The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul - Softcover

Meade, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0976645041 ISBN 13: 9780976645047

Publisher: Greenfire Pr, 2006

Synopsis

At once a mythic journey, a study in depth psychology, and a treatise on initiation, The Water of Life addresses the roots of conflict, the recurring hunger for war, and the underlying need to return culture to its mythic context. Telling stories drawn from many cultures, Meade’s genius relies on the power of myth and the surprising gift of mythic imagination for solutions to the new threats and age-old dilemmas that increasingly plague humankind. Original.

About this title

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.

From the Inside Flap

A mythic tapestry of multicultural stories that encourages both women and men to examine their own lives and find seeds of initiatory and healing experiences that can become the threads of meaningful community.“Michael Meade’s writing sings with an incantational voice. His book is rich with insights, marvelous in its tales, and full of heart. It takes you right to the edge of elemental knowledge. What a piece of work!” - James Hillman “Magical and profound, unlike anyone else one is likely to encounter, Michael Meade is one of the greatest living teachers of our time.” - Alice Walker “The Water of Life is an astonishing book. Michael Meade has a genius for metaphorical thinking, and the stamina of a diver. He rescues six great stories from the Celtic, African, and European past so they can be part of the emotional life of contemporary men and women. Woven through the book we also find an account of his own repeated refusal to obey orders during the Vietnam War, and what he paid for that. This story alone is worth the price of the book.” - Robert Bly “Michael Meade, masterful storyteller, draws on the power of myths, fairy tales, and his own personal story of descent and transformation in order to speak to men. His is a bones-laid-bare viewpoint—fierce, though, and loving. Women will find it useful to listen in as men struggle to come to terms with issues of power, wounds, violence, passion, love, and more.” - Clarissa Pinkola Estes “With his unyielding commitment to truth and bringing cultures together, Michael Meade captures the power of ancient oral discourse... What emerges is an enchanting concert of rhythm, images, and words.” - Malidoma Some “There are whole universes curled up in Michael Meade’s stories and ideas. He invites the ancient and perennial for these modern tumultuous times, characterized by spiritual rootlessness and deep loss. The Water of Life is a classic text that opens doors of imagination and possibility—doors of renewal and reckoning. The Water of Life carries us over a threshold into a dance of dreams, words, and images.” - Luis J. Rodriguez

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenfire Pr
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0976645041
• ISBN 13: 9780976645047
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 396