To Heed the Signal.
We feel that our life is coming undone. It's the signal to waken that begins an initiation. The signal can take many forms:
Illness or accident.
Betrayal by a spouse.
Death of a loved one.
Urge to enter psychotherapy.
Impulse to begin a period of self-examination.
Recognition of an unhealthy scene.
Recognition of an unhealthy relation.
This is our opportunity to transcend the lament "Why is this happening to me?"
This is our chance to seek a greater purpose behind the crisis. During this acute phase, we'll most likely experience a disruption of our ego. It's our sense of "I am." We, our ego, tend to cling to old definitions of who we are: the Provider, the Responsible One, the Caretaker, the Black Sheep, the Boss, the Martyr, and so on. When we answer the call to waken, we leave behind, at least for now, this familiar turf and may feel grouchy, pained, contrary, scared and unmoored.