PURPOSE: This study examined the crisis experiencing by middle - aged women and tried to understand their lived experiences also explored the nature of their crisis. METHOD: The data was collected from 7 participants living in Incheon and Seoul from Sep. 2000 to Feb. 2001. The analysis of the data was made the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Giorgi. RESULT: The meanings of the lived experiences of the middle - aged women's crisis ; Impatience about decreased physical function : an attack of a disease, decreased strength, decreased quickness, decreased desire, increased concern of health, poor memory, easy fatigue, change of appearance, change of conjugal relations, sense of loss. Psychological, emotional disturbances : sense of emptiness, regret, sharpness, feeling gloomy, fear of dying, loneliness, feeling the want, loss of confidence. Attitude of active life : reinforcement of self experience, enrichment of understanding, search of self satisfaction, search of self development, development of support system, management of independent life. Envy feeling from relative comparison : feeling of comfort, unsatisfaction to the husband, yearning for youth. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the program should be developed for the program of physical, psychological, and emotional health and expansion of social role of the middle - aged women.