Following the themes of his new book, Michael Meade explores the realm of transformation. He looks through the living text of nature, the creative dynamics of the human psyche, and the roots of imagination. These foundational elements are what make personal and cultural change possible.
As familiar patterns unravel and once vital systems fall apart, long forgotten ideas and barely imagined designs can also be on the verge of being revealed. When the outside world has no center, the sense of wholeness and centrality must be found in the individual self and soul.
We are being called to experience a radical mode of transformation in which letting go of fixed patterns and old attitudes becomes necessary both for psychological growth and for reimagining cultural life. The age-old practice of “reading the text of nature” reveals how psyche naturally connects to the process of metamorphosis and to the awakening of the deep self within each person.
Imagining that we are in the middle of a collective rite of passage can reveal hidden potentials, untapped resources and open otherwise unseen ways forward. To avoid overwhelm and find meaningful ways forward, we must tap the deep resources of our souls which can connect us to the timeless roots of imagination and the endless energies of creation.
Finding the inner myth of the soul gives a person a genuine orientation to life, but also releases the vital energy needed to move the soul towards its destiny. In times of change the spirit of life and the genius of the soul can speak directly to us and reconnect us to all that is creative and redemptive in life.
Jungian themes from “The Heart of Transformation”:
- How chaos in the outer world stirs the deep self within each person.
- The creative tension and dynamics of inner gifts and wounds.
- How we are not alone in these troubled times, but can be supported by key archetypes such as the Deep Self, the archetype of creativity and the archetype of the inner initiate.
