I have just turned 54 and guess am experiencing a midlife crisis. I am retired, my health is very good, my marriage is great, as are my other relationships, etc…To many it seems I have a pretty perfect life and I really can’t argue with that perception. My question then is why all of a sudden do I have such an overwhelming fear of death, of time running by too fast, too quickly? I become overly anxious whenever I stop and think that my husband is 62 and our time together is suddenly limited. Even as I write this I feel my heart racing just at these thoughts. I always thought I had a pretty deep faith in God (I am a Reform Jew) but all of a sudden….? (I am meeting with my Rabbi to talk about this but have great respect for your work on insight as well.) Is it just me? Is there something else I can do to get on and enjoy life? Thank you so much!
Answer:
My sense is that you have come to the end of your old concept of life that has been defined by your career, health, and relationships. In a sense you have succeeded fabulously and if that success was a main component in your belief about life’s purpose, then having finally arrived, there could be a strong emotional reaction that that triggers a fear of death, because that is the only way the subconscious knows how to react to this sense of coming to the end of a life concept.
What this means is that you are ripe for a major spiritual shift in your vision of life. Talking with your Rabbi is a wonderful idea in that your intuition is already guiding you to seek a deeper spiritual identity. As you embrace this new phase, you will rediscover a joy and passion in life that will make these current fears insignificant.
Love,
Deepak
