Existential Crisis

Existential crisis is a term very popular in philosophical school of existentialism. It is one of the widely discussed philosophy topics. Before I begin to give some information on it, my readers can go through a small story that can help them to grasp the concept in a more profound way. It is a story about my questioning of life and answers I got.

I still remember 26/11/2008, the day when the financial capital of India, Mumbai, witnessed one of the worst terrorists attacks. When I sat in front of the television watching the live footage of the heinous crime, something in me was dead there. I found a sense of meaninglessness, despair and deep unrest in my heart. Not that I wasn't aware of terrorism or violence in society but when it happened at a place just a few kilometers from where I was staying, it consumed me completely. Countless hours were spend reading about Islam, terrorism and about measures taken by governments of numerous countries to curb terrorism. I was spiteful and full of anger against politicians. I was disgusted at the worthlessness life presented before me. 'The next moment of my life is uncertain' - this thought consumed me day and night. I was reminded of my teens, when a failure in a major exam, forced me into depression and I questioned the meaning of life.

Following weeks after the attacks, I was reminded about all events that made me question life. The death of my grandmother and my two college friends, during my college years, being the prominent ones. I found my studies worthless, my career aspirations just another illusion of life, the chase for money a mere farce and the whole concept of life, a delusion. Who I'm? Why do I exist? These and similar questions gave way to study of philosophy. I found solace in Friedrich Nietzsche and Leo Tolstoy. Born in the land of Vedas and Upanishads, I did read some parts of the holy Bhagwad Geeta, only to find some peace and harmony in life. Herman Hesse's Siddhartha was an ultimate read for me and it did give me some insights about life. Life has further presented numerous challenges right from earning money, to being successful and to manage relationships. It has been only now that I realized existential crisis is a concept that is quite debated in philosophy.

After having seen life from some close quarters, although phases of self questioning do arise, every morning when I get up; when the sun's rays enter in my room and I hear the birds chirping, with the photos of my loved ones in front of me, I do feel a sense of happiness. I do feel life has a meaning. This feeling hasn't come easily. It has been years of self struggle (normally that we all go through) and even when there is so much negativity in the world, I try to remain positive, contributing my share of peace and happiness to the world. I don't think why I'm living, I just live with awareness (sometimes though daily chores become very mechanical). After all, the joy of living is in nothing but just living it in the very moment. Otherwise, nothing can bring peace to us in this mortal world. The mantra is to FEEL GOOD and though moments of misery are bound to come, deal with them and be focused on one aspect of life, that it is impermanent.

What is Existential Crisis

Existential crisis, my friends, is a deep questioning about life and its meaning, arising from angst, anger, despair, failure or due to any event that triggers our hearts and minds, to a level where our existence becomes dilute, apparently. Life appears worthless and plethora of questions haunt our mind. Loneliness, desolation and solitude (on the negative side) become a part and parcel of life. Answers come from nowhere and we remain bewildered about events happening to us. Those who lose balance in this phase of existential crisis fall into depression and it makes life more miserable.

Loss of a near one, marriage failure, separation, drug abuse, entering adulthood or reaching 35 - 40 years of age, complete failure in business or any efforts, violence, crime or any experience that hurts an individual to the core are some main reasons of existential crisis. Sometimes, midlife crisis is also called existential crisis wherein a person, after having achieved professional and personal aims, seems to have lost meaning of life. Nothing is more confusing than being caught in the paradox of living a life, which in the very end, seems to be devoid of any meaning.

In a state of personal crisis, one questions the norms and cultures of the society. The person facing it tries to find meaning in life either by positive means or by negative means. Is dealing with existential crisis very difficult? Certainly, it is extremely difficult to grasp the concept of being positive and staying happy in cases of depression that shake up the existence but then if we don't make efforts to improve our situation, there is no point of being alive! Here's my take of how to deal with existential crisis.

Dealing With Existential Crisis

• Accept that existential crisis is not to bring negativity in your life. If analyzed carefully, it can help you to question your life values and the way you live it. Be optimistic about it and take valuable lessons. Remember, being unhappy and deeply negative about life is not a healthy state of existence. It is not always possible to FEEL GOOD and remain happy but at least we can try to do the same.
• Take a counseling therapy or talk to your grandparents, parents and older people. They have lived a life, doubler your present age. These are the people who know what are the problems that confront us in our younger years. Seek help, it is always there.
• Try to learn from life. If a bad experience made you negative, think of 10 other positive experiences you had! That's the way to look at life! To state it precisely, count your blessings.
• Learn to see the funny side of life. Being over serious isn't going to help you. Philosophers have made life very serious but then all philosophers agreed that humor has great role in life.
• Some questions in life require time to be answered effectively. Probe your queries but don't put a halt on living. Open your mind, live life and try to learn from it. Don't stuck on questions that block the flow of life.
• If you've been unhappy with life, try to feel love surrounding you. Your lovely pet, your family, friends, colleagues - there's just one big life, one big celebration! Enjoy it. Feel Good.
• There's no ultimate answer to life. In essence, it is mysterious and as you go on living life, it unravels its mysteries. Live it!
• There is hardly any soul on this planet that hasn't faced life problems. This isn't a consolation but a fact. So don't think about existential crisis, obsessively.
• Existentialism, in its essence, is nothing but our ability to we create our life. The bottom line is that, even existentialism teaches us to believe that we're the creators of our life. It is more of a realistic approach to living than act merely as a puppet in the hands of time.

So, did you get the exact meaning of existential crisis definition? I hope you must have got some idea about this phase of existence. There is no need to panic about your situation and it is just a phase that can help you evolve in a much better way, hopefully.