10 Thoughts on the Suffering and Meaning

In suffering we find our truest selves.

Jessie Burton, The Miniaturist

When a person screams in pain, the actual pain is only half the noise they make. The other half is the terror at being forced to accept that they exist.

Noah Cicero, The Condemned

As long as one suffers, one lives.

Graham Greene, The End of the Affair

I began to understand that suffering and disappointments and melancholy are there not to vex us or cheapen us or deprive us of our dignity but to mature and transfigure us.

Hermann Hesse, Peter Camenzind

Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.

Santosh Kalwar, Quote me Everyday

Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free-wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself.

CS Lewis, The Problem of Pain

If the immediate and direct purpose of our life is not suffering then our existence is the most ill-adapted to its purpose in the world.

Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Suffering of the World

I think it is very good when people suffer. To me that is like the kiss of Jesus.

Mother Teresa, No Greater Love

Until you have suffered much in your heart, you cannot learn humility.

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Our Thoughts Determine our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

No one is ever holy without suffering.

Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited

 

Results of the 2019 Annual General Members’ Survey

According to INPM Bylaws, the executive board hosts an annual general members’ (AGM) meeting every year and invites members to discuss proposed items pertaining to our organization. Typically, AGM meeting is hosted on-site during the conference year, and virtually by sending an email to encourage members’ participation.

This year, an online survey was sent to all members during November 18th to December 9th, 2019. The Board received sufficient votes (more than 50% +1 members), and among all participating members, more than 79% were regular members, 15% were student members, and 6% were associate members. Based on the membership votes, we are pleased to share that:

1. INPM’s membership accepted the 2019 INPM Board of Directors’ AGM report and the 2018 INPM Financial report. (Data: 98% voted for acceptance)
2. INPM’s membership agreed to revise current INPM Bylaw: The term of Board of Director from 5-year to 3-year per term. (Data: 92% voted for acceptance)
3. INPM’s membership approved for the existing Executive Board to serve as the nominating committee to screen and recommend new Board member(s) and present them to the membership for approval. (Data: 98% voted for approval)

The above decisions have become effective as of December 15th, 2019. On behalf of the Executive Board, I want to thank those who took time to participate in the survey and thank all of you for reading this announcement. I wish you a happy holiday with your loved ones and stay warm!

Mark Your Calendars!

INPM is excited to announce that registration is now open for the upcoming 2020 conference scheduled for July 30 to August 2 at the Novotel Hotel located in North York Toronto. 2016 conference attendees will remember the location. Keynote speakers include Blaine Fowers, lead author of Frailty, Suffering and Vice; Darcia Narvaez, a neurobiology and moral development expert; Robert Emmons, psychology of gratitude scholar; Gordon Flett, perfectionism expert; Farooq Naeem, CBT scholar; and Christina Becker, Jungian analyst. We are also pleased to have back Kirk Schneider, Tim Lomas, and Louis Hoffman, all long-time INPM supporters. As always, we are looking forward to having you join us under the “Big Tent” of INPM. Register today by clicking here.

Attention Members! Are You Listed in the INPM Directory?

There are many benefits of becoming a member of INPM, not the least of which is being listed in our directory. If you are a clinician, take advantage of the reach of meaning.ca to promote your practise. The relaunch of our flagship website, meaning.ca, now features a membership directory directory for meaning-focused therapists. A listserv for meaning-focused researchers will be launched in early 2020. If you are a member and would like to make changes to your therapist listing please email Mega at megal@meaning.ca. If you are not yet an INPM member, sign up today and save on your 2020 conference registration by clicking here.

Changes at Meaning.ca

When INPM began the process of revamping our meaning.ca website five years ago, our goal was to make it the premier website for meaning-focused and existential positive psychology. We are currently transferring the last of the inpm.org content. All content from existentialpsychology.org has been transferred. The sites will remain up for a few more months. We hope you enjoy the convenience of having all the content on one website!