Decipher the Mind

Author: (USA) Hillman (Hillman.J.)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-10-01
Features: Plato and the ancient Greeks called it the "Guardian Spirit," the Romans called it "Talent," and Christians call it "Guardian Angel." Today, we use words like "heart," "soul," and "spirit." For James Hillman, it is the core guardian power of his absolutely unique and engaging "Acorn Theory," which proposes that every life is formed by a specific image, which is the essential core of that life, calling it toward a destiny, just as the fate of a towering oak is written in a tiny acorn. This theory offers a liberating perspective on the anxieties of childhood and also explores exciting themes, such as fate and determinism, character and desire, family influence and freedom, particularly delving into the calling of fate—the invisible mystery at the core of every life, which poses a fundamental question: "In my heart, what must I do, what must I possess?" Decoding the Soul is dedicated to seeking the true inner self, rather than exploring how it came to be or where it is going. Hillman does not see himself as a result, or worse, a victim of his life, nor does he promise or even seek "healing." Instead, he welcomes the inevitability of every aspect of life and advocates viewing "symptoms" as clues to unlocking the needs of the guardian spirit. Essentially, Hillman believes that the traditional "either/or" genetic and environmental classifications explain far less than the richness of each individual's life. His method is not only to force his readers to re-examine their childhood impulses, fantasies, thoughts, and even accidents—all of which reflect the "blueprint" indicating the direction of their biographical progress—but also to take the extraordinary (with extensive examples ranging from Yehudi Menuhin to Geoffrey Darby) as a path of inspiration for the ordinary. As the author says, "We need a completely new way to view the significance of our lives." His work provides an extremely practical and imaginative approach to studying life, not just a new way of looking, but also a method of "reviving the invisible," and thus a way to reclaim what has been lost of our inner self.