Midlife as a Spiritual Journey
Welcome to Andorra’s Box revisited – a place designed to support women going through big life changes around the start of midlife, or just before. This is the time of life when women’s bodies, minds, emotions go through massive shifts that can lead to serious challenges if not navigated with conscious choices and support. Can you say menopause and aging?
A while back, I tuned into a free online event called the Crones, Hags & Elder Wise Women of Power – short talks for maturing women who are challenging societal views of what it means to age in today’s world. One of the main focuses of the event was that as we navigate our 40s and beyond, it’s critical to acknowledge and nurture our spiritual life. Why? Because aging can get uncomfortable and midlife offers a huge opportunity to see you life as an important piece in the web of life - ie, who you are and why you are here. This is an existential issue, a spiritual issue, a why-am-I-here issue.
If you identify as “spiritual” or are at least curious about your inner life, here are 8 ways spirituality can show up from the late-30’s to early 60s (do any resonate with you?):
A desire to find meaning: This is the “what’s my life all about?” question. Or what did certain life events, circumstance, people mean? Why did things happen the way they did?
Shifting perspectives about the roles we play: Midlife is when we transition from roles that dominated our earlier years, such as parenting or career-building. This opens up opportunities for self-discovery and exploring new aspects of our identity, including the spiritual dimension.
Finding inspiration in nature and the cycles of life: Noticing how nature changes and renews itself can awaken our connection with something bigger than ourselves - a “natural intelligence” that we are all part of.
Realizing the importance of health and wellbeing: Our own health can spark a focus on holistic well-being, including mental, emotional, and physical health. Practices such as meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and journaling can play a significant role in this journey.
Wanting deeper, more meaningful connections: As our roles shift, we often crave connection with like-minded women who are also seeking meaning and sisterhood as we age.
Questioning old goals and desiring more soul: shifting toward a more soul-centered way of living can lead to increased compassion, empathy, and a deeper connection to others.
Wanting to heal challenging parts of our lives: spirituality can help tend to deep hurts and repair younger versions of our selves.
Wanting support for losses: spirit enters the room when we are grieving, often with unexpected yet welcome gifts.
Every woman's entry into and navigation through midlife is obviously unique. As I approached 40, something subtle stirred within me and felt like a wake-up call to really pay attention to my life. That was over 20 years ago when my spiritual life began in earnest, after living agnostically but identifying as “spiritual, not religious”. I still live this way and value the healing and growth that continues into my 60s tending to the health of my mind, body and soul.
Honouring the impulses of the soul is the way to go through midlife - the eternal part of each of us needs to be acknowledged as we age, otherwise the pains of the past will define how we age.
So “Midlife as a Spiritual Journey” is now the theme of Andorra’s Box, and there’s lots to share about the opportunities and challenges of the midlife passage….so stay tuned, stay curious.
(If you are curious about your own soul journey, let’s chat.)
