14. Alchemy of midlife passage: death, rebirth, and a new myth

In this episode, we return to the themes we’ve been exploring throughout the previous thirteen conversations — the midlife passage and what it asks of us. We revisit key ideas from earlier episodes and take a step further by using the symbolic language of alchemy to understand what is happening within us during this profound life transition. As Jung suggested, alchemy offers a powerful metaphor for inner transformation — one that helps illuminate the psychological processes at work when our old identity begins to dissolve and something new, yet unknown, starts to emerge.

Sources of quotes in this episode:

• Carl Jung, Letters, Vol. 1, p. 483
• Carl Jung, Collected Works (CW 17, §308)
• James Hollis, The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife
• Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings