One of the most famous lines in Hamlet is when the titular character, talking to a skeptical friend, says, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” This quote demonstrates the importance of not being bound by one idea of life. Today, especially in areas like Silicon Valley, it seems we are bound by the idea of technological superiority—that our devices have all the answers. That’s why it is refreshing and inspiring to know that so many people in the tech center of the world still turn to a more ancient wisdom for support and advice. In Silicon Valley, psychics are as important as smartphones.
Searching for Answers in Technology’s Epicenter
The phrase “Silicon Valley” is synonymous with a smart, new, technological lifestyle. It’s where the incredible companies that are shaping the future are created and cultivated, and the home of major companies like Apple, Facebook, and Google. Besides these giants, there are hundreds of startups and incubators, where some of the best minds from around the world come to create a new site, product or service. Everything from a smart urban infrastructure to wearable biometric technology to apps that let you order a cup of coffee right now is being created.
It’s a dizzying world in which, one day, you have a few employees in a garage and the next, they are taking meetings with venture capitalists for millions of dollars. It’s also a world in which a bad launch can put you back in the garage. It’s no wonder that this area—which is making life easier for so many people—is one of the most stressful environments in the country. Because of this, it’s less wonder that people in Silicon Valley are turning to psychics.
A recent article in San Francisco Weekly highlighted this trend, pointing out that there are hundreds of psychics, mediums, and astrologers in the San Francisco area, and that number keeps going up. The Bay Area has always had a mystical side, but it isn’t surprising why that is increasing now. Major decisions are made by its residents every day—decisions that impact the life of the decider and possibly millions of other people.
The SFWeekly article talks about local psychic Nikki Bonflio, who says that she has “many clients from Salesforce, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Zynga, Microsoft, and Cisco,” some of the most prominent companies in the area. While she, of course, doesn’t reveal her actual clients, it is implied that they come from all levels of the companies. The trend for top CEOs to have spiritual advisors is a growing one in tech, and they tend to set the culture for the rest of the company.
Why Silicon Valley Is Undergoing a Spiritual Boom
It’s easy to see why more Silicon Valley bigwigs are seeking spiritual guidance. Consider the example of a startup company based in Mountain View, CA. The company is working on a biometric wearable that uses GPS tracking, big data analysis, and personal information to let the user know if they are entering an area that is heavy in his or her specific allergens. It can read warning signs in the person’s heart rate and breathing rate to predict if they are going to have an emergency. In short, it’s a product that can dramatically improve someone’s quality of life.
The CEO, Danai, has a lot of choices to make. She’s meeting with potential investors in the next week. One meeting is with a large venture capital firm, who might provide more capital, but at the cost of being more involved in decisions. Another meeting is with a smaller firm who believes in her project and vision, and will be more hands off, but probably won’t provide as much in the way of investment. It’s a tough choice. She believes that her strong leadership is the best way to ensure that the device fulfills its noble goals, but if there isn’t enough money, she might not be able to do so anyway.
This decision impacts the lives of her employees as well. There are only a dozen of them right now, but a lot of them are sacrificing higher-paying jobs because they believe in her. It’s an enormous amount of pressure. Danai has started to talk to a psychic advisor to see what she should do. She has also advised her employees to do the same so that they could learn to do what was best for themselves. She cared about her employees and wanted what was best for them.
The questions they had were, ultimately, no different than any of ours. These cutting-edge engineers, programmers, and designers wanted to know what direction they should go in. They were concerned with work, concerned with their future, unsure they were doing the right thing. Many of them had important questions about their romantic lives, which are made more difficult by the long and intense workdays.
Life and Love Aren’t Determined by Geography
Ultimately, the reason to seek spiritual advice is the same for all of us. We all have multiple paths forking through the gardens of our lives. We all stay up late, tossing and turning, wondering if we should stay in a job or leave, wondering if the decision we make today will turn tomorrow golden or bleak. We don’t know how to balance our personal concerns—say, long hours and an uncertain future—with the greater good, such as helping to create a tool that lets people breathe easier.
These are universal concerns. They may be magnified for some people, but every life has them. Top Silicon Valley executives, engineers, and futurists, turn to spiritual guidance to help them make the right decisions. At the end of the day, we all have the same questions. Even if the questions are about the next smartphone, we know the answers won’t be inside one.
If you’re looking for spiritual guidance for any of your big decisions, advisors at KEEN.com can help.
