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 illustrations
This 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 Beloved
As 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 Life
Sylvia 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.
