Midlife Crisis: The Hero's Journey and Transformation

In the modern world, the phenomenon of the midlife crisis is often viewed as a pathology or an unwanted malfunction in personality development. However, depth psychology offers a different perspective: crisis is an integral element of the evolution of consciousness. In the excerpt from O.V. Khukhlaeva's book, which draws on Ann Yeomans' periodization, the crisis of adulthood is divided into three phases: destruction, the intermediate period, and creation.[1] This triad resonates remarkably with the universal structure of myth described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Departure, Initiation, and Return.[2]

Integrating the mythological matrix into the psychological model allows us to imbue these experiences with sacred meaning. Modern culture, having lost institutionalized rites of passage, has left the individual alone with the powerful forces of the psyche. An individual crisis becomes an attempt to recreate the ancient myth of death and rebirth, transforming a "problem" into a "heroic journey" toward one's own Self.

The first phase of the crisis, which Khukhlaeva and Yeomans define as the "period of destruction," is characterized by the painful dismantling of the previous life structure. Old meanings lose their vitality, and new ones have not yet emerged. In Campbell's mythology, this corresponds to the act of Departure, which begins with the Call to Adventure.

A crisis rarely begins suddenly; more often, it manifests as a signal that existence in the "ordinary world" has exhausted itself. Psychologically, this is experienced as anxiety, boredom, or depression. The call can be internal (apathy, loss of drive, psychosomatics), signaling that the old social mask is too tight, or external (job loss, divorce), acting as a herald of change. The existential call often comes through the realization of mortality and a reevaluation of values, inviting the person to shift from ego-orientation to a search for deeper meaning.[2, 3]

The natural reaction to change is Refusal of the Call—an attempt to cling to the illusion of safety. However, energy that does not flow into development turns into neurosis or self-destructive behavior. If the hero dares to change, they cross the Threshold and enter the Belly of the Whale. This is the most dramatic moment of the destruction phase—a state of absorption, darkness, and isolation. Subjectively, it feels like deep depression or "ego death." Ann Yeomans emphasizes that without this symbolic death of past experience, no genuine creation is possible. It is a sacred time of incubation, necessary for dissolving old personality structures before a new birth.

After the symbolic death begins the "intermediate period"—a liminal space between the past and the future. In Campbell's scheme, this is the central part of the journey, Initiation, filled with trials and insights.

The hero steps onto the Road of Trials, facing "monsters" which, in Jungian psychology, are projections of their own Shadow. These are the repressed aspects of the personality: aggression, vulnerability, unrealized ambitions. The process of initiation requires not the destruction of these parts, but their assimilation (Shadow Work). The individual learns to acknowledge their dark sides as a source of strength.[5, 6]

At this stage, the Meeting with the Goddess or Woman as Temptress occurs, symbolizing contact with feelings, intuition, and the body (Anima/Animus). This is the restoration of the connection with the irrational part of the psyche. The next step is Atonement with the Father—liberation from the tyranny of the inner critic and social expectations. The person stops seeking approval from the outside and forms their own authority.

The culmination is Apotheosis and receiving the Ultimate Boon. In developmental psychology, this corresponds to a fundamental shift in the center of gravity of the psyche from Ego to Self. If the first half of life was dedicated to social achievements, the second requires depth and wisdom. The "Boon" is a new understanding of oneself, an expansion of consciousness, and acceptance of one's true nature, which the person carries out of the darkness of the crisis.[7, 8]

The third stage of Khukhlaeva's model is the "period of creation." Campbell argues that the Return is often the hardest part of the journey. The hero, having gained new experience, must integrate it into everyday life.

Often, a Refusal of the Return arises: an unwillingness to go back to the world of mundane problems after a spiritual experience. A person may feel alienation from their surroundings or the temptation of a "magic flight" into fantasy. However, successfully completing the crisis requires Crossing the Return Threshold—the ability to fit the renewed "Self" into real social contexts without devaluing one's insights.[9, 10]

The final goal is the state of Master of Two Worlds. This is the essence of the "period of creation," where the person moves freely between the inner spiritual world and the outer social reality. Creativity here is understood as the creation of one's own life. The person becomes a co-creator of their destiny, using their unique experience to serve others. This leads to the Freedom to Live—a state of liberation from fear and the fullness of being in the "here and now."

Since the midlife crisis is a process occurring at deep levels of the psyche, logical analysis is often insufficient. The rational mind (Ego) tends to resist change by engaging defense mechanisms. This is why working with images and metaphors, which are the "language" of our unconscious, is an effective tool for navigating the crisis.

For an ecological and deep processing of the crisis stages, specialized tools such as metaphorical associative cards (MAC) can be used. The MriyaRun project has developed a unique deck, "My Myth: The Hero's Journey," created specifically for navigating complex life transitions.

This deck is based precisely on the archetypal structure of the monomyth. The cards allow you to:

You can work with this tool in two formats:

Using such projective techniques helps turn the chaos of crisis into a structured narrative where you are not a victim of circumstance, but the Main Hero of your own story of transformation.[10, 12]

Combining Khukhlaeva's psychological approach and Campbell's mythological structure creates a map of maturation where suffering gains meaning as a necessary stage of transformation. The midlife crisis performs the function of a modern initiation, restoring the lost connection with the deep sources of life. And using modern self-discovery tools, such as metaphorical cards, allows one to walk this path more consciously, turning fate's challenges into a resource for a new stage of life.