singer/ songwriter and member of L’Arche Tasmania, came to perform a concert for us. In the end, all the hard work paid off and many of our people were able to go. Despite her anxiety and fear of flying, Julie successfully attended World Youth Day and fondly recalls meeting Pope Benedict. As she tells it, one thing that Julie could not overcome was the Australian heat. She ended up dehydrated and had to spend some time in the Sydney hospital, just one example of a L’Arche Kapiti adventure.

As in every L’Arche community, however, the stories are not always heroic or epic. In worship, we make liberal use to candles. This symbolizes the presence of God and also gives us a sense of common love, despite many changes. There are so many people who come and go and with whom we share our love that candles burn almost night and day at L’Arche Kapiti. We seek to bring light into the darkness and this is the work of the everyday and the ordinary. Another core member of ours, Noeline, expresses this aspect of our community in her extraordinary gift of welcome. Despite a virtual revolving door of people who come and go, Noeline gives her heart to everyone. Though she is almost entirely mute, she says, “My story is the secret of happiness because everyday I can recall the joy of yesterday and look forward to the joy of tomorrow. My story is simply love-sharing and happiness. My story is showing my love for people and spreading happiness all over the place, even to strangers. A smile, a wave cost nothing but brings treasures.” In short, when we walk into a room with Noeline, she causes us to feel as though our spirits are being lifted up on the wings of a million butterflies.

Alternating every other month, we hold “Men’s and Ladies Night” and “Pub Night.” Whether the night includes a fish & chips dinner out, a movie, karaoke, or a dip in a spa pool, these events are planned by our core members and are treated as Sabbath times. They are times when we can all get out and really take in a whole evening’s worth of enjoyment. Every month, we also take a day to have a Birthday gala. In addition to these, we have (of course) public and cultural holidays. Here in New Zealand, we must usually endure an entire winter without any holidays, so some people decide to hold a fake Christmas in addition to the real one. Here in the southern hemisphere, though winter is cold, Father Christmas can still get by in swimming togs and jandals. This is especially true when our actual Christmas Day rolls around. Then, we can celebrate on the beach with a barbeque and sun bath! The highlight of this winter was definitely our Mid-winter Christmas celebration. We sang songs and carols, we played games, and we had a feast. We rejoiced in song and dance, joining hands with Urban Vision, a Christian intentional community with homes near Paraparaumu. L’Arche in New Zealand loves a good celebration just as much as the rest of the world.

In accordance with the basic principles of L’Arche, we have and give life with one another as opposed to simply giving care to our core members. To express this gift of community we eat our meals together, work mutually, and celebrate often. Between our houses, there are many group projects, invitations to evening tea, and night-time sleepovers. To simply give care to those with intellectual disabilities would be an easier, wider road. Yet, as it does in all parts of the world, L’Arche here chooses the narrower path of shared life together. The journey of our community has been long and filled with very many small steps. In our most recent sample of transition and change, we bid farewell to our second Community Leader of six years, Michele Ness, and welcomed Alejandro Pagnucco. Our blessings and prayers go out to both of these as God continues to guide their vocations.

In 2007, nine full years after the founding L’Arche New Zealand, we received some very good news: L’Arche Kapiti would be officially recognized as a permanent member of the International Federation of L’Arche Communities. Here, we feel as though we have an important role to play: Located down under, our hands link all the communities around the globe as east meets west in our country. The symbol of L’Arche, the Ark, is as important as any for Pacific Islanders. The “waka,” the canoe or vehicle, has been long used in these parts as means of both protection and migration. Without Te Waka, there would be no people on this land. Without the Ark, we would have no method for conveying the Good News. We are deeply called and feel as though we may aid in linking the hands of L’Arche as they wrap the world in an embrace of love.

Editors: Christian Favre & Nathan Tramp

So, there you have it; a good overview of the history and mission of L'Arche Kapiti. I'm enjoying the ride, that's for sure. In addition to the article, there will also be sevral direct interviews with our core members, but I won't post them here our of concern for privacy and security, since we don't know if or how they'll be published. So, for those, just check out the next issue of "Letters of L'Arche."

Coming up, I've finished reading Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and I'll have a book review to post here, once I get around to writing it. That is, in between mopping the floors, cooking dinners, welcoming guests and such. By the way, if you happen to be reading this, a big "Kia Ora!" goes out to Mike Noonan and our National Board Members. We'll see you folks on Saturday!

That's all from The Ark that I'm on here in New Zealand, but drop me a line sometime. I miss everyone from back in the US and all my friends from college.