The Rebirth of the Hero: Mythology as a Guide to Spiritual Transformation

by Keiron Le Grice

The myth of the hero’s journey is an archetypal pattern of human experience, a symbolic portrayal of the individual’s struggle for greater consciousness, psychological wholeness, and spiritual realization. In this book, Keiron Le Grice draws on the ideas and life experiences of C. G. Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Friedrich Nietzsche to explore the spiritual journey of the modern self, from existential crisis and the “awakening of the self” to the dramatic encounter with the underworld of the psyche and the arduous labor of psychological transformation. In a work of wide-ranging scope and insight, Le Grice analyzes myths, religious texts, and scenes from a number of popular films—Jason and the Argonauts, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and more—to illuminate the stages and themes of the hero’s journey, helping to make the deepest of transformative experiences more readily intelligible to us all. “It is a great gift when a scholar has the ability to synthesize ideas from several deep thinkers and multiple disciplines, and then write with a clarity and directness that renders those ideas accessible to a wide readership. It is an even greater gift when that author has integrated these ideas with his own personal journey, so that what he writes has the emotional authenticity and existential relevance of life lived, not merely books studied. In The Rebirth of the Hero, Keiron Le Grice has brought those gifts to his readers in a way that many will find of immense value as they pursue the spiritual adventure of our age.” ––Richard Tarnas, author of The Passion of the Western Mind and Cosmos and Psyche. “an outstanding contribution in offering a freshly-laid path for the individuation process. . . .[Le Grice] invites us to renew the value of myth, which, in turn, transforms the individual, culture, and the heartbeat of the earth.” ––Kathryn Madden, Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of the C. G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology, and author of Dark Light of the Soul.

Genres: Astrology

302 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me surpreendi muito positivamente com este livro. Depois de ler quase uma dezena de livros sobre a Jornada do Herói, muitos deles com teor de autoajuda, já estava bastante cansado de narrativas que queriam me convencer a usar os arquétipos na minha vida. Este livro de Keiron Le Grice é diferente. Ele realmente traz uma análise da Jornada e das ideias de Joseph Campbell sem querer vender uma doutrina ou estilo de vida. É um livro bastante completo que traz também os antecedentes à ideias de Campbell, explicando um pouco sobre como ele chegou nas suas ideias, mas também trazendo interlocução com outros autores que vieram depois de Campbell. Se eu tivesse que indicar um livro apenas que faz uma crítica e uma explicação da Jornada do Herói não seria nenhum daqueles que li na semana passada e sim, este aqui. Acabou sendo uma ótima opção de leitura e, por acaso, foi o último de toda uma leva. Mas é aquela velha frase irônica: as coisas sempre estão no último lugar que a gente procura. Não é mesmo?

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jung, Nietzsche, Campbell ideas and principles illustrated with old&modern mythologic narritives such as Odysseus, lord of the rings, star wars and good writing.... what's not to like 😉 A work that puts the puzzle pieces together. I am left inspired and hungry to continue my individuation journey 😄🙏

[Mr. Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing follow-up to any reader who enjoyed "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," by Joseph Campbell. Challenging, re-orienting, soulful, and deeply philosophical.

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful application of a mythological understanding of life, as well as its place in modern society. I would advise that you have at least a casual familiarity with Jung and Joseph Campbell before reading, as the author expands on their ideas.