What are we here for?

A Medium, in his address to a Church the other day, said that in his opinion we are on this Earth Plane to find happiness.

Often within the Spiritualist movement, the reason for this life is described as so we can learn, maybe to atone for failings in past lives, and to progress Spiritually.

It may seem, at first sight, as if this medium was out of step with mainstream spiritualist thought, but stop and think!

Happiness? What does that mean?

Well, it could mean that we do everything we want regardless of how it affects others. Would that make us happy? Would gathering in vast ammounts of money, for instance, make us happy? Possibly it might, but then again, it might not, at least in the long term. Like anything, it is all a question of degree.

If for instance you won the lottery and ended up will a few million in the bank. You probably think that would make you very happy indeed. But what would you do with that money? What will happen to you friends? Will you keep them? Will you stay in the same social circles you are currently in? And if so, how will they react to you, with your new found wealth, and how will you react to them?

OK!, So you change your circle and move to a new area, where you associate with people of a similar bankroll. Will you fit in? Will they accept you? Will the money last if you have to live up to their lifestyle? You could be burning your bridges, leaving yourself with no friends, no social circle. Would that be happiness?

Another option is to stay where you are and spread the money about. Treat your friends, family and so on. But the money willnot last, and how will your friends and family take to that? At first they will probably be delighted, but what will happen when the money runs dry, or you get the impression that they are expecting too much from you? Any initial happiness will quickly disappear. Or maybe give the money away to charity. Certainly there will be a good feeling generated by that and done it a sensible way, it could be a lasting feeling.

In a similar way, supposing you gained your wealth at the expense of others? You trample people into the ground, take advantage of strangers, maybe even swindle people. Will you be happy then? You may think that they don't matter, and that you can sleep at night regardless of you behaviour, and yes, you are happy because you have the money to do what you like. But have you friends? People you really like? People you trust? Probably not, for you will most likely be afraid that someone will do to you what you have done to others, and that fear, andthe fear of losing everything, will prevent true happiness.

And all that is without consideration of the effect it will have on your Spirit and it's developement, and your place in the next life.

For that is what Spiritualism is all about. Proving that there is a next life, and preparing ourselves for it.

And it is not just about money. That was only an example of a situation. It could be power, relationships, work, hobbies, or any of the thousand and one aspects of life.

What I cannot do here is give a definative answer because we are all different. We need to find our own answers, and what I am trying to do is to encourage you to think. To think carefully and to look inside yourself to find your own answer. To find what really really does make you happy.

And within that search, make sure you consider that next life.