Overview

The thirteenth-century Chartres Cathedral labyrinth and its historic precedents have been making a comeback as metaphors for the spiritual journey due to the work of Lauren Artress and others. In this book, Jungian analyst Sylvia Senensky probes the inner depths of the labyrinth as a source of Archetypal Feminine energy: the womb, the cave, the domain of the Goddess, the core of the earth, the encounter with planned chaos, and the consequences of ignored shadow. She draws on powerful personal experiences, the stories of women she has worked with as clients and workshop participants, and the rich literature of myth and fairy tale as found in Theseus and the Minotaur, Demeter and Persephone, Inanna, and Vasilisa the Beautiful. Poems and quotations also serve as examples. 20 illustrationsThis book is splendidly written, inviting the reader in. Using the labyrinth as a metaphorical container we are given a vision of how a deep Feminine wisdom is contained in its numinosity. By walking its sacred path on our inner journey we connect with a Feminine power so necessary to our ailing world. A very important work! -Jean Houston, Ph.D., Author of The Search for the BelovedAs our culture moves deeper into bewilderment and fear, more people are looking into their own unconscious for symbols of support. The labyrinth with its ancient roots spiraling deeper into our psyches than Christian roots, brings patience, balance, and strength to continue the journey. Sylvia Senensky opens a gateway into its magnificent depths. -Marian Woodman, Jungian Analyst, Author of Bone: Dying into LifeSylvia Senensky, M.Ed. is a Zurich-trained Jungian analyst and a graduate of Jean Houston's training program in the Cultivation of Human Capacities. Her analytical practice is in Toronto, Canada.