The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By

This book in essence for me was a life changer. Friends of mine recommended the book to me. I was somewhat skeptical of the concepts when one of them kept repeating "we're magicians, we're magicians!" I said to myself "witchcraft?!" oh nah this book is not for me. I stand corrected, this book is for EVERYONE! I could not stop myself from turning the next page. Each page revealed another secret behind the human psyche and all the potential we possess if we listen to our archetypes and the experiences that we face throughout our lives. I can understand myself and others with a clearer conscience because of this book. The author is witty, thoughtful, and filled with so much wisdom. Excellent read. This book will reside amongst my favorite reads!

Concise, clear, accessible, quick - yet with resonate depth, this is a very good 'guide'/framework for dealing with observations of mind/heart/soul of yourself, those around you and the society we have collectively created. Many insights gained through hardships, failure, being lost, victimized yet struggling, struggling in the right and in the wrong ways I found in these pages, clearly spelled out. Highly recommended for any and all readers. I applaud the work. That said, two comments: - Review by Michael Tsarion close to the top is an important note. We are living in a society that worships speed and materialism. In this superficial world, with immense hidden harm, ignorance and disconnect with our deeper selves, and the so called 'darker sides' which we need to become truly whole are not often recognized or known. Yet, this book is still something to read, to engage with, and perhaps the "word" can lead, as the pointing finger in Zen to the deeper experience beyond words? More importantly: Again, I appreciate the work. I wish there was a more expansive ethical dimension. The welfare of animals and the planet is mentioned at times, but there are many comments belonging to human supremacy, and our Blind Warrior archetype, where we see it morally proper to harm other living beings who happen to not be our species. I am not saying we should starve to death - but we can live in thriving win-win ecosystems with all other living beings on this planet (the return to the Garden of Eden) without resorting to harming others. Several times in every single chapter there are comments that make me cringe when this myopia rears its ugly head. We humans are not the best life ever created. We possibly could be, if we awakened to what life truly is about, but we are still sleeping in our human-centric, human supremacy - the shadow side of the Warrior where we use might might to "prove" our egocentrically believed superiority... and it will get us all killed. Please, keep this in mind. And second, find ways to not live out this blindness in your life. First thing is to stop eating meat, as the 10 billion+ feeling, thinking, social animals currently killed under horrific conditions - like never before, due to our industrialized way of doing it, in 'efficient' factories - is by design hidden from the public view, and we gladly abide in this denial and blindness of the heart. if you want to reduce suffering, this is the ONE thing to do (even when it comes to animals: research, cosmetics ++ make out about 1 percent of horrors, the 99% is 'factory meat'), if you want to save yourself, if you want to save the planet for future generations, please find this in your heart, and at least cut down on the meat. Thank you.

The so-called Archetypes are no more. As the poets might put it, they've long since fled, leaving a vacuum in the psyche that nothing can fill. What is left isn't to be considered an Arche-Type at all, not a primal, original influence. What's left is a husk or zombie. We've been so outer-directed and anti-psychological for so long, it's a case of Elvis has long left the building. This book is addressed, therefore, to no one in particular. Certainly no one in the US. No one has ever done any Shadow Work, and no one intends to. Too busy shopping, brawling and voting for the new boss-man offering chains of gold. Big Pharma knows this all too well, and supplies the Happy Pills for those wishing to simply anesthetize hurt and anger. No Shadow Work involved. No Shadow Work in sight. We're not only in an anti-psychological age, we are in a non-psychological age. We have the word, and little else. Socialism spreads its poison, and the world objects to any kind of heroism except that of the Mob. The individual is nixed and his ways null and void. There is no psychology of the Individual, only of the Crowd. We have the Will to Negation, not the Will to Meaning directed by any wholesome Jungian archetypes. Now that the Shadow and the rest of the archetypes have been uninstalled and simulated by the artificial society - purchasable in the toddlers section of Toys R Us - we have our satori. No inner distress at all from being Selves. The ego is cut free to be one with the cosmos, to inflate itself to epic proportions and dictate what's right for the world. Hence the rise of Socialism in America. Hence the political histrionics of the "Emancipated." Yawn. Now that the psyche itself has been voided, we can now merrily get on with disingenuous chit-chat ABOUT psychological themes. "I tried that having a psyche thing, and didn't like it." And now that the corpse is dead and buried, we can cover the crime by TALKING about it. We can throw up Carol Pearson, Debbie Ford, Caroline Myss, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra and Oprah to pontificate on it from morning till night. And we'll go for it. self-deception being the rule and order of the day. We must maintain the window-dressing. Hail Dr. Phil. It all falls down once we remember - the word is definitely NOT the thing. As Jung himself predicted, what we've got is absurdity from those who'll do anything to avoid facing their souls. Religion once offered the means of doing this, and now we've got psychiatry and neo-Jungians who've completely missed the plot, acting as apologists for the necrophilous society rather than as its severest critics. Sadly, although this book is worth reading, it's endless politically-correct anecdotes reveal the author to be herself deeply neurotic. She's obviously the victim of negative Shadow and Animus projections, or in her own profiling model, she's possessed by Orphan and Altruist archetypes (parodies of them that is). The genuine archetypes have long fled the scene. But as Nietzsche said, we're left worshiping the serpents in the ruins and ashes of the cathedrals and temples that once stood high and strong. *** *** ***

In her widely-acclaimed book, The Hero Within, Carol Pearson reminds the reader of the ways in which we can be heroic in our daily lives. She does this by identifying the archetypal stages of development that we all go through, and illuminates the tasks that must be mastered in order to successfully move on to the next stage. She offers a clear description of each of these stages: Innocent, Orphan, Wanderer, Warrior, Martyr, and Magician, and provides great insight into the ways that we can all meet the challenge of fulfilling their requirements with skill and courage. In successfully meeting these challenges we develop inner strengths and virtues that last a lifetime. I have personally benefited greatly from reading this book and other books by Carol Pearson and I highly recommend it! - Linda Bloom Co-Author of 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married, Secrets of Great Relationships, and Happily Ever After... and 39 Myths about Love.

To look inside oneself and relate your own experience with the 6 archetypes described in this brilliant book is gift. It heps you understand your moves in life, the meaning of the experiences we get through and the ways in which we can grow and mature in order to finally meet our real SELF who is our hero within. Not to miss for people searching inside.

Make sure you do not let you mind wide open and let anything into you mind. Judge what you accept and read because you do not know if someone is trying to persuade you in some manner, whether they do it accidentally or purposefully. Carol is a far leftist and it is apparent in many sentences which she gives within the first chapter and introduction. Here are some examples Page 30 " This can be particularly annoying if you are a woman or a man of color and the boss is male and white. It will feel like racism or sexism (which to a lesser or greater degree it is)." Page 11 "Women and people of color are often actively discouraged from seeing themselves in a heroic light." There is no evidence for that but being a far-leftist Carol does not care. Page 8 "why woman and racial minorities must work so hard to rid themselves of internalized sexist and racist attitudes" Now I've already highlighted some things but if the rest of the book is like the beginning, and she drags on a lot, I will probably stop reading and suggest a different book.

This book breaks down people’s perspective that are attached with an archetype. It breaks out from minute details to look at people’s strengths and weaknesses as a whole. These are not viewed as judgement but as areas for growth or developing strength. It’s a treasure of clarity and simplicity.

Very interesting and informative read. Helped me look at my issues from a different perspective allowing me to take back my control. Wish I read this when I was a teenager. Would have made life a lot easier.

Best self help book for someone who had childhood trauma. Not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to cry and feel angry. Then enjoy life as it should be.

Bien. Solo la pasta se hace rollo!!! Material corriente

Livro prático de psicologia junguiana e de difícil disponibilidade em português. Texto fluido, aborda alguns perfis arquetípicos trazendo histórias para contexto e soluções de cada jornada. Excelente livro para autoconhecimento, para trabalhos que envolvam montagem de times multifuncionais, administração de conflitos e para aqueles que queiram aplicar seu conteúdo em branding e segmentação de marketing. Recomendo.

Beim Erscheinen der Erstauflage im Jahre 1986 konnte Carol S. Pearson nicht wissen, dass ihr Buch fast dreißig Jahre später noch immer ein großes Publikum anziehen wird. Und natürlich hatte sie damals auch keine Ahnung, auf welchen Gebieten sich ihre Helden tummeln werden. Und die Wahrscheinlichkeit ist groß, dass unter der Überschrift „Uses of this Book“ bei einer weiteren Auflage auch der Begriff „Storytelling“ auftauchen wird. Denn schließlich gehören stimmige Charaktersierungen von Helden zum Handwerk eines guten Geschichtenerzählers. Verfasst wurde das Buch in erster Linie für Leser, die sich selber besser kennenlernen möchten, um ihr Leben gezielter anzugehen. Doch schon bald zeigten auch Eltern, Psychotherapeuten, Lehrer, Berater, Trainer und Organisationen der verschiedensten Art Interesse an Pearsons Ansatz, das Konzept der Jung’schen Archetypen zeitgemäß zu interpretieren. Denn Drachen gibt es in jeder Form und überall. Und ob man Probleme lösen kann, ist nicht nur eine Frage der richtigen Waffen oder Strategien, sondern hängt auch wesentlich von der Selbsteinschätzung derer ab, die gewillt sind, den Kampf gegen den Drachen aufzunehmen. Was Carol S. Pearson unter der Überschrift „Anti-Heroic Culturale Forces“ schreibt, ist seit einigen Jahren wieder aktuell. Aber nach wie vor gilt, dass man besser die Hände von diesem Buch lässt, wenn man die Meinung vertritt, dieser Archetypus sei überholt oder eine unstatthafte Vereinfachung komplexer Verhaltensmuster. Jedenfalls teile ich die Meinung der Autorin, dass die meisten von uns „Sklaven der Geschichten sind, die wir uns unbewusst über unser Leben erzählen. Und Frieden kann erst in dem Moment beginnen, in dem wir uns der Handlungen bewusst werden, die unser Leben bestimmen. Dazu soll dieses Buch eine Hilfe sein. Auf Seite erhält der Leser eine erste Übersicht, mit welchen Archetypen er es zu tun haben wird. Es sind dies: Orphan, Wanderer, Warrior, Altruist, Innocent und Magician. Folgerichtig stehen auf der Landkarte dann: Choosing Freedom, Surviving Difficulties, Finding Yourself, Proving Worth, Showing Generositiy, Achieving Happiness und Transforming Your Life. Im zweiten Teil „Personal Mastery: The Guidebook“ geht es um die Entwicklung der inneren Ressourcen. Das zeigen auch die folgenden Überschriften der Kapitel: Honoring Your Life: The Route, Troubleshooting When You Get Lost or Stuck: The Compass, The Ethics of the Journey: The Code. Der Anhang mit Tests, Guidelines und den Umfeldern der sechs Archetypen umfasst knapp vierzig Seiten und ist in vier Teile gegliedert. Der Appendix D ist Fortgeschrittene oder Neugierige gedacht, die mit zwölf Typen spielen wollen. Und ganz zum Schluss findet sich eine Literarturliste, die leider keine Titel aufführt, die nach 1996 erschienen sind. Mein Fazit: Man kann von Typisierungen halten, was man will, spielerisch angewendet können sie eine Große Hilfe sein. Carol S. Pearson wählt den richtigen Ton zwischen Glaubensbekenntnis, psychologischer Fachsprache und Formulierungen des gesunden Menschenverstandes. Zudem schreibt sie ein Englisch, das sich auch mit einem Sprachschatz entschlüsseln lässt, den Shakespeare wahrscheinlich schon in der Pubertät verwendete.

Excellent book with lots of examples and easy to understand. Written in non-technical language.