Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69096 in Books
• Published on: 1992-02-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Synopsis
Jungian analyst Robert Moore and mythologist Douglas Gillette combine in this book that attempts to break the code on the structure of the mature masculine personality. Examining the four mature archtypes: the King (energy of creative ordering), the Warrior (energy of non-violent aggressive action), the Magician (energy of initiation and transformation) and the Lover (energy to connect men to others and the world). The authors argue that a man's failure or success in life depends on achieving access to the archetypal energies.

Customer Reviews

Encompassing wonder!
Having recently spent a week at Findhorn with Robert Moore and feeling his humility and kingly energy at first hand, as well as re-reading this inspirational book again, with a new slant, I am very much in awe of the powerful wisdom that is contained within the pages of possibly one of the primers of the male movement since the early 1990s. In person, Moore has quoted statistical evidence to back up the broad sweep of his intuitive claims for his four archetype theory, but such claims are not evidenced here, instead concentrating on a broad delineation.

Surely we are listening to the positive central tenets of the KWML in its outline of the passage from boyhood to manhood by now..?

However, a regular appraisal of any news TV and advertising will tell you otherwise.. the false heart of the reporting press seems more interested in a society in the grip of monster boys and high performing narcissists - even if disturbingly accurate. Or maybe these media outlets are reporting on a society that is badly in need of inclusive kingly provision, warrior focus, magician transformation, and lover intimacy? Such traits that are not even considered in their full maturity.. reaching a spiritual cardinal virtuosity as blessing, service, healing and joy.

Moore avers that the means of achieving the quest to obtain male maturity has been lost in a western framework and resembles a slow deliberate torture of the soul without maturation reference points, especially from those provided by older wiser men.

This book is a Jungian unravelling of the deep structures of the collective unconscious, and by emersing in its deep and rich information, has the potential to provide an archetypal journey of the Self with a concomitant mature strengthening of Egoic adaptations.

Moore originally dedicated his life to completing Jung's map of the collective unconscious, and instead stumbled upon a generation of men who readily 'incorporated' his work, and have culturally thrived in its deep reflective waters of male exploration..

Very insightful neo-Jungian book
This is one of those "Must Read" books that goes on some analysis of the building block of the human personality. It is not to be considered as a New Age book (even if the authors' approach is definitely New Age), because it's based on Jungian Psychoanalysis.

The authors give a quite good look at four personality traits of humans and how they are (rightfully) represented by the unconscious by four Archetypes, and not on someone's "hunch".

There is a discussion on how each of these traits manifest in a personality when it's too active, passive, and also when it's manifested properly, which I personally found quite spot on. Also, there is a section which shows how how to equilibrate these energies in one's self, and although their approach is seems tacky, it somehow works, although I would have preferred a more pyscho-analytical approach.

Maybe the writing style is not the best, but in this case I think the message it conveys is far more important.

Great Insight but doesn't sizzle!
REally insightful book. Lots of useful information on male archetypes and their shadows - not really an ideal first book for someone looking into male issues, but for those who's already done some exploring it's definitely worth having.

The one criticism I would have is that some fo the prose is a little turgid and it takes some concentration to read and absorb. Well worth making the effort though!