The Life/Death/Life nature is a cycle of animation, development, decline, and death that is always followed by re-animation. This cycle affects all physical life and all facets of psychological life. Everything - the sun, novas, and the moon, as well as the affairs of humans and those of the tiniest creatures, cells and atoms alike - have this fluttering, then faltering, then fluttering again.

- Clarissa Pinkola Estés (1992)