Karl Nielsen

NLP in different developmental stages and waves1st wave 1972 the original NLP: NLPure2nd wave 1989/1995 NLP & Psychotherapy: NLPt3rd wave 1992/2014 NLP & Spirituality: NLPeace4th wave 2006/2012 Scientific NLP: NLPsy5th wave 2014 NLP & Philosophy: NLPhil (starting with this paper)

Meaning of Life & Happiness & a NLP road map (NLPhil)Every thought, emotion, perception and behaviour (action) gives your life meaning.With your attention and energy you call this meaning into your reality (singularity).You can not NOT think, feel, perceive and behave or not give your life meaning.But you can observe and analyse how you give your live meaning.With NLP you learn to influence this process in a healthy direction and to give your life consciously your meaning and true happiness. Use NLP for a change. Keep your Map of Reality in good condition. With NLP you can be aware of the level of “Meaning of Life” beyond words and “maps”, live from the heart, be connected to deep knowing and transform your deep programming (NLPhil).

Recommended NLP interventions for this approach (see appendix)Modelling your Best Moments of your Life – to live them every day – using the TEPA

Wheel of NLP for thoughts, emotions, perceptions and actions (behaviour).NLP Axioms for Flexibility in thoughts, emotions, perceptions and actions (behaviour).Coaching Instrument using the model of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves

www.nlp-nielsen.de/Graves-Coaching-20071219-englisch.pdfFast Re-Imprint & New Behaviour Generator for your vision and missionExpanded Logical Levels Alignment & the UniverseLooking Behind the Visual Memories (Dr. phil. Eckard Winderl)Moment of Excellence from the Unconscious Re-Owning Positive Projections – the pathway to your potentialRainbow for Healing Hands and inner peace

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About the AuthorProfessor in Psychology (NLPsy, Communication, Psychotherapy) = scientifically groundedChair of the German Umbrella Association for Psychotherapy = politically activeBoard member of IN (President) & ICI = internationally good connectedWith Nandana Nielsen 2 grown up children = much life experienceAt least 50 years quest for the Meaning of Life = competentLiving 40 years in Berlin = the city where a peaceful revolution took part in 1989

I’m very grateful to:

Nandana, my wonderful wife who supports me so much throughout the last 35 years

Lilli & Adam, our two children who I admire for their success and happiness in life

Claus Berendonk, my friend from school days, who intensively discussed with me the 2 levels of „Meaning of Life“

Hamid Jaouhar, our IN & ICI Ambassador from Canada, who introduced me to the term “NL-Peace”: www.nlp-institutes.net/show.php?id=515

Stephanie Konkol, who wrote her Master final at our (Nandana & me) Psychology Faculty at Uni-versidad Central de Nicaragua, on the topic of the New Behavior Generator (NBG), showing the ef-fectiveness of this NLP intervention (NLPsy): www.ucn.edu.ni/index.php/vida-estudiantil/biblioteca/category/8-international-school-of-psychology

Wilfredo Baez, our IN & ICI Master Trainer from USA and former Doctoral Candidate in our Psy-chology Faculty at Universidad Central de Nicaragua, who wrote his dissertation with us (Nandana & me) on the topic of the words of Jesus: „Heaven is near“, showing that this is a state of mind thatyou can train with NLP: www.ucn.edu.ni/inter/nielsen/final.htm

Christian Hanisch, who wrote his dissertation at our (Nandana & me) Psychology Faculty at the Universidad Central de Nicaragua, on the topic of his new developed “emotionSync” method and who is part of the team for the further development of NLPsy, the scientific NLP. www.ucn.edu.ni/inter/nielsen/final.htm

Bruce Grimley, who writes his dissertation at our (Nandana & me) Psychology Faculty at the Uni-versidad Central de Nicaragua, on the topic of what NLP is, showing that NLP developed along what sells best, that competition is very high in the NLP field and that more scientific research on the effectiveness of NLP is urgently needed. www.achieving-lives.co.uk

Jörg Fuhrmann, who writes his dissertation at our (Nandana & me) Psychology Faculty at the Uni-versidad Central de Nicaragua, on the topic of “Abraham Maslow & Peak Experiences”. He has al-ready more than 50 video interviews with leading professionals in the field of transpersonal psy-chology on this topic as his data base.www.freiraum-hypnose-ausbildung.de/transpersonale-psychologie/phd-research-peak-nadir.html He will present his findings at our next NLP & Coaching World Congress (IN & ICI) in Sharm El Sheik, the city of peace, in Egypt: www.in-ici.net/congress

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 4

2. What is NLP? ...................................................................................... 4

2.1 NLP means Neuro Linguistic Programming ................................ 4

2.2 The founding idea of NLP ............................................................. 5

2.3 So far NLP developed in the following 5 waves .......................... 5

2.4 Typical NLP interventions ............................................................ 6

2.5 The NLP Axioms ............................................................................ 7

2.6 IN/ICI Standards as example ........................................................ 8

3. What is “The Meaning of Life” (NLPhil)? ........................................10

3.1 Prof. Dr. Clare Graves and Coaching ..........................................10

3.2 Happiness and Meaning of Life ...................................................12

3.3 One cannot give live not a meaning ...........................................13

3.4 Is the Map the Territory? ..............................................................14

4. The Consequences of 1. to 3. ..........................................................15

5. Critiqual Discussion .........................................................................15

6. Appendix: NLPhil Interventions ......................................................16

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1. Introduction

I agree with Aristotle, Buddha, the 14th Dalai Lama and many others, that the “Meaning of Life” is adeep form of “HAPPINESS”. The main question is what exactly they and we mean with the word orconcept of “HAPPINESS” and what exactly we can do to achieve this “True Happiness”.

On the following pages “Meaning of Life” is discussed on 2 radical different levels:1. as a subjective construct of values and beliefs (“Map of Reality” in Radical Constructivism:

Heinz von Foerster and the Value Development: of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves)2. as an experience beyond words (Kōan: Zen, Tractatus: Wittgenstein, NLPeace, NLPhil).

In this article I explore the connection between “Meaning of Life” and “True Happiness”, and touch areas of evolutionary social and individual Value and Believe development, Religion, Spirituality, Knowledge, Gratefulness, Mindfulness, Awareness, Presence, State of Mind, …

My central insight is that you can not give live not a meaning, just like you can not NOT communic-ate. Everyone defines the subjective meaning of his live and of his view of “life in general”, with his thoughts (beliefs), emotions (feelings), perceptions (point of view), action (behaviour, habits) and everything he is interested in. Thinking a thought gives attention and energy to this though. You choose out of infinite possibilities of different thoughts unconsciously (programmed) or consciously (free will) exactly this thought, emotion, perception or action (singularity). By choosing so you define what is important in your life and you give in this process meaning to your life. This process can be studied with the NLP intervention called MODELLING. Negative habits of thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving can be changed using NLP for a change. Using NLP helps to experience beyond words the second level of “Meaning of Life” (NLPeace & NLPhil).

The presented path to a meaningful life is recommended as becoming more and more aware of theevolutionary, social and individual construction of one’s subjective “Map of Reality” and to use NLPto further develop and change one’s “Map”, where it is helpful. All in the sense of the double mean-ing of the title of the famous NLP book: “Using Your Brain FOR A CHANGE” (Bandler, 1985).

In my view NLP is connected with the basic ideas of Abraham Maslow for founding Humanistic Psychology as the third force in psychotherapy: modelling healthy people and supporting human growth. The different kinds of NLP: NLPure (original), NLPt (psychotherapeutic), NLPeace (spiritu-al), NLPsy (scientific) and NLPhil (Philosophy) are described in 5 waves of NLP development. This article is a contribution to the coming 5th NLP wave of NLPhilosphy (NLPhil).

At the end, the use of this approach, its challenges, advantages and limitations are critically reflec-ted and discussed.

In the appendix the instructions of 9 NLP interventions for this approach are presented, especially from the areas of NLPeace and NLPhil, to access and live this wonderful State of Mind: “True Hap-piness” with an integrated subjective “Meaning of Life” beyond words and “Maps”.

2. What is NLP?

2.1 NLP means Neuro Linguistic Programming

Neuro has to do with the brain activities and how people structure their inner Map of Reality, what their dominant conscious and unconscious thoughts are, how they construct their beliefs, how theirthoughts trigger much more their feelings (emotions) than the outside reality, how their thoughts

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determine what they perceive in the outside world and how their thoughts determine their behavior.In NLP seminars you can learn “Using Your Brain FOR A CHANGE” in the meaning of using it a) atall, b) consciously goal orientated for a change instead of just reacting, c) for thinking and living from the heart, and d) for knowing on a very deep level.

Linguistic has to do with all the conscious and unconscious details people express with every sentence they say and how they express their inner “Map of Reality” in the way they structure un-consciously their sentences. This reveals as well how they limit their flexibility to cope with chal-lenging situations. Here you learn that in communication the structure of the chosen combination ofwords and the way how people say them contains the main message – not the content. Other peo-ple react stronger to how someone says things than to the content he says. In NLP seminars you can learn a) how to use language consciously in order to delete or change old and to establish newbeliefs, b) how to use the way you say things so that this supports the content, and c) to use delib-erately the area beyond words.

Programming has to do with habits and typical individual stimulus-response patterns. The brain is a huge collection of mainly unconscious stimulus-response patterns that have been built up through cultural influence, upbringing, advertising and individual learning processes. This individualcollection is called “Map of Reality” in NLP. It means that what we think about the world around us and what we perceive in our outer world is mainly determined through our programmed thoughts. This includes that our emotions and reactions are far more determined through our programmed inner world (Map of Reality) than through the world surrounding us. In NLP seminars you can learna) how to program wanted future reactions for challenging situations, b) how to behave calm, con-scious and centered instead of just reacting where this is better for you and others, and c) how to transform programming.

2.2 The founding idea of NLP

The founding idea was to model highly successful psychotherapists. Richard Bandler and John Grinder started this as the basis of NLP around 1972 with modeling Fritz Perls (Gestalt Therapy), Virginia Satir (Systemic Family Therapy) and Milton Erickson (Hypnotherapy). Abraham Maslow already had this idea around 1943 when he studied “Self-Actualization” and modeled about 60 “Self-Realized” people. He presented this approach in his publications: “A Theo-ry of Human Motivation” (1943), “Motivation and Personality” (1954), “Toward a Psychology of Be-ing” (1962), “Religions, Values and Peak-experiences” (1964), “The Psychology of Science: A Re-connaissance” (1966), “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature” (1971). The idea of modeling healthy people was a natural consequence of his famous “Hierarchy of Needs” with the 5 steps of human development (1943). In 1961 this approach of focusing on the human potential led to the foundation of the Association for Humanistic Psychology (AHP) as the “third force" in psychology toovercome the pessimistic view of Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism. Humanistic Psychology was recognized as a field by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1971.

2.3 So far NLP developed, in my view, in the following 5 waves:

1. NLPure is the 1st wave, the original NLP. I call it “NLPure”. It started 1972 with the main topic of “Success & Enthusiasm” through Richard Bandler and John Grinder. In the next step of NLPure Leslie Cameron-Bandler, Judith Delozier and Robert Dilts joint as co-developers. Anthony Robins developed a variation of motivation seminars all over the world with really very large groups.

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2. NLPt is the 2nd wave, the application of NLP in the area of psychotherapy. It is in its mature formcalled Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy: NLPt. NLP & Psychotherapy started in 1989 with the main topic of “Health & Joy of Living” through Robert Dilts (“Beliefs – Pathway to Health & Well-Being”). The European Association of NLPt, the EANLPt, was founded 1995.

3. NLPeace is the 3rd wave, the application of NLP in the area of spirituality. It started in 1992 with the main topic of “Spirituality” through Robert Dilts. In the next step Richard Bolstad and Connirae Andreas made their contributions. And in 2014 the name NLPeace was used by the International Association of NLP Institutes IN. It is the main topic of the 4th NLP & Coaching World Congress of IN & ICI in Sharm El Sheik, the city of PEACE: www.in-ici.net/congress

4. NLPsy (NLPsych) is the 4th wave, with “Science & Research” of NLP. It is in its mature form called Neuro Linguistic Psychology: NLPsy (NLPsych). It started in 2006 with the Research & Recognition Project. In 2012 the name NLPsy was created on the 3rd NLP & Coaching World Con-gress of IN & ICI in Croatia by the International Association of NLP Institutes: www.NLP-Insti-tutes.net NLPsy has the highest qualification standard. A “NLPsy Master Trainer, IN” needs an academic Masters degree in Psychology, a qualification in Psychotherapy on the level of the World Council for Psychotherapy and in NLP a “NLP Master Trainer, IN” qualification. The effectiveness of NLPsytrainings is scientifically evaluated before and after each training.

5. NLPhil (NLPhil) could be the 5th wave It was always there, but so far never a wave. Maybe it is just starting as the 5th wave of NLP. You find my ideas about NLPhil in the presented paper here (see especially capital 3. on page 10 ff).

You find this as a picture here: www.nlp-nielsen.de/NLPSY/NLP-4-waves-Nielsen.jpg

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2.4 Typical NLP interventions

In the following illustration of the “Wheel of NLP” you find how in the NLP view thoughts, emo-tions, perceptions and action (behavior) are connected and how they influence each other. For each of these 4 areas there are a few typical NLP interventions selected that can easily be used forworking with problems in this area. You can for example use the NLP interventions from the “Meta Model” to detect and change limiting beliefs (Thoughts), the “Circle of Excellence” to stabilize your emotional state (Emotions), the “1.2.3. Position” to change your point of view (Perception) and the “New Behavior Generator” to mentally practice future wanted performance (Action). The 12 NLP in-terventions in the graphic below (marked with a smily) are part of the normal basic NLP training: “NLP Practitioner, IN”. TEPA means: Thoughts Emotions Perceptions Action.

You find this as a picture here: www.nlp-nielsen.de/NLPSY/NLP-freedom-Nielsen.jpg There are many more NLP interventions and especially in the NLP training: “NLP Master, IN” they are combined and further developed to really highly complex interventions for changing believes. Regarding the International Association of Coaching Institutes ICI these NLP interventions are veryhelpful Coaching tools and accepted as part of the ICI coaching curriculum of “Coach, ICI”.

2.5 The NLP Axioms

The foundations of NLP are the NLP Axioms. These axioms are no truths - just recommenda-tions for successful communication. This is often misunderstood. Sophisticated NLP does e.g. not claim that there is in reality “no failure only feedback.” NLP only claims, that if you look at failure as feedback, then it is much easier to learn from your failure. NLP does insist that everybody is re-sponsible for his failure, especially when they harm other persons. But instead of wasting time with feeling bad, NLP recommends to take action to solve problems.

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The main NLP Axioms are:

1. “The meaning of communication is the response you get.” When you communicate youhave the intention to have an effect with your communication. If someone does not under-stand your language it makes sense to try another language. This includes the fundamentalsystemic NLP view, that you only know what you said when you see the response and that the other person defines what you said.

2. “The Map is not the Territory.” Everyone has his very individual subjective own way how he experiences his life in general and the sensory data that reaches his brain. There is no map that is objectively correct. People respond according to their subjective map of reality –not to the “objective” reality (whatever this could be). This includes that people generally operate more out of their “maps” than out of sensory experience.

3. “There is no failure, only feedback (and responsibility).” It is much easier to learn from the state of “feedback” than to learn from the emotional state of “failure”. NLP recommends to experiment with flexibility until you reach the feedback you are after. NLP does not claim with this axiom that there is no need for taking responsibility for failures that harm others. This axiom only means to help people to look at failures in a way that helps them to over-come the challenge and to take responsible action.

4. “Behind every behaviour there is a positive intention.” This is not regarded as the ulti-mate truth. It is the recommendation to handle behaviour in this way in order to reach goals successfully and to support effective communication. This includes that people make the best choice available to them at any given time and that every behaviour has a context.

5. “Everything is connected to everything.” If you change something somewhere it can have effects somewhere else. This is part of systemic thinking.

These 5 Axioms are from my point of view just the most basic ones. Different NLP Master Trainer use many more Axioms for successful communication. Most of these Axioms are well known in theareas of Psychology and Psychotherapy. NLP has the advantage that it uses these principles of communication as foundation for successful NLP interventions.

2.6 IN/ICI standards as example for highest ethics and quality standards in NLP

2.6.1 IN and ICI Qualifications

IN or ICI sealed certificates prove the below stated IN & ICI standards:

- „NLP Communication, IN": 40 hours / 5 days

- „NLP Practitioner, IN": 130 hours / 18 days („NLP Communication, IN” with 5 days can be accounted so that it is only 13 more days)

- „NLP Master, IN": 260 hours / 36 days („NLP Practitioner, IN” plus 18 days)

- „NLP Trainer, IN": 390 hours / 54 days („NLP Master, IN” plus 18 days)

- „Fundamental Coaching Skills, ICI": 60 hours / 8 days

- „Advanced Fundamental Coaching Skills, ICI": 90 hours / 12 days

- „Coach, ICI": 220 hours / 30 days („Fundamental Coaching Skills, ICI" with 8 days and „NLP Practitioner, IN” with 18 days can be accounted so that it is only 4 more days or thecombination of „Advanced Fundamental C. Skills, ICI" and „NLP Practitioner, IN”)

- „Master Coach, ICI": 390 hours / 54 days („Coach, ICI” with 30 days and „NLP Master, IN” with 18 days can be accounted so that it is only 6 more days)

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A training hour has 60 minutes and breaks longer than 30 minutes are not counted as part of thetraining time.

A training has at least 6 training participants.

Special qualifications with an emphasis on life, business, sport, sales, health (e.g.: „Life Coach, ICI”, „NLP Business Practitioner, IN", „Fundamental Sport Coaching Skills, ICI) are sealable with an IN or ICI seal if the used examples in the training and testing had this specialisation and all oth-er requirements regarding the basic qualification contend (see under: “Standards & Curricula” on the IN or ICI website) are met. Other specialisations are only sealable with a written approval of theIN or ICI. The content of the special qualification, the build-up on the initial qualification and the testof the specialization needs to be presented thoroughly in the request for such an approval

A certification training with an IN or ICI graduation has to be conducted, at least 80% of the time, by an approved „NLP Master Trainer, IN" or „Coach Master Trainer, ICI". The remaining 20% of the training can be conducted under his supervision and responsibility. He decides whether his presence is necessary during the training or if a systematic preparation and wrap-up is sufficient.

2.6.2 IN/ICI certificates include:

1. The correct wording of the IN or ICI title for the IN or ICI qualification

2. The statement that all IN or ICI guidelines have been met

3. The duration of the training with precise information regarding training days and hours(please see the recommendation for including the entrance qualifications)

4. The date of the first and last day of the training

5. An original numbered IN or ICI seal (sticker)

6. The signature of the "NLP Master Trainer, IN" / "Coach Master Trainer, ICI"

If an entrance qualification is needed, then we highly recommend to state on the certificate the whole number of days and hours, including the entrance qualification (or qualifications) that are needed for the relevant qualification or to list the entrance qualification with the needed days and hours on the backside of the certificate, so that people, who do not know the qualification system, know exactly the completed number of days and hours of training.

The following statement is optional for an IN sealed certificate: „Because of the high quality of this training it may be recognized as ECTS credit points in academic studies in psychology with a focuson NLP." or for an ICI sealed certificate: „Because of the high quality of this training it may be re-cognized as ECTS credit points in academic studies in psychology with a focus on coaching."

2.6.3 IN/ICI Membership Commitment

1. I adhere to the Ethics Codex and Quality Guidelines of the International Association of NLP Institutes IN and the International Association of Coaching Institutes ICI

2. In dealing with coaching clients, trainees, colleagues and competitors I'm always fair and cooperative.

3. I stand up for the IN/ICI and I actively support the good reputation of the IN/ICI and of NLP & Coaching

4. I am also a point of reference for others who want information about the IN/ICI and I keep my data on the IN/ICI websites up to date.

5. I commit myself to the high quality promotion of NLP & Coaching according to my own ways and resources.

2.6.4 IN and ICI Membership

IN and ICI have at the moment more than 1050 members from 56 countries world wide. With an INor ICI sealed certificate you can always register on the IN/ICI website (membership) free of costs –

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no admission fee and no yearly membership fee. This is a service from IN/ICI for the seminar parti-cipants of the seal entitled IN & ICI Master Trainer and experienced IN/ICI member institutes.

IN membership advantages see at: www.nlp-institutes.net/advantages ICI membership advantages: www.coaching-institutes.net/advantages IN/ICI membership application: www.nlp-institutes.net/membership

3. What is the “Meaning of Life” (NLPhil)?

The question about the Meaning of Life is discussed in all cultures throughout the known history of the human race. The focus of the answers and the wording differ according to the developmental stage of a society, their values and their cultural orientation.

3.1 Prof. Dr. Clare Graves, Meaning of Life and Coaching

Prof. Dr. Clare Graves describes these levels of development in his epistemological theory called: “The Emergent Cyclical Levels of Existence Theory". It is based on social value systems and indi-vidual values that express the dominate meaning of life on each stage. You can use these stages of socially emerging value systems for Coaching, for each stage addresses a very important area for Coaching. With the relevant questions of each area you can easily find in which area your clientneeds development for his next step of his personal growth.

Here is a short summary of these levels connected to Meaning of Life and Coaching:This is a development of my wife and me on the basis of the theory of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves.

1st stage: The Meaning of Life is survival in the sense of finding food and shelter from bad weath-er. Thoughts, emotions, perceptions and behavior (action) are centered around survival and health.Most of their time people on this stage think about where and how to find enough food and how to stay healthy to be able to survive. For Coaching it addresses the question of Health & Nature: How do I deal with my body? How do I listen to its signals? What does health mean to me? Which contact do I have to nature and to my vital needs? How do I gather my energy? What means do I have to sharpen my senses?

2nd stage: The advantages of tribal living gives Life the Meaning of honoring the natural Gods us-ing rituals and worshipping the medicine man of the tribe as called representative of the Gods. Thecoherency of the tribe is secured through practicing rituals and listening to stories about magic and spirits. Thoughts, emotions, perceptions and behavior are occupied strongly with these topics. On this level such rituals and stories are the truth. Survival is only guaranteed by submitting to the trib-al rules. This 2nd stage is more group centered and promises freedom from the challenges of the 1st

stage. The shared values change from individual centered thinking to more social orientated think-ing in the context of the tribe. And with this shift of values and thoughts, the emotions (what you are happy or angry about), perceptions (what is in the focus of your awareness) and behavior (howpeople react) changes accordingly.For Coaching it addresses the question of Magic & Rituals: What access do I have to the mag-ic and fascination of life? How can I discover in others the wonderful aspects of their being? Which rituals can I use to intensify the magic of my interactions? How can I honor my ancestors?

3rd stage: The survival of the fittest who is the strongest leader of the group is dominant. Here the Meaning of Life is to be physical strong, show no weakness, impress others, and conquer other groups. The strong leader has the power to define the rules. Thoughts, emotions, perceptions and behavior have shifted from tribal group thinking to ego centered boss thinking of survival of the

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fittest. This 3rd stage promises freedom from the boundaries and challenges of tribal life.For Coaching it addresses the question of Personal Power & Emotions: How can I use deep experience of my powerful internal centre for my life? What access do I have to my love for life, joy and enthusiasm? How can I realize intensive internal impulses, without displacing them, without harming others, only creatively in a conscious flow? How are power, energy and self-control con-nected for me? Is joy and the expression of emotions part of my everyday life?

4th stage: Societies develop rules and regulations. Following the right rules is now the Meaning of Live. This goes from a) divide and rule, where Kings needed to share their power in form of con-tracts (a kind of rules) with noble families or clan members via b) the right way of living through the rules defined by a God and the religion through to c) the development of democracy with an unbe-lievable amount of rules and regulations in their constitutions and tax systems. This 4th stage prom-ises freedom from the negative consequences of warlords, patriarchs, despots, tyrants or dictators of the 3rd stage. It is strongly group centered.For Coaching it addresses the question of Self Regulation & Rules: Which internal and exter-nal order keeps me grounded in my life? How deeply have I reflected the rules to which I adhere in my life? Which rewards do I expect in the future? Where in my life can discipline help me? The ad-herence of which special rules do I expect from people around me? What is the price I pay when I do not stick to my rules?

5th stage: The development of natural sciences with using scientific inventions to make money and to make living easier. Here the Meaning of Life is connected to consumption and capitalistic accumulation of money. This 5th stage promises freedom from the negative forms of religions and the limitation of values that do not allow to question old rules of the 4th stage.For Coaching it addresses the question of Sience & Success: Can I enjoy and celebrate suc-cess? Which scientific connections between nature and technology fascinate me? May I be a win-ner and be happy about it? How do I gain a benefit from fair competition with others? Where in my life do I appreciate boundaries?

6th stage: Arises with the hippy culture (flower children), the Vietnam veterans and the women’s right movement. Now the question of relationships on eye level, listening to everyone, honoring all the different opinions and being open minded are central for the Meaning of Life. The young gener-ation is not happy with the cold ego centered values of the 5th stage. There must be more in life than just ego centered capitalistic values and machine age offers.For Coaching it addresses the question of Communication: How, when and where do I enjoy an equal community? How can I accept others as equal and also communicate this clearly? How important are harmony and justice for me and what do I do for it? How do I distinguish spirituality and consensus reality?

7th stage: The Meaning of Life is a being motivated orientation of life. It includes understanding allthe first 6 levels, to be able to honor their different values and to navigate positively on each level instead of trying to convince them what is right and wrong. While stage 1 to 6 are mainly deficiencydriven, level 7 is more on a being motivation level in the sense of the last stage of Maslow’s Hierar-chy of Needs pyramid. For Coaching it addresses the question of Being Motivation: How do I communicate with peo-ple who have their main focus on levels below the 7th stage? Can I understand and honor their be-lieves and values? How much do I engage in being motivation activities? How can I change defi-ciency motivation activities in my life in being motivation activities?

In literature there are even level 8 (Holistic) and 9 (Non-Dual) discussed, but it is not clear whether “normal” living human beings are capable of living on these levels (outside the experience

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of deep meditation states) and therefore we do not discuss here these 2 levels of “saints”. They areonly relevant when more than 1% of the world population have access to theses states. Ken Wilbersays that it is characteristic for people on the 6th level, that they have the illusion that they are al-ready on level 7 to 9 or even higher. He sees in this illusion the biggest challenge for a good devel-opment from level 5 or 6 to the 7th level.

This interpretation of the developmental levels of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves and its practical applica-tion in Coaching is further explained in the article of Nandana & Karl Nielsen (2007): “The Graves Model and its application in Coaching”: www.nlp-nielsen.de/Graves-Coaching-20071219-en-glisch.pdf

The Meaning of Life is heavily discussed throughout history in Religions, Philosophy and spiritual approaches. It includes questions like: “Where do we come from?”, "Why are we here?", “What is agood life?”, "Do we have a free will?”, “What is the purpose of existence?", “Where do we go when we die?”, or even "Does life exist at all?" One argument that is often used is, that HAPPINESS is the Meaning of Life.

3.2 Happiness and “Meaning of Life”

Many philosophical, religious, spiritual and political wise humans have defined the Meaning of Life with the concept of “HAPPINESS”. Even the "Father of American psychology”, William James and the United Nations emphasize the importance of happiness as the fundamental human goal.

Aristotle: “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

Dalai Lama: "The purpose of our lives is to be happy." (www.dalailama.com/messages/compassion )

Buddha: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happi-ness follows one, like a shadow that never leaves.” (Dhammapada 1-2 / Müller & Maguire, 2002)

William James: “How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness, is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do, and of all they are willing to endure”

United Nations General Assembly July 2011, Res. 65/309 on Happiness: “Towards a holistic approach to development… Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundament-al human goal, Cognizant that happiness as a universal goal and aspiration embodies the spirit of the Millennium Development Goals, …” (a initiative of His Majesty the King of Bhutan who introduced in 1972 the Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy and in 2005 the GNH Index and the first Global GNH Index Survey)

Happiness alone does not make a life meaningful and without meaningfulness happiness is some-how a hollow empty feeling.

Roy F. Baumeister from Florida State University, Kathleen D. Vohs from University of Minnesota, Jennifer L. Aaker from Stanford University and Emily N. Garbinsky from Stanford University scien-tifically researched: “Some Key Differences between a Happy Life and a Meaningful Life”. They found out that HAPPINESS is linked to fulfilling deficiencies while MEANINGFULNESS is more about taking responsibility and giving:

“Our findings suggest that happiness is mainly about getting what one wants and needs, in-cluding from other people or even just by using money. In contrast, meaningfulness was

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linked to doing things that express and reflect the self, and in particular to doing positive things for others. … Happiness went with being a taker more than a giver, while meaning-fulness was associated with being a giver more than a taker. Whereas happiness was fo-cused on feeling good in the present, meaningfulness integrated past, present, and future, and it sometimes meant feeling bad. Past misfortunes reduce present happiness, but they are linked to higher meaningfulness — perhaps because people cope with them by finding meaning. “ (2013, p. 14: http://faculty-gsb.stanford.edu/aaker/pages/documents/SomeKeyDiffer-

encesHappyLifeMeaningfulLife_2012.pdf )

In Maslow’s Pyramid of the hierarchy of needs I understand HAPPINESS as more related with defi-ciency motivation and therefore on the lower levels of his pyramid and MEANINGFULNESS as more related to being motivation on the highest level of self realization. In the same way I see on the levels of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves (see 3.1) HAPPINESS as more related to the levels 1 to 6 and MEANINGFULNESS more to the levels 7 and higher. I speak of more or less since there is the ex-perience of being motivation and meaningfulness on all levels.

Baumeister et al used in their conclusion the difference between nature and culture and between animals and humans to illustrate the difference between happiness and meaningfulness. For them the quest for meaning is what makes us human.

“Our findings are broadly consistent with the framework that happiness is natural but mean-ing is cultural. Although humans use money and other cultural artifacts to achieve satisfac-tion, the essence of happiness was still consist in having needs and wants satisfied. The happy person thus resembles an animal with perhaps some added complexity. In contrast, meaningfulness pointed to more distinctively human activities, such as expressing oneself and thinking integratively about past and future. Put another way, humans may resemble many other creatures in their striving for happiness, but the quest for meaning is a key part of what makes us human, and uniquely so.“ (2013, p. 15: http://faculty-

gsb.stanford.edu/aaker/pages/documents/SomeKeyDifferencesHappyLifeMeaningfulLife_2012.pdf )

These are very interesting findings for the potential of NLP (NLPotential) to go beyond happiness and to use NLP interventions to further develop the human quality of mankind in the sense of NL-Peace for a culture of mutual understanding that we are all citizens of planet earth. It even opens the doors to a new NLP philosophy (NLPhil) about the meaning of life.

3.3 One cannot give life not a meaning

You give life your very special kind of your meaning of life with every thought, emotion, perception and action. It is not possible to give life no meaning. This is just like you cannot not communicate. You always communicate. And you always give life a meaning.

The Meaning of YOUR Life is not an answer that anyone could give you. You already live your veryspecial meaning of life and you perceive and understand everything through this filter.

You demonstrate your meaning of life through your very special Presence, Mindfulness, Grateful-ness, Consciousness and through whatever you are interested in (give your attention and energy). Life gives you permanently feedback. There is a German proverb: “The way you call into the wood is the way it will echo back at you.“ That means: “What goes around comes around.” In other wordsthe reaction you get from the world around you has to do with your Presence, Mindfulness, Grate-fulness, Consciousness and Interest. In NLP the corresponded axiom is: “There is no failure – only feedback.” The question is whether you hear and understand the feedback and whether you are open to change what you think, feel, perceive and do accordingly.

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With NLP you have interventions that can help you to navigate your thoughts, emotions, perceptionand behaviour (actions). When you navigate, the first thing you need mostly is to know where you are. Maps are useless as long as you do not know where on the map you are. If you want to navig-ate your life you need to observe exactly what you think, feel, perceive and do. This is your startingpoint. When you know this you can change it with NLP if needed or wanted.In order to achieve HAPPINESS at the very point of evolutionary development of humankind (the second machine age revolution) this means:

1. to understand how we create our “Map of Reality”: evolutionary, social, individual2. to learn how we can influence this creation3. to practice every day again and again what we know about this

3.4. Is the Map the Territory?

Under 2.4 you find the NLP axiom: “The Map is not the Territory”. Here with Territory the world around us is addressed and with the Map we address the inner representations of the perceptions of the world around us. These representations are pictures, sounds and different kinds of sensa-tions. In our brain we process these representations and sometimes we forget that we only have these representations and think they would objectively represent the world around us. This is just not possible. The words we use are not to be confused with the things that we use the words for. The sheet of music paper is not to be confused with the music. A picture is not to be confused with what the picture shows. Our fantasies are not to be confused with reality. In fact we only have our “Map” and we can never be certain that it truly represents reality. In other words, “The Map is the Territory” (Heinz von Förster). And NLP has powerful interventions to change this inner Map.Alfred Korzybski presented the idea that "the map is not the territory" in 1931. The full argument is in his book Science and Sanity (1933): "A map is not the territory it represents, but, if correct, it hassimilar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness." This means that there are mapsthat represent reality better than other maps. But we always have only access in our brain to a mapof reality and this map is our subjective reality.

Under 3.1 you have a model how we create our “Map of Reality” highly influenced by the process of cultural change and unfolding of values.

On the individual level your believes define what you experience as objective reality. But what you think about objective reality is only what you think and it is not the objective reality. Your thoughts should not be confused with the “reality” that you think about. Or in the words of Heinz von Foer-ster: “Truth is the invention of a liar.“

This looks as if there is no way to experience reality directly outside our typical perception process where e.g. the light reflects on objects outside our body and our eyes are stimulated by these re-flections and they send an electrical impulse to our brain where this is compared with experiences from times before. In fact the brain uses much more energy for comparing these electrical impulseswith older electrical impulses in order to give them meaning than it uses for the process of perceiv-ing the original stimulation of the background of the eye. In this process we have a few dangers for distortion of “reality”. First of all in this example how we perceive the reflections of the light of ob-jects from outside has a lot to do with how the background of our eye can perceive things. Eyes of a bee or a bat perceive the same reflections differently. They see reflections that we can not see orperceive. This is the first filter of “Reality”. Then there is a second filter regarding the processing of this electrical stimulation inside the brain. Some information are processed with high priority and others are even deleted. And then you have the process of translating what happens in the brain into words. This is the third filter. When you reflect this whole process it is really very strange how

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we can manage to effectively move around in this outside reality and how we understand each oth-er. Our reactions to the outside world are much higher determined through what we think about theoutside world than through the “Reality” of the outside world.

Given our explanation of the three letters NLP under 2.1 we defined NLP as a technique that has the potential (NLPotential) to help us to understand the processes how we develop our map of our inner reality (NLPhil), how we can consciously influence and change this map as well as to open up for thinking and living from the heart, for knowing on a very deep level, for using deliberately thearea beyond words and for transforming “programming” (NLPeace). This kind of NLP is expressed in the NLP interventions listed as examples in the Appendix.

4. The Consequences (summary)

You can not not think, feel, perceive or react without a belief system. The belief system is just like acomputer operating system (Apple, Microsoft, Linux, Android, Haiku, UNIX,…). A computer cannot work without an operating system. Your brain cannot work without a belief system. The belief sys-tem is the operating system of the digital brain. Only the heart operates in Oneness. You can know the limitation of your computer operating system and you can change your computeroperating system if needed. In just the same sense you can know the limitation of your brain’s op-erating belief system and you can change it when needed. The next step is be to change form the digital (bipolar) thinking of the brain to the love of the heart.

Just knowing the solution on an intellectual level in the brain is not enough. You need to go in the state in your heart that allows the solution. This is how I understand the meaning of Ghandi’s words: “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” The experience and love is needed.The NLP interventions in the Appendix have the potential (NLPotential) to help you to experience what we have discussed in this more theoretical and philosophical part (NLPhil). They allow you toenter the states of living from the heart, knowing beyond words and to transform programming to desirable inner mental programs that allow you to experience life beyond “Maps” and words, con-sciously centred in the love and energy of your heart (NLPeace & NLPhil).

5. Critical discussion

“Meaning of Life” is not an easy concept. It lacks a scientific precise definition. Different people un-derstand very different things here. The same with “HAPPINESS”. Even more difficult is to define “the deep sources of >Meaning of Life< and >true happiness<”. Understanding something beyoundwords and “Maps” is a very difficult concept too. You can only experience it. “The prove is in the pudding” (in the eating of the pudding). Therefore this article is only the beginning of a concept thatneeds a lot of proper scientific investigation and research in the future.

It is the same with NLP. There is no common shared definition of NLP. Especially no scientific definition or theory of NLP. The presented view is just one possible point of view. Especially the spiritual and philosophical areas like: “Thinking and living from the heart”, “the area beyond words” and “how to transform programming”. Even the view, that Abraham Maslow was in 1943 already practicing “modelling” when he studied about 60 “Self Realized” people and that studying and learning from “healthy” and “successful” people was already in the field for many years before NLP started, is not well known in NLP. The main findings of his modelling are that every human being isa Mystic and that self-realized people pay much more attention to such experiences. While his psy-

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chological theory of the Hierarchy of Needs is widely used, this much more important part of his findings that are strongly connected to his theory is very seldom taught.

For the discussion of NLPeace, NLPhil, the presented 5 waves of NLP development, the NLP ax-ioms, the “TEPA Wheel of NLP” and the IN/ICI standards, I invite all our IN and ICI members to log-in in the IN/ICI member area and to discuss this in the discussion forum there. For me this is more work in process and a starting point. I love to see it grow in the next years.

For me NLP and Coaching is about unfolding your potential – about you finding your very precious individual unique gifts and gems inside you and how you can live them every second of your life. This is a permanent lifelong process and hero's journey of dedicated work, joy and gratefulness. It is about understanding how your brain and mind works and how you can be your brains boss in-stead of his slave for a change. Your mind works brilliantly when you can operate it competently and it is a danger for yourself and everyone else without your guidance. NLP and Coaching, and especially NLPhil in the presented paper, supply you with the tools for using this highly needed guidance. It crowns you as Queen and King of your unbelievable rich inner world. Therefore gain-ing insight with the below mentioned NLP interventions is highly recommended.

My presented view comes from my psychological background as Professor of Psychology, from myexperiences as President of the International Association of NLP Institutes and from practicing and teaching NLP and Coaching on all levels since 1986. It is still rather an expert opinion. The next step would be to scientifically research this. Therefore I hope very much, that in the next years many students from our Psychology Faculty at the UCN will do their Master or Doctorate on this topic: www.in-ici.net/ucn.php

At the very moment I’m very grateful to Jörg Fuhrmann, who writes his dissertation at our (Nandana & me) Psychology Faculty at the Universidad Central de Nicaragua, on the topic of “Ab-raham Maslow & Peak Experiences” and his findings that every human being is a Mystic:www.freiraum-hypnose-ausbildung.de/transpersonale-psychologie/phd-research-peak-nadir.htmlHe will present findings at our next NLP & Coaching World Congress (IN & ICI) in Sharm El Sheik, the city of peace, in Egypt: www.in-ici.net/congress

6. Appendix NLPhil: NLP Interventions for the Meaning you give Life

1. Modelling your Best Moments of your Life – to live them every day – using the

TEPA Wheel of NLP for thoughts, emotions, perceptions and actions (behaviour).

2. NLP Axioms for Flexibility in thoughts, emotions, perceptions and actions

3. Coaching Instrument using the model of Prof. Dr. Clare Graves

www.nlp-nielsen.de/Graves-Coaching-20071219-englisch.pdf

4. Fast Re-Imprint & New Behaviour Generator for your vision and mission

5. Expanded Logical Levels Alignment & the Universe

6. Looking Behind the Visual Memories (Dr. phil. Eckard Winderl)

7. Moment of Excellence from the Unconscious

8. Re-Owning Positive Projections – the pathway to your potential

9. Rainbow for Healing Hands and inner peace

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