Balance

To live a contented life, one must endeavor for self-preservation and well-being, so the conatus is required to combat suffering or death. Suffering or death throws off the homeostatis of the afflicted individual and there is a loss of "balance" which must be overcome. The awareness of this imbalance is the cause of sorrow, and in order to be aware, we must have feelings, particularly feelings of empathy. People yearn for "homeostatic correctives" to be able to respond to sorrow and these homeostatic correctives what restore the balance. They were a product of evolution because individuals who were able to restore this homeostatic balance were rewarded with longer life and larger progeny. Damasio further states that spiritual experiences are indices for a life that is well-balanced, well-tempered, and well-intended.