The Mythic Path: Discovering the Guiding Stories of Your Past -- Creating a Vision for Your Future
Psychologists Feinstein and Krippner show us how to take responsibility for renewing our personal "guiding" mythologies. These myths establish our identity and provide a sense of direction and self-worth. The book explains how to identify outdated myths ("Everything I do must be perfect"), produce alternative imagery, and integrate a new vision into our life. The program uses dreams, journals, and ritual to create "personal shields," "power objects," and individualized fairy tales that will aid the transformation. During the 12 weeks, the authors explain how to identify conflicts between prevailing and emerging myths, how to understand both, and how to construct, refine, and make a commitment to live from a newly created mythology. They suggest three one-hour sessions per week as well as optional time on journaling and dream work. The authors admit that their prevailing thesis is a reiteration of the Hasidic proverb "Carefully observe which way your heart draws you, and then choose that way with all your strength."Patricia Hassler