The importance of context has inspired us to link well-being with the physical, social, personal and
spiritual dimension of life. To denote this broadening and deepening of the concept, we speak of
'existential' well-being. By doing so, we place ourselves within the tradition of existential
philosophy
vii
, in which 'Dasein', being
in the world, is considered within different contexts of being:
'Umwelt', the physical and material world; 'Mitwelt', the self in relation to others; 'Eigenwelt', the
inner self; and 'Uberwelt', or the transcendental dimension.
With this holistic approach we transcend individual fields of study, such as medicine, in which the
focus primarily lies on physical aspects; sociology and psychology, which chart social and personal
factors; and philosophy and religion, the traditional players in the spiritual field. Human beings do
not function according to such distinct categories. We also integrate the hedonic approach, situated
primarily within the physical domain, as well
as the eudaimonic approach, in which a central place is
given to personal, social and spiritual aspects of well-being.
Well-being operates in these four modalities, taking into consideration that each individual as well as
each community - and by extension, science - may attach more value to the physical, social, personal
or spiritual component. In each of these dimensions, different
values are emphasized. Physical
health, safety, comfort, love of nature and beauty are important in the physical dimension. Esteem or
appreciation, success, solidarity, love for others and goodness are features of the social dimension.
Autonomy, freedom, knowledge, self-love and truth are predominant in the personal dimension.
Helpfulness, finding one's place in a greater whole, contributing to a better world and love without
self-interest are values belonging to the spiritual dimension.
Existential well-being involves values from several dimensions contributing to fulfillment in your life.
This implies that underinvestment as well as overinvestment in each dimension will
result in
decreased well-being. Overinvestment in the physical dimension in the Western world has for
instance resulted in diseases of civilization. In the spiritual dimension overinvestment culminates in
fanaticism and the urge to covert others. Underinvestment in the physical dimension, on the other
hand, creates ‘dreamers’ who do not make sure they 'have a roof over their head' and 'keep the pot
boiling'. Underinvestment in the spiritual dimension manifests itself in a feeling of emptiness and
considering life to be meaningless. These themes will be elaborated in subsequent sections of this
course.
For now, consider the following
example of how you can have an eye for well-being that includes the
different dimensions of existence.
A high-ranking civil servant from a big city discusses the importance of
garbage collection
from the point of view of the different dimensions of existence: "From a
physical point of
view it is essential to remove garbage to keep the town free from diseases. The workers have
to wear decent protective clothing and their equipment has to be safe and efficient. In the
social dimension, garbage collection procures a rather substantial number of jobs, and it
allows many individuals to earn money so they can support their families. They also obtain a
clear and recognized place in society. In the
personal dimension it
becomes apparent how
important it is for these workers to be valued for what they are capable of, so that their
feeling of self-worth increases. Moreover, everything works better when the specific talents
of individuals are taken into account when work is distributed.
But the real revelation comes from involving the
spiritual dimension in this very earthly
domain. This evokes the very best in man. The workers are made aware of the broader
meaning and the transcending value of their work. This motivates them to do their work well,
not only because of the money they earn or because 'it needs to be done', but also because
they feel responsible for a healthy environment and the well-being of the city.
It is no longer
necessary to elaborate rules and regulations for every detail of the job. When people feel
they are a part of a larger society, they respond in an appropriate way to unforeseen
situations. For instance, one day some workers noticed that the roll-down shutters of a
particular house remained down for a suspiciously long period of time, so they thought that
there might have been something wrong with the residents. Employees experience joy when
they 'are allowed' to contribute to the common good, which goes beyond their self-interest.
The reward lies in the feeling of gratitude and finding out that 'everything is okay'. This is the
level where 'faith can move mountains' or, in this case, 'remove garbage'. Even the best
manager cannot invent such a thing."
From our own research
viii
involving 280
elderly people over 70, it became clear that in situations
where the sources these people could draw from in the physical and social dimensions were
diminishing, input from the personal and spiritual dimensions was crucial to maintain their well-
being. It appeared that self-acceptance is positively linked with well-being in elderly people, and that
people who participate in religious or spiritual activities experience more meaning in their lives.
This clearly shows that well-being is much more than living a perfect and happy life without pain and
misfortune. Well-being means practicing an 'art of living', with an eye for the positive aspects of life
and opportunities that emerge, but without denying the suffering and decay.
i
'Eudaimonic' is derived from the ancient Greek concept 'eudaimonia'. 'Eu' means 'good'. In Greek mythology,
the word 'daimon' denotes a generally benevolent creature that is situated somewhere in between gods and
mortals. Plato explains 'eudaimonia' as 'knowledge of the wise', even though it is more probable
that this word
finds its origins in 'daiō', meaning 'the distribution of destinies'. Socrates also refers to the 'daimon' as a
spiritual creature able to influence someone's character, a 'good spirit'. Socrates spoke of his 'daimon' or
'genius' as a spirit encouraging him to seek and spread the truth. The way in which Aristotle defines
'eudaimonia' comes closest to 'psychological well-being'. He refers to good feelings stemming from one's 'true
self' and as a source of meaning.
ii
Human Cells Respond in Healthy, Unhealthy Ways to Different Kinds of Happiness.
Science Daily, juli 29, 2013.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130729161952.htm
.
iii
Allport, 1961; Erikson, 1959; Jahoda, 1958; Jung, 1933; Maslow, 1968; Rogers, 1961.
iv
Ryff, C.D., & Keyes, C.L.M. (1995), The Structure of Psychological Well-Being Revisited.
Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 69, 719-727.
Ryff describes the different categories as follows:
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