Advice/suggestions needed

Hello everyone,
I have been a long-time lurker in these forums, and finally got the courage to post something. I have a question/need advice. I am a 30 year old male(I don’t think any of that information is important necessarily, but you never know), and I am struggling to find purpose in life/figure out what path to take. I grew up in a home that was not religious, though I grew up going to a Hindu temple fairly regularly (long story). Because of my upbringing I never had a strong foundation of faith in anything spiritual. Since I was 17 I have struggled to believe in the afterlife/anything spiritual, even though I desperately want to believe in it. Recently I have found myself become more and more depressed because I am doing a job I hate, got a masters in something I don’t like, and still have yet to find any spirituality, despite travelling to many places across the world(namely India, a country I love more than any other). I feel very empty inside, and do not know what to do. I decided that perhaps it may be beneficial for me to go to a psychic or medium, in part because I feel like if I have some sort of “paranormal” experience, perhaps I may start believing in something more. Another part of me just would like a guide on what to do in life in general. The issue is that I live in a smaller town, and there are only a few psychics and only one medium. I am not sure how to find a psychic and/or medium that is reparable, or even what qualities to look for in one.
 
Any advice you guys have would be great. I also want to note that although I am depressed, I am not suicidal (death is my greatest fear).
 
Thanks!! 

Hi Duaa, welcome to the forums.

It's interesting that you say you struggle to believe in anything spiritual, but somewhere inside, you must believe there is something, otherwise you wouldn't be looking for it   

But where to look? Spirituality means different things to different people.
For some it is about proving life after death,
for some it is about showing that the psychic mind can reach through the barriers of the physical world,
for some it is about learning what religion and Guru's say, or spreading the word/saving others, 
for some it is about finding compassion, forgiveness, love, peacefulness... and developing spiritual qualities,
for some it is about feeling the connection to God, the universe, source (call it what you will)

So what is spirituality to you? What would be its purpose in your life, do you think?


Those questions will help find the direction that might help you.

Hi Duaa77, welcome, im pleased you joined us, do you meditate at all? It seems you have a lot going on in your life perhaps some still time will help you clear your mind relax you and lift your mood a little when this happens hopefully things will become a little clearer for you.

Firstly, sorry for my late reply

@Blueanchor - For me spirituality is a little of everything you mentioned, but in particular the life after death aspect. 


@Violet - I try to mediate, but I find it difficult to clear my mind enough and I always end up getting caught in my thoughts.


@mac - I think that for some spiritual issues are more important. I have had these kinds of issues since I was 17, which is the first time that the idea that there may be no life after death crept into my mind. Other worldly needs are important, but what I am missing is a purpose, which for me is tied to spirituality.

mac wrote:I'm not a clinician but I do wonder if depression is a major factor in your life.  Is it long-standing and have you consulted about it?

Thank you for your concern, but I am not clinically depressed(I work in the mental health field). There are certain criteria that a person has to meet before they are considered clinically depressed, and I do not met them(I am able to function normally in my day-to-day life, even though I do not like what I do).

People tend to go to mediums because they want contact with loved ones, or reassurance that their loved ones are alive and well after death - or, as you have mentioned because they fear death and want proof of life after death to lessen that fear.

It is a sound reason, but then why not just go for it and visit the medium in your town? If you go and they can't offer you what you need, or you feel that their offering is less than genuine, then you've lost nothing but what you paid. What I'm trying to highlight for you, is that rather than getting an idea to visit a medium and just doing it - you have expressed your worries about the what if's of doing it. 

So it seems like a possibility that worrying about making the right choice or the what ifs, is what prevents you from moving on in your life. If you do make a choice and then feel it's wrong, then you are allowed to change your mind and make further choices until you find the one you want. In this way, there are few bad choices, but many temporary choices that act like steps along a longer journey.

Which reminds me of The Longest Journey, a book by EM Forster - he also rote A Passage to India, which seems apt given your passion for India - one of my favourite quotes from it: "...emotion, which can alone bear the voyager to an anchorage but may also carry him across it on to the rocks. He was safe really - as safe as the shore-dweller who can only understand stability and supposes that every ship must be wrecked..." 

Todays the day to make the appointment to visit the medium, at least you will have taken that first step and after that you can decide if it was helpful or not. Then let your heart make the next decision.


Sorry if I've gone on or if this isn't what you wanted to hear - I guess I'm trying to lend you some of my enthusiasm for life.
I wish you all the best, whatever you decide to do.