A sense of coherence

The experience of a sense of coherence is in modern psychology seen as one of the basic abilities for good mental health. If we have a deeply grounded concept of meaning, applied to self and world, negative episodes in life can be interpreted in terms of this concept and made part of it. We provide meaning to something which we feel is hard to experience and difficult to explain. In this way we make a testing situation easier to understand and because of that easier to handle. In western countries, especially in those with high standards of living, the approach to existential ideas and concepts has been considered as uninteresting. Logic thinking and a strong belief in reason has been the preferred standard for a long time. But even in modern science we can’t avoid the fact that the total function of a human being is strongly dependent on intuition, emotion and belief. Today this is called Psycho-Physiology. Not having an own inner concept which can give explanation, and a sense of coherence, to difficult situations in life creates fear and activates ancient genetic survival mechanisms. This leads to rising stress which, over time, will become a heavy strain on mind and body and determines our actions.

Many people who manage to pass difficult periods in life will spontaneously reach their existential depths and intuitively experience an ever more strong sense of coherence in a world where they, like all others, also have their given place.