11. Death and other problems in the second half of life

Have you ever thought about how the way you think about death might affect the way you live? Many depth psychologists believe that the task of the second half of life is to prepare for death — from Eros to Thanatos. In my view, this is one of the most important yet most taboo topics in modern society.How fundamental is the fear of death? Why is immortality problematic, and how is this reflected in the myth of Eos and Tithonus? Why is the awareness and acceptance of one’s mortality the most crucial task of the midlife transition? We explore these questions in the new episode."Life is a short episode between two great mysteries, which in reality are one and the same."— Carl Jung, Letters, vol. 1, p. 483.Sources mentioned:Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan IlyichPhilippe Ariès, Western Attitudes Toward DeathJames Hollis, The Middle PassageIrvin Yalom, Existential PsychotherapyGreek mythology: the story of Eos and TithonusCarl Jung, Letters