"The longing for connection, meaning and beauty" - An evening with Johannes Hartl

It was a pleasant autumn afternoon with no big plans until a dear friend asked me if I was available to accompany her to a reading by author Johannes Hartl. I readily accepted the invitation because I was already looking forward to his new book “Eden Culture.” A short time later we found ourselves in a hall in the center of Vienna. The evening began with beautiful music and Johannes Hartl’s surprising comment that the evening would not be a reading from his book. Rather, he wanted to talk about a concept from his book, human “longing.” Hartl went on to say that our human nature, or what in fact constitutes our humanity, is essentially shaped by three things for which we have a particularly deep desires: connectedness, meaning and beauty.

I found this topic profoundly interesting and relevant in a time when our society has become more individualistic and pragmatic in outlook. The book by Johannes Hartl invites you to slow down and consider the basic needs of the soul in your daily life. Although the topic is very rich and complex, I will try to give you some insights!

Connectedness

In his book, Hartl discusses each of these topics in depth, first talking about connectedness. He invites us to reflect on how deep and true our relationships are, and whether there may be wounds that need healing so that we can build stronger connections. On this subject he focuses our attention on childhood experiences. For example, he explains how many people can experience pressure to perform when, as children, they felt they had to do more to earn the love of their parents. Such feelings can carry over into future relationships. True connection is free from performance pressure or other conditions.

Beauty

Hartl also talks about beauty and how people are drawn to it. When we consider that God created this beautiful natural world that we live in, it is clear that we were created to admire beauty, art and harmony. But often beauty is replaced by practicality and performance. Hartl wants to remind us that not everything in this world is valuable because of its monetary value, speed, or practicality. As an example, he cites the diversity of plants and animals in nature. We enjoy walking through a forest, not because it makes us feel special, but because it’s beautiful. And that’s how he thinks we should frame our relationships and our sexuality as well. Hartl wants to get away from the modern self-centered mentality where relationships and sexuality primarily serve one’s own advancement and satisfaction. He hopes we will Rediscover the beauty of connection.

Meaning

Finally, Hartl talks about meaning, because we all want to know where we come from and what we are here for. When we allow God to answer these questions, or at least think about them and trust that our Creator has a purpose for our lives, we can live with more vitality and feel more confident. And this has a positive effect on our relationships.

This new book by Johannes Hartl, along with his videos and podcasts on the subject, is a great opportunity to refocus on our relationship with God and other people, asking God to help us in this quest for connectedness, beauty, and meaning. The book reminds us that life is not about how many accomplishments one achieves. The most memorable moments in life are usually those shared with important and trusted people, rather than milestones of success or advancement.

Hopefully you found some inspiration in this synopsis, and I encourage you to take another step closer to living in alignment with how you were created. Each of us has had different experiences, but I know that with God you can find where you have room to grow and perhaps discover new ways to live more humanly. Sometimes it is precisely in these moments where we realign our perspectives and priorities when doors can open to meeting someone new.

Find out more about Joannes Hartl and his books here.