In a world where external forms – be they institutions, customs, or entire eras – are constantly changing, it is easy to realize that they are merely tools that do not possess an absolute essence.

Beyond Ephemeral Forms: Embracing the Eternal Essence of Life

In a world where external forms – be they institutions, customs, or entire eras – are constantly changing, it is easy to realize that they are merely tools that do not possess an absolute essence. The very fact of their transient nature reminds us that all external manifestations of time are conditional and limited. Within this perspective, the true essence of life does not depend on temporal structures but manifests itself in the specific, dynamic process of being, where every individual actively realizes his or her purpose. It is important to remember: the true content of life is not found in abstract forms or temporal phenomena but in the profound acts of self-discovery and the creative dynamism of existence itself. Thus, by recognizing the temporariness of external manifestations, we begin to appreciate the eternal, which is contained in the concrete moments of our existence and self-realization.

Can we regard all times as temporary phenomena, and what does that say about the essence of life?

Based on the presented quotes, one can assert that all external manifestations of time, including any periods, should indeed be regarded as temporary phenomena, possessing only a relative, transient content. This means that what bears the character of time – external forms, phenomena, structures (for example, institutions, customs, even historical eras) – is temporary, that is, limited and mutable. As noted in one of the sources,

"The temporariness and relativity of external forms is designated as a temporary phenomenon. In conclusion, let us quote Vl. Solovyov: 'If we know why and in whose name we must obey a known institution, then we thereby know the method and measure of our obedience; it will never be limitless, blind, or slavish for us, and we will never become will-less and meaningless instruments of external forces.'" (source: link txt)

No matter how we perceive various "times" or external forms, they remain nothing more than tools, temporary elements that do not possess an absolute essence.

Correspondingly, the question of the essence of life in this context indicates that the true content of life is not determined by the transient forms of time but is embedded in the very act of being, in its concrete content and dynamic self-realization. As stated in another source:

"Thus, essence is above all the reality in its concrete content. The individual is merely the possessor, beginning, and purpose of being, but the actual content of their being is the essence. Life is an act, an effective relation, yet again, the concrete content of that act or relation is the essence – what is contained in life, its meaning." (source: link txt)

This idea emphasizes that life is manifested through its concrete content, rather than through abstract or temporal forms. While time, in its relativity, characterizes only the external, ever-changing manifestations of being, the true essence of life is the profound reality that is not dependent on strictly temporal conditions, in which life itself appears as an act of constant becoming and self-discovery.

Thus, the acknowledgment of the transience of all times indicates that the true content of being (the essence of life) is not defined by their mutability but rather by their specific, eternal aspect, which is manifested through the very actualization of life.