Midlife Magnificence

Do you sense an unraveling of old roles, identities, friendships as you traverse the middle years? Is it bewildering to find that activities that were once deeply satisfying have paled? Are you drawn to new horizons that mark a real departure from the established life? Do you feel as if something is trying to burst forth from your very skin, to shed an old self, and yet have no idea what comes next? You are undergoing a midlife rennaisance….

It’s not for the faint of heart!

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Midlife: The Hero’s Journey

Life is developmental in nature. It doesn’t permit a baby to crawl forever—it galvanizes and rises in those little legs, pushing the infant to grab furniture and pull upward into wobbly feet, only to topple. And repeat. Repeat again. Until they not only walk, but run, leap, dance.

And so it is for a span of approximately 10-12 years, starting in the 40’s—humans are compelled by an unseen but very palpable force to begin the shift out of ego identity and DOING as a lifestyle to deep engagement with essence and BEING. This is normal. And healthy. And universal. If we fight it, we’ll end up with a red sportscar, body enhancing surgery, a younger spouse, an affair, an addiction. All of which stalls the leap from ego to essence.  Midlife is the time for the Hero’s Journey into the inner realms, asking from a lifetime of experience “what is the purpose of my life—where does meaning really lie for me?”

There are two ways to live your life, one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle—Albert Einstein

We are creatures who are driven to find meaning, and what is experienced as meaningful changes throughout the lifespan. Harder still, it’s not always clear, and we endure “dry”desert phases where the old is tasteless and the new has not yet shown itself to your searching eyes. However, if you stay the course, your magnificence begins to shine forth—it is a harrowing time of rebirth—there are losses of “self” as you welcome new ways of inhabiting being states. All birth is creation, and you will amaze yourself as you allow your deepest gifts to manifest. And you may grieve—the “you” that is no longer, the roles you give away that were once dear, the changes to body, energy, friendship networks, sleep.

This is a time to reach out to those who know this journey and can support the expansion, meet the grief with compassion, provide expert and attuned guidance in the unfolding of the vital, potent, distilled, mature you.