Customer Reviews

Healing Fiction

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This is the first work by Hillman I read, and that was for a course at the New School for Social Research. Although I have a masters degree in psychology, my background was in cognitive and social psychology. This was part of my introduction into psychopathology and Jungian psychology. I liked it so much that I have read it about 25 times. In reading this book, it is probably good to begin with the third chapter (What Does the Soul Want?), then read chapters one and two. You will find that order of reading the book helps. The emphasis is on the soul (not in a religious sense, but the soul as "psyche") and the needs of the "inner voice." From that point, the use of the case study is developed as a "healing fiction." In the development of that healing fiction, certain symbols, images, and signs are used. Each person, or soul, develops his or her own healing fiction as it strives to reach a balance.

In addition to being a premier Jungian psychologist, James Hillman is a neo-Platonist philosopher. The symbolic influence of ancient gods and goddesses, as well as the demands of the "daimon" on a person are introduced. You may notice that this fits well with some of the writings of Joseph Campbell, who was also strongly influenced by Jung. Hillman demonstrates a wide background in the classics, literature, and philosophy. This is a thinking person's book, especially recommended to students of psychology and to mental health professionals.

I highly recommend it. But difficult, like all James Hillman's books. His viewpoint is like no one else's. Informed by Jung, but not subservient to him.

This book is up there with Murray Stein's "In Midlife" in my estimation. There is probably more depth here. Its not about simply writing or re-writing your own story, though it is about that. It's about understanding what your story has been about up to now AND that it has been in large part a fiction. This is a defense mechanism that was needed in childhood but now evidently it has passed its usefulness and now one has to grow up and accept responsibility. That's the hard part. Also read his "puer papers" if you have midlife issues. The way of milk and blood are manna for us lost souls. Also see these books that focuses on dream images: Midlife Themes: A Self Study and The Way of the Image: The Orientational Approach to the Psyche