Complex Thought and Construction of the Self in the Face of Aging and Death

Awareness of our own aging and eventual death demands a re-construction of our sense of self. This article offers a theoretical exploration of the process by which this adaptive re-construction might take place to avoid a potential developmental crisis. The discussion utilizes ideas from study on existential psychology, ambiguous loss, complex thought, and wisdom and spiritual traditions. The author is grateful to reviewers for their thoughtful suggestions.