Why does Ego Death have to be so Theatrical?

God says in Neale Walsch's Conversations with God that our journey does get easier, and comparing my life with other historical figures that certainly feels right. Still, I have often wondered why so many spiritual path travelers, myself included, have reported the feeling of being on the edge and looking into the abyss feeling. I hate fear and I presume most others do too, so why to have it in the first place?

Joseph Cambell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces makes a good point. He says that by transcending into the metaphysical sphere you are dealing with forces that are simply overpowering. Unless you are part of a process that allows you to conquer them step by step, i.e. the slow ego death, they will consume you. He gives the example of Prometheus who was a champion of mankind known for his enormous intelligence. He pretty much dashed into heaven and stole the fire from Zeus. Well, Zeus tied him to a stone and had his liver eaten out by an eagle day by day while growing it back over night.

The moral of the story: next time you face ego death remember it could be a lot worse. Happy traveling!