Michael Meade is one of the few people who provides a mythological view of critical issues affecting the world at this time. In The World Behind the World, Meade weaves a tapestry of mythic tales and cogent commentary that truly inspires and offers a "mythic inoculation" in times of great uncertainty. As nature rattles and culture unravels, mythic imagination tries to return to the world, for endings and beginnings are particularly mythic. When "the End" seems near, how people imagine the world becomes more important; how people imagine humanity becomes of the utmost importance. Meade shows how "myth makes meaning" and helps a person find the meaningful path through life. He mines a series of "re-creation" stories in which the earth renews itself just when all seems lost. When it appears that there's no time left, it isn't time that people need, but the touch of the eternal. While explaining how culture renews itself from the dreams of youth and the visions of elders, Meade introduces the concept of becoming ancient again by connecting to the eternal youth and the old soul within. At one level, The World Behind the World is a guide for living at the ends of time. At another level, it's an introduction to "living myth" and it involves a re-imagination of culture at all levels.
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Editorial Reviews
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"Michael Meade is a master-storyteller and story-teacher of the soul's unfolding. He addresses the mess we're in and helps us each discover the unique threads, the poetic DNA we must live out. As interpreter and mythic guide, he is the best there is." --~ Coleman Barks ~ Rumi: Bridge to the Soul
"As a teacher and mythologist, Michael Meade is genius let out of the bottle. The World Behind the World is his strong medicine for hard times, an elixir of amazing stories, rich ideas, heart-breaking truth, and brilliant seeds of wisdom for remaking the world." --~ Jack Kornfield ~ The Wise Heart
"A master-storyteller reminds us that the world is an endless tapestry of wonder and woe that is constantly being 're-storied' on the loom of imagination, and replanted in the seeds of memory. Michael Meade re-enchants us back into the The World Behind the World where all the mysteries co-exist. Undeniably, a relevant, brilliant and original book!" --~ Angeles Arrien ~ The Second Half of Life
"As a teacher and mythologist, Michael Meade is genius let out of the bottle. The World Behind the World is his strong medicine for hard times, an elixir of amazing stories, rich ideas, heart-breaking truth, and brilliant seeds of wisdom for remaking the world." --~ Jack Kornfield ~ The Wise Heart
"A master-storyteller reminds us that the world is an endless tapestry of wonder and woe that is constantly being 're-storied' on the loom of imagination, and replanted in the seeds of memory. Michael Meade re-enchants us back into the The World Behind the World where all the mysteries co-exist. Undeniably, a relevant, brilliant and original book!" --~ Angeles Arrien ~ The Second Half of Life
About the Author
Michael Meade, born and raised in New York City, is a renowned storyteller, author, and scholar of mythology, anthropology, and psychology. He combines hypnotic and fiery storytelling, street savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretations of ancient myths with a deep knowledge of cross-cultural rituals. His ability to tap into ancestral sources of wisdom to help people of today heal their communities inspires thousands of men and women throughout the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. His unique translations of age-old myths and symbols into culturally relevant, everyday language earned him an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Michael is also the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, author of The Water of Life, co-editor of The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart, and editor of the cross-cultural anthology on rites of passage: Crossroads: A Quest for Contemporary Rites of Passage.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Meade once again takes us into the territory of myth and story with The World Behind the World. The idea that the world is ending is woven throughout our culture. Meade explores the idea that science, religion, and culture are surprisingly agreeing that the world is ending. Viewing this notion through the lens of myth, Meade displays his ability to synthesize the collective views of the end-times of many cultures and many eras of human thought into a cohesive theory that the world cannot end unless it runs out of stories. Meade finds the common threads that run throughout creation and re-creation stories from all corners of the human experience. The end result is a reassuring reminder that we may be at one of the many "ends" of time, not the literal "end" of time. He explores similar ideas in The Ends of Time, the Roots of Eternity.
More so than in The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul, Meade has found a way to weave the natural rhythms and flow of his storytelling style into his writing. Anyone who has seen him speak will instantly recognize this voice within the book. Overall, The World Behind the World is a very approachable and enjoyable read; neither too scholarly, nor overly simplified. It places the reader squarely in the story of our times, serving as a reminder that many cultures have faced "the end" before, but that the "ends" exist to lead to renewal and new beginnings.
More so than in The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul, Meade has found a way to weave the natural rhythms and flow of his storytelling style into his writing. Anyone who has seen him speak will instantly recognize this voice within the book. Overall, The World Behind the World is a very approachable and enjoyable read; neither too scholarly, nor overly simplified. It places the reader squarely in the story of our times, serving as a reminder that many cultures have faced "the end" before, but that the "ends" exist to lead to renewal and new beginnings.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Philip Lewis
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm a big fan of Michael Meade's work. I think he is arguably one of the most important teachers of our time. His ancient and pluralistic vision of hope is refreshing in a weary and jaded world. However, I find this book actually too poetic to effectively explicate Meade's ideas. It's an enjoyable read, but I find it very much lacking in the impact and immediacy which characterize Meade's in-person lectures. Those who are already familiar with Michael Meade's work will probably get the most from "The World Behind the World." But those seeking an introduction to his unique perspective may be better off starting with his audio CD, "Holding the Thread of Life."
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Dan Brumer
Format:Paperback
Michael Meade's The World Behind the World is a solid mix of ancient story and contemporary perspective. A prescription for healing and revitalization in a time of confusion. Wisdom and clarity abound.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not too poetic?
This is not a review of this book but a commentary on a previous review. I was thinking about buying The World Behind the World but because of this review I bought the audio CD... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Jane Burch-Pesses
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
More people need to know who Michael meade is: a brilliant, soulful, grass roots author, a gifted storyteller, and a rare anthropological psycho-mythologist who sees the whole... Read more
Published on March 22, 2010 by John R. Lore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is there wisdom for the modern world to be found in the ancient...
Is there wisdom for the modern world to be found in the ancient world's myths and legends? There is, claims author Michael Meade in "The World Behind the World: Living at the Ends... Read more
Published on July 11, 2008 by Midwest Book Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
seeing ourselves in the world behind the world
The great American poet William Stafford found his poems in the fragments of language that shyly presented themselves to him in the early morning hours when he wrote. Read more
Published on June 11, 2008 by A. Crispino
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