The myth of the solitary hero comes full circle in these timeless tales on timely issues. These tales from around the world portray fathers and sons battling for power, facing their shadows, meeting the trickster, and learning playfulness, camaradie, and wisdom. Finally they introduce male archetypes that are healers rather than heroes.
Do adults ever live happily ever after? Interpreted in light of contemporary research on mid-life and aging, these rare fairy tales reveal a deep folk wisdom about the psychological tasks encountered in the second half of life. Collected from around the world, these stories offer an engaging exploration into the problems of adulthood and aging. The author is a psychiatrist practicing in San Francisco. He has published numerous papers on adult development and aging. This book assembles "for the first time" fairy tales in which elders are protagonists. The stories are delightful in themselves, but interpreted under Chinen's skillful hand, they offer a psychology of maturity where wit and wisdom replace the audacity and strength of youth. The book is (according to Jungian Analyst June Singer) in a word wonderful. It is also beautifully written, so heartwarming and so wise.
A Jungian Perspective on Timeless Tales
The book explores the intersection of storytelling and psychological healing, using folktales from various cultures that depict adults facing personal conflicts and the quest for truth. Through these narratives, the author highlights the importance of storytelling in fostering reconciliation and understanding, drawing from their own experiences as a psychiatrist-psychotherapist to provide insights into the therapeutic power of these age-old tales.