the belief in an afterlife is required in old age for mental health

[GarrotTheThief]

the illusion of an afterlife, or reality, depending on your position is required after the age of 35 for good mental health. The reason is, as Jung noted, is due to the personality and its petrification and neurotisism.

Basically, one who does not look forward, looks back, too much, and such a person is a weight to the people around him.

It happens in youth, and in one sided people.

An anectodal example is a comparison of two collective figures: Alan Watts and Carl Sagan....they overlap, but I think Sagan did not believe in an afterlife..

Many people like Sagan but in truth, most people, find him stiff, boring, and somewhat one sided. Alan Watts on the other hand may have sold snake oil but even so, his speeches leave one mystified and inspired.

One is known as a great entertainer/philosopher/poet/master/magician the other is known as a coarse, dry, man who thought we were star poop and nothing more...nothing wrong with being star dust but I believe the love of my mother, brothers, and sisters is something that transcends simple things like cans and plastique..and this makes me beloved and an asset, ironically, simply for being who I am..

Someone might say this doesn't prove that we need to believe in an afterlife...we may not need to believe in an afterlife but can you pick up where you left off at 80 from 16 without believing that it will carry forward?

That is up to you...but as long as you are looking forward, and not back, and moving forward with unloved potentialities you will be sound, but if you go back and regress into a state of reliving glory days you are essentially lame.

You may be a great achiever, win awards, but your personality will suck the life out of everyone and you will be a necromonger in the subjective world of everyone, and thereby objectively in the sense that we are psychical creatures.

 

[great_bay]

The word required is used for laws or rules. There's no requirements for the belief of an afterlife.

 

[Qlip]

Hah, what's with all the Carl Sagan hate? I feel like you haven't even properly seen the original Cosmos. As a scientist he took on quite a mystical outlook and didn't even identify as an atheist, which is why he's able to project that kind of daft wonder, he was anything but dry or boring.

Surely you can pick a better straw man.

 

[Jaguar]

Jung had a mental breakdown in his late 30's. I think I'll decide what is best for me.

 

[á´…eparted]

 

[GarrotTheThief]

the end of the chapter of "stages of life" by carl jung in the book, Portable Jung.

 

[á´…eparted]

the end of the chapter of "stages of life" by carl jung in the book, Portable Jung.

That isn't a citation. A statement made in the OP would require a substantiated publication in a major psychological journal.

 

[gromit]

I dunno stardust is a pretty epic thing to be made from, in my opinion.

I have no idea about whether afterlife belief corresponds to mental health in your older years or not. I think a sense of ones life's meaning does, for sure. That can be found in the relationships you have, and what you feel you have contributed to the world.

I can't say if I believe in an afterlife. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around either way. I do know when I go, I'd like to have as many of the people I care about as possible there with me. I'd like somebody to hold my hand and be there with me until the end. Because I just imagine it's very lonely-feeling.

 

[GarrotTheThief]

That isn't a citation. A statement made in the OP would require a substantiated publication in a major psychological journal.

well I don't have that mr. Hard.

 

[á´…eparted]

well I don't have that mr. Hard.

Then it is all nothing more than unsubstantiated speculation.

 

[Cellmold]

Jung should speak for himself, I'll find out when I'm older.

 

[Pionart]

If you manage to shed the ego, then I don't see why belief in an afterlife would matter.

Something will continue on after you, even if it is not "you". "You" are a fleeting thing, which changes from moment to moment. Just a genetic code, just a complex brain structure. Let go of yourself, and live for what is greater than anything you are. Your impending doom will mean nothing if you are living in the correct way.

Perhaps we are indeed something eternal, that somehow a spark of luminous soul material has accumulated and taken form in us and this will survive. Sounds odd.

 

[sprinkles]

 

[Stek]

the illusion of an afterlife, or reality, depending on your position is required after the age of 35 for good mental health. The reason is, as Jung noted, is due to the personality and its petrification and neurotisism.

Basically, one who does not look forward, looks back, too much, and such a person is a weight to the people around him.

No, I'm sorry but this is bullshit. The way a belief in the afterlife affect a personality depends on that personality's other beliefs. It is not an on/off switch that anyone can turn on and off in their head. If you see no reason to believe in an afterlife, then forcing this belief will create cognitive dissonance, and will not be good for your mentality. It is not a requirement for mental health. @bold What do you even mean by that? Mental illness is the reason why the belief is a requirement? So it is not a requirement in a healthy mind?

About looking forward, at the age of 35 there are several other things than an afterlife to look forward to. And if you think you'll end up in hell, then what good is the afterlife to you? If you don't look forward, you don't have to look back and cling on people. This is a non sequitur. Try to be more present, and find joy in life. Not death.

 

[Rambling]

I'm just starting to read Rohr's book Falling Upward, which is about the psychological work required in the second half of life.

I'll let you know. So far it's reminiscent of The Road Less Travelled, but I haven't got very far through it as yet.

 

[miss fortune]

nah... and I'm rapidly approaching 35

I actually find the idea that I'm made from stars to be comforting in a way... especially the idea that when I die I will go back into the universe

of course I also tend to view everything as having sentient properties in a way and think that dying and becoming a part of something bigger would be akin to joining the borg collective, which would mean access to the knowledge of everyone else there as well... exciting!

simplified version: I'm crazy, but not a fan of religion

 

[Olm the Water King]

I don't need to believe in an afterlife because I believe in a technologically-engineered eternal life right here.

If I didn't believe in either, that would suck greatly, of that I'm quite sure.

 

[prplchknz]

afterlife is death, i guess if you don't believe in death in old age that can be damaging. but most people do so i wouldn't worry. if you know what comes after living is death then you're golden

 

[Kullervo]

What you are essentially saying is that people lack the psychological strength to come to terms with their own death, and wider existential problems such as a lack of permanence in the world around them.

Maybe this is true. Fear of death is perfectly natural and keeps us safe, because it is one of the few things in life that is total, final, irreversible. Fear of change/desire for constancy is also natural, and performs an essential function in stabilising our world.

Nonetheless the belief in an afterlife stems out of this fear, rather than an induction. If you believe something for irrational reasons, at least have the integrity to admit that to yourself and others.

 

[grey_beard]

I'm just starting to read Rohr's book Falling Upward, which is about the psychological work required in the second half of life.

I'll let you know. So far it's reminiscent of The Road Less Travelled, but I haven't got very far through it as yet.

So you're saying it's The Book Less Finished. Gotcha.