At some point in midlife, an unsettling awareness can creep in: time is moving faster, the body is aging, and the future is no longer an open-ended expanse but a finite reality. A restless unease sets in, sometimes surfacing in insomnia, health anxieties, or an unshakable sense of loss. This is existential death anxiety—the deep, often unconscious fear of mortality that becomes harder to ignore as we move into our 40s, 50s, and beyond.

One of the most memorable and talked-about elements of the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony was the half-naked man, painted entirely in blue. He portrayed the ancient Greek god Dionysus, the god of wine, celebration, and ecstasy, embodying the "Dionysian archetype" that represents a collective human experience.

"Permission to feel" means allowing yourself to experience and express your emotions without judgment. Think of emotions as water flowing in a river. Just as water needs to flow freely, emotions need to move through us without obstruction. When we give ourselves permission to feel, we allow this natural flow, preventing emotional stagnation and promoting mental well-being.

Rumi, the luminous 13th-century poet, offers us timeless wisdom with his words: "Somewhere beyond right and wrong, there is a garden. I will meet you there." This imagery of a serene, accepting garden becomes a powerful metaphor for therapy—a sacred journey toward self-discovery and healing.