This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read, on healing and its deeper implications. Don't miss it.

This is probably the best work on healing I have read so far; I am now on my third reading and it will not be the last as there is so much in this book to chew on. Whitmont, who was born in the early part of the century, is (if he's still alive) an M.D. and psychotherapist, and also well versed in homeopathy, alchemy, chaos theory, the theories of Rupert Sheldrake and David Bohm, and many other topics such as art, literature, and drama. He has a truly broad intellect as well as a highly developed intuitive sense. I would say his ideas are firmly within the humanist tradition, without any New Age leanings. Indeed, he shows that in healing, darkness is just as important as "the Light"--for the darkness is where one goes to mine the gold of the deepest human experiences. He does not approach the causes of illness from the standpoint so prevalent today of "we cause our illnesses by not dealing with our emotional or soul issues." Rather, he points out that illness, as well as all phenomena, proceeds from a deeper level of reality whose patterns are not readily discernible or understandable when viewed from the three dimensional reality we inhabit. Although I cannot summarize the book well because it contains so much, I would say that his basic stance is that everything of the visible world is rooted in an invisible reality, an "implicate order," (to quote physicist David Bohm) and that in healing we must take that implicate order into consideration just as much as we do the physical reality of the illness. His way of doing this takes up a good part of the second portion of the book. (The first portion explains his way of looking at man, reality, and the universe, with an interesting first chapter on homeopathy.) I highly recommend this book to any healer, whether you are a nurse, physician, psychotherapist, energy healer, somatics practitioner, whatever.........it's not necessarily an easy read but it will open up many dimensions of the healing process to you.

Two worlds, ruled by different Kings; two princesses, separated at birth - both, heir to a Goddess' power. Trained by monks since infancy, Princess Anora has used meditation to attempt to contact her other half for many years. However, she has failed everytime. With her world under threat from the spreading chaos, Princess Anora knows the only way to victory is to become the double-headed dragon but she can only do this by joining with Iona.

Meanwhile, Princess Iona has spent a pampered life, totally unaware of her duty. Her mother died when she was only little, and the knowledge of her true nature died with her. During her confinement she looks into a magic mirror, which shows her Princess Anora. Finding a companion, in her time of trial is a blessing for Iona. Finally she learns of her potential, but she can't contact Anora without the mirror. How will they ever join? They've to become one if Anora is to save her kingdom and Iona to save her father.

This book is portrayed in realistic details in excellency. The plot also has some nice twists.

Whitmont's writing can be a bit obscure at times. However, he succeeds in presenting us with a wealth of information, descriptions, and his view of the role of the goddess archetype in human conciousness. The work, according to Whitmont, the work that will get us out of the "wasteland" of our times, is to reclaim the fountain and the mermaids that sing in it. His description of the Grail myth (especially its use by Hitler and the Nazis) is, in my opinion, an absolute requirement for all those who have heard the "What ails you?" call.

Exploring the psychological implications of the sexual continuum, Whitmont's Return of the Goddess alerts us to the potential of our current situation wherein a "new mythologem is arising in our midst and asks to be integrated into our modern frame of reference. It is the myth of the ancient Goddess who once ruled earth and heaven before the advent of the patriarchy and of the patriarchal religions." Truly a "myth for our times," Whitmont traces the evolution of consciousness through its magical, mythical and mental phases in the history of the world and urges both male and female readers to affirm a state of "psychological pregnancy and thereby reclaim one's own femininity, the personalizing and civilizing force arising out of subjective chaos." Whitmont's book is a vital tool for those interested in the reintegration of Western society at a time when scientism, materialism and the faux enlightenment of prosperity have reached their outer limits ....

If anybody can take the pains to read and reread a book inch by inch, over and over again, ad infinitum, until you reach the other side, then by all means read this book! Being able to learn, retain and actually actualize the ideas he espouses, as you go along, into one ever expanding platform is all essential to even remotely comprehending so much as the first chapter, let alone the first page of this entire book! Mr. Whitmont is extreemly intellectual and wrote this book for people like him that thirst for inner knowledge. The text is written AS IF you already happen to know a number of words used only by depth psychologists. So be prepared to learn literally a text book of data per every page. This work is hailed as the next generation of Jungian thought written by Jung's prodigy student and spiritual heir apparent. And cannot be expected to be instantly readable by everyone, especially those already angry with Jung in general.Yet with each new concept integrated into your understanding of Jungianism, there will be a definite reward in terms of personal growth. I promise you a rose garden!

The Symbolic Quest remains the best popular introduction to the theory and practice of analytical psychology.

Contents: Introduction -- The Symbolic Approach -- The Approach to the Unconscious -- The Objective Psyche -- The Complex -- Archetypes and Myths -- Archetypes and the Individual Myth -- Archetypes and Personal Psychology -- Psychological Types -- The Persona -- The Shadow -- Male and Female -- The Anima -- The Animus -- The Self -- The Complex of Identity: The Ego -- The Ego-Self Estrangement -- Ego Development and the Phases of Life -- Therapy -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

Whitmont presents the basic concepts of Jungian psychology in prose which is, indeed, intricate (one of the less pejorative meanings of "convoluted"); but there is no better overview and summary of Carl Jung's astonishingly broad and comprehensive theories. This is not and is not meant to be a "popular" book but does seek - and reaches - a general reader who is willing to learn. The Redwood City reader takes the allegedly incomprehensible sentence out of the context in which it is embedded. On the page previous to it, active thinking is contrasted with passive thinking and thinking is contrasted with feeling. With that in mind - a "translation":

"Active thinking brings a representation (i.e. a likeness or image rising from perception) to a process of ordering and sequencing which establishes a cause-effect relationship between a given event and that which appears to [but does not necessarily] follow it."

Whitmont's next sentence points out that this interpretation [i.e. the assignment of a cause-effect relationship] is "imposed" upon the facts and because of this may or may not be a true and valid interpretation of them. "Pretentious" can mean "making demands on one's skill" - though I doubt that is what Redwood City reader means to say. In the sense of "unjustified claims of value" - which is probably what was meant, he is in error; but in the former sense, it is true, the book makes demands and offers great rewards.

....as written by authors of a Jungian persuasion.

Those very familiar with Jungian dream theory will find the first couple of chapters slow and basic. Others will welcome the exposition of why dreams do what they do.

Dreams, not just as imaginal compensations for the narrowness of conscious daily life, but as completions, as fillings-in to be lived as night-time dramas; dreams as metaphoric missing pieces of what we neglect in our journeys toward wholeness; as messages, or letters, in the Talmudic sense, we must open to understand: all this is here, and warmly recommended.

I can't write a book review without at least a brief comment on style. In this case, nothing close to the poetry of a Hillman or a Romanyshyn. Adequately expository, though. They do a good job of seeing to it that the reader gets the ideas.

The authors claim to have written for clinicians, but the educated non-therapist unacquainted with the tools of dreamlife can find real gold in this book.

If you're curious beyond the simple "did I dream that because I ate a bad hamburger" or "I can't understand my dreams, so they don't make any sense," then begin here.