Human Needs

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the foundation of our wellbeing is physiological (e.g. food, clothing and shelter), followed by safety. The next level is seen as love and belonging, such as is provided through friends and family.

More and more it seems, this need for connection is not satisfied in many cases as meeting people and conversation are replaced by texting, virtual reality, and television.

Researchers in the UK found that on average, people watched 3 hours and 45 minutes of television a day in 2009. In other words, people spend one whole day a week in front of the television in the UK!

Humans are by nature pack animals and need to congregate with each other. This is one reason why man is dog’s best friend as both animals conform to that structure. When we are not connected with others, we feel a lack of support and stability as we do not know 'our place’.

Perhaps, especially for those of us living in big cities, the greatest loss of connection we feel is to life itself. We are detached from the weather to a large extent  as we drive around in our car cocoons and can fly anytime to ‘get some sun’. We do not grow our own food, deliver our children, or bury our dead, leaving this all up to someone else. Many people in Westernized societies can hardly cook (and if you do not take responsibility for the food you eat, what are you willing to do for yourself?). It is as if we are living 'virtual lives' rather than living through direct experience.

Furthermore, and possibly most importantly, we are not connected to a sense of the divine or spirit. Modernists deride the idea that there is god (whatever that means to you), and religions not only deride each other but also the idea of spirituality outside of their particular dogma. This leaves many people in an uncomfortable space of having to choose between nothing on one hand and prepackaged beliefs on the other, rather than being able to explore and generate their own experiences and understanding of what life means to them.

We often look outside ourselves for answers, however, we are able to feel more connected to life through looking within and helping others, through which we gain great satisfaction. Spiritual traditions (not religions) emphasize that truth lies within.

The search for self-realization is as old as life itself. One tradition that offers teachings to become more connected is Huna. Huna stresses the importance of the sun (which sustains life on our planet, after all), the importance of the earth (our ‘Mother’, we are all part of nature) and the balance between those, in the heart. This is not religious as no belief is involved, and through simple exercises (which are not physical), the power of these concepts is easy to experience.

Some of Huna’s main concepts are based on the ancient philosophy of Pono – which means 'right' - the harmony, balance and the exquisite sense of ‘rightness’ that comes from being at one with everything. This results from human level connection to the divine which leads to personal greatness, prosperity and a constant renewal of abundance. When you are right with yourself, with others and with spirit, you are in Pono. We have each had moments in our lives when we've experienced this place and we know clearly when we are in Pono... and when we are not.

And so it seems that while our lifestyles may have changed dramatically, especially over the last century, our basic human needs have not. Our need for connectedness (with ourselves, others and nature), fulfillment, and understanding of ‘the meaning of life’ remain extremely important to most of us. We can find guidance in ancient spiritual practices if we are willing to take the time.