Navigating the Void: Filling Life's Emptiness with Purpose

Sandeep struggles to find enjoyment in his experiences, even in those he likes doing. The most interesting of tasks leave him feeling lonely and also worthless at times. So, his focus is primarily on completing tasks rather than making the most of the moments. His upbringing, marred by domestic violence, led him to develop the coping strategy of fixating on tasks. As a child, using this approach allowed him to endure difficult circumstances, but as an adult, it has simply become compulsive… or rather mechanical. He is left with a feeling of being lost in life.

Many a times, we hear people saying, “I feel this feeling of something missing in my life. I have a good job, a loving family, almost everything that I could ask for… yet something is not there. I am not sad or depressed, yet I feel so alone. I feel this void within me.” And one is left wondering what if something is wrong within themselves or their lives? This sentiment is more common than you might think. But what does it mean when we feel this emptiness, this void, within us?

In an ideal world, when something is missing or absent, the space left behind is considered empty. But when we delve into the workings of the human mind, the concept of the "void" becomes more complex. The void is not just emptiness; it's the "presence of absence." It's a space in our psyche that yearns to be occupied by something meaningful, yet we often don't know what that something is.

Blaise Pascal's famous quote, "Nature abhors a vacuum," originally associated with physics and equilibrium, takes on a new significance when we apply it to our emotional and psychological experiences. In the realm of physics, Pascal's law, which states that a vacuum is not a stable or natural state, explains that air or other substances rush in to fill the void to maintain equilibrium. While this concept has significant implications in fields like fluid dynamics and hydraulics, its philosophical and psychological implications are equally profound. It suggests that, in life, we naturally seek to fill emptiness and avoid meaninglessness. However, this isn't always the case.

As we navigate life with its challenges, we inadvertently turn this mental space into a dump yard for ourselves, where we deposit painful memories, negative perceptions, and hurtful interpretations of life. This accumulation can lead to a feeling of being lost, alone, and unfulfilled. It is experienced as a closed, retracted, painful state.  It is the equivalent of an abscess in the body.  It’s not empty space.  It’s full of toxins and dead material, but is trapped in a bubble.  When we experience Void, we are experiencing a place in our psyche where, what should be in that space has collapsed or been destroyed.  It is without positive energy, uncreative, pulling in the way an acid eats at its surroundings,” explains Marty Cooper in his article on Psyched. In other words, it is a space which we use as a dump yard for ourselves, and it is here that we keep dumping all our painful, useless, hurtful memories, perceptions, interpretations of life and forget. Naturally, this space becomes devoid of any positivity (presence of absence).

Much like a dump yard that needs cleaning to prevent it from stinking and causing a nuisance in our lives, our psychological void also requires attention. Our inner world, like our external surroundings, requires regular maintenance and cleansing. Neglecting the emotional clutter within us can lead to a persistent sense of something missing. We must confront and process the painful regressed memories and negative thought patterns that have accumulated over time. Replacing this space with positivity, purpose, and a "feel-good factor," we can start to address the emptiness and find fulfilment in our lives. By embarking on this journey of self-discovery and healing, individuals have the opportunity to find insights, make positive changes, and ultimately fill the void with the richness of self-awareness, growth, and well-being. Remember, there is always the potential to transform an absence into a presence, even

[Void is a process we use not just when a person complains of an emptiness within. It is also used when there is a recurrent behaviour they are not able to get rid of, like smoking, binge eating, screen addiction, any obsessive compulsive disorder etc.]