Mid-life Crisis
Many people, both men and women, experience what is known as a mid-life crisis. This usually occurs during a period of introspection in which the individual takes stock of their life and finds a void.
What is a Mid-life Crisis?
A mid-life crisis often takes place when a significant amount of distance has grown between the dreams of youth and the realities of middle age. Many people realise that they have failed to achieve the goals which they once held so close to their hearts, or they may perhaps feel that they have squandered their time for little meaningful benefit. Persistent questions bubble up from the sub-conscious to the conscious mind. Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose in life? The same questions were no doubt asked many years ago but were eventually cast aside with the self-promise of figuring it out when you’re older.
As we reach a certain age, our perception of the ticking clock of mortality is heightened, and the answers to these questions appear far more urgent. Some people, fearing that they will never know the answers, seek to distract themselves with extravagant purchases, such as sports cars or powerful motorbikes. Others take up adrenalin pumping risk-based activities, such as skydiving or mountain biking. But none of these will provide the answers sought for, and so the questions persist.
Such material things often fail to fill the void of a mid-life crisis because they are external to the individual. The answers instead lie within.
Can a Spiritual Path Heal the Uncertainty of a Mid-life Crisis?
Perhaps one of the root causes of a mid-life crisis is a lack of spirituality in the individual’s life. Even those who have followed a particular religion may experience a crisis of faith, and this may be even more so if their religious practices have involved blindly following dogmas or teachings without question or reason. Sometimes, a person who has followed the religion they grew up with may find that it no longer holds the same relevance in their life that it once did. Some may abandon their faith completely at this point and turn away from spiritual matters.
Many religions operate via a strict code of laws and practices handed down from century to century. When the individual questions these with the wisdom of age, he or she may decide that there is no spirituality in life and that the universe is merely a chaotic series of purposeless happenings. But by taking a closer look at the spiritual being within and the cosmic bonds of the universe, one may find renewed purpose and meaning in life. So how do you renew your spirituality to help you through a mid-life crisis?
Meditate!
Meditating is an effective means of clearing your mind and seeing things a little clearer. With sufficient practice it can enable you to commune with the universe at a deeper level, but even with only basic meditation experience you can gain surprising insights about your life and who you really are. As Mahatma Ghandi once said, In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.
Embrace Nature…
In the modern age, the majority of us spend our lives in man-made urban surroundings that are wholly alien from the spiritual oneness with nature experienced by our ancestors. Technology has brought us closer to the stars, but it may also have alienated us from ourselves and the planet on which we live. By turning off the TV and stepping outside to spend time in nature you can begin to reconnect with the spiritual essence that is found all around us.
Consult the Stars
Astrology cannot guide you along the path that lies ahead, but it can certainly help to light the way. Conducting research into your Chinese and western star signs may enable you to gain a clearer perspective of your past, present and future. A qualified and experienced astrologist will be able to give you in-depth insight into how your life has been guided by the stars since the time of your birth.
Reconnect with Family and Friends
Concentration on careers and the matters of day to day living may eventually result in us feeling disconnected from those we hold most dear. Take time out to spend quality time with your family and let them know what they mean to you. Call up old friends with whom you have spent significant times in your life.
Emerging from a Mid-life Crisis
Experiencing a mid-life crisis can be one of the most challenging periods of an individual’s life, but if it is handled properly it can be seen as a spiritually fulfilling rebirth, and a new beginning.
Author: Derryck
