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17th out of 381 books
—
440 voters
Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformation
by
Joseph Campbell,
David Kudler (Goodreads Author)
Joseph Campbell is one of this century's great disseminators of the psychological wisdom of mythology. One of the basic functions of myth, he contends, is to help each individual through the journey of life, providing a travel guide to reach fulfillment — a map to discover "bliss." In Pathways to Bliss, Campbell once again draws on his masterful gift of storytelling to app...more
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
October 26th 2004
by New World Library
(first published 2004)
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Classic Joseph Campbell at his best. Pathways to Bliss is a collection of lectures, interviews, and seminars that Campbell gave between 1962 and 1983. If you've read Joseph Campbell before, then this book may seem redundant at parts, but for those of us who could use a little reminding and repetition it's good to hear some of the same stories and points that Joseph Campbell is so well known for.
Some of my favorite ideas I'll list below:
A myth isn't a lie... a myth points past itself to somethi...more
Some of my favorite ideas I'll list below:
A myth isn't a lie... a myth points past itself to somethi...more
Dec 09, 2010
David Melbie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Seekers!
Recommended to David by:
I'm a big fan.
The ninth book in the ongoing series, The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, this is the one that focuses on my favorite Campbellism: Follow your bliss.
More importantly, this book gathers together all of his lectures that talked abut the pathway to bliss.
As always, after reading Campbell, I feel a renewed vigor and drive to get back onto the pathway. . .--From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.
More importantly, this book gathers together all of his lectures that talked abut the pathway to bliss.
As always, after reading Campbell, I feel a renewed vigor and drive to get back onto the pathway. . .--From A Reader's Journal, by d r melbie.
I love Campbell's take on navigating your life through mythology. But there are bits of him which don't fit with my world-take. For example, he keeps saying we need a myth to hold onto in moments where nothing else is left to live for. Well, in my opinion, my life is my own and if I no longer enjoy it, then the choice to let go - to go into the forest as he says - is fully mine.
If you're a lost and don't know nothing about your life, you don't believe in religion and urge to find out more about you...
You definitely must read this book!
This is not a esoteric book, it's about how myth were used to help us understand our lives ages ago and how it can be used again.
Amazing!
You definitely must read this book!
This is not a esoteric book, it's about how myth were used to help us understand our lives ages ago and how it can be used again.
Amazing!
The introduction and first chapter about bliss were....blissful - really, sublime. The two chapters on Jung and developing one's own personal myth were....my own story, my own thoughts put into words. Campbell's thoughts really are an extention of Jung's - his conclusions brought to their ultimate destination. A very good read for those interested in "getting into Campbell-ian and Jungian thought. Highly reccomended."
Love Joe Campbell, but this book is basically a compilation of moments from speeches. The title is also a bit misleading as his other work I've read better investigates happiness. Howver, there is some really solid stuff, especially if you're into psychology and Freud v. Jung. The most rewarding part of this book was a Q&A at the end where J.C. breaks down our obsession with duality (good vs. evil, light vs. dark, etc.) eloquently.
A fantastic introduction to Campbell. It is a collection of speeches he gave later in his life, between his 50s and 70s. The book focuses loosely how to interpret and understand one's own personal mythology...basically making sense of life. Campbell's topics range from Freud to Maslow to Jung (he is a Jung scholar) and their interpretation of the self and what drives the self (Freud, sex; Adler, power; Jung, both) as well as his opinion of how mythology has evolved (devolved?) over time, as rel...more
I generally enjoy topics that span across multiple academic areas, like linguistics and anthropology or literature and history, so this collection of Joseph Campbell's lectures tickled lots of neurons at once: the ones interested in mythology, as well as those interested in psychology, philosophy, theology, and even a smattering of literature too. Although the title may scare some people away as being a little too new agey/preachy/self helpy, I hope those people take a second look, because it's...more
I enjoy Campbell's ability to tell stories and make clear the old myths. It helps to understand where myths came from and what they meant, so you can try to incorporate them. Reading this book lead me to finally read the Satanic Verses.
In a parallel universe, Joseph Campbell is my wise grandfather and favorite adviser (I think we can assume that Campbell is "alive" for the sake of fantasy here), Bill Moyers is my favorite old uncle, and all of us frolic around Skywalker Ranch on long holiday weekends with their BFF, George Lucas, whilst we wax poetic on mythography and the true meaning of Yoda.
In this universe, I have this lovely book, a compilation of Campbell's lectures and papers published posthumously by by the Joseph Camp...more
In this universe, I have this lovely book, a compilation of Campbell's lectures and papers published posthumously by by the Joseph Camp...more
An extraordinary book. Campbell presents a compelling and subtle argument about the importance of personal myth in a world where the major world religions have lost their relevance. With one foot firmly rooted in Jungian psychology and the other in the world of comparative mythology Campbell takes readers on a tour of dreams, images, symbols, and the heroic quest. His message struck a very deep chord, but there is too much packed into this book to explicate here. I suggest you read this one--and...more
Great stuff. Joseph Campbell is an expert humanist. He's considered merely an intellectual, but his work covers the whole gamut. Get into him, you won't be sorry.
great overview of his life's work, the message and the meaning. without getting too deep in academia. a true scholar and wise man and master storyteller
A life-changing read. This isn't Campbell's magnum opus, but this book puts the purpose of life, religion and the mythic path under glaring illumination. Still, Campbell's wit and gentle prose is enough to "hold the reader's hand" as he leads him down the path to enlightenment.
Gave me the inspiration to "follow my bliss." It was a little too heavy into mythology for me, though.
I love Joseph Campbell's work, but this book was more dense and dry than other books I've read.
Excellent synthesis of many of Joseph Campbell's recurring themes, a good collection of lectures, very approachable. I would also recommend "Power of Myth" for this reason. The last entry is in a discussion format from one of his lecu lectures ures and they discuss the lack of a female "Hero's Journey" that would paralel the male journey- the conversation doesn't really leave you with any encouraging bits on the matter and presents childbirth and rearing as a primary paralel to the male journey...more
Gift from youngest daughter - insight into religion - perhaps?
great book. life-changer.
i shld reread it
A reiteration of some of the points he makes in earlier works, and considering this was published posthumously from some of his notes that's not too terribly surprising. That being said the points stand. What are the myths we live by? As a culture we're losing touch with stories that mean something.
If you examine the movies people rewatch (Star Wars) or books people reread (Lord of the Rings) there are stories there that connect us to something deeper.
If you examine the movies people rewatch (Star Wars) or books people reread (Lord of the Rings) there are stories there that connect us to something deeper.
Through the exchange of stories/myths, Campbell suggests, we can discover an understanding of the universal symbols at work in the universe. We can then use these symbols to better understand our purpose as participants in and products of that universe.
I stumbled onto this book in the library in my hometown during a major transition in my life. No other book has shaped my thinking more.
I stumbled onto this book in the library in my hometown during a major transition in my life. No other book has shaped my thinking more.
I love Joseph Campbell books. My mom was nice enough to let me steal this book from her even though she was less than half way through it. I love moms.
I think his stuff is a great tool from something we have been losing touch with for a long time, at an exponentially increasing rate. When the modern world has you lost, pick up a campbell book.
I think his stuff is a great tool from something we have been losing touch with for a long time, at an exponentially increasing rate. When the modern world has you lost, pick up a campbell book.
Possibly the best book i have ever read! Campbell's knowledge is beyond any psychologist, philosopher, or mythologist; as he weaves together the various traditions with the insight of a modern mystic.
Yet another fabulous, insightful analysis of myth! Concentrates on personal transformation and how the elements of myth function in daily life. Discusses finding and living by your own person myth.
"All life stinks and you must embrace that with compassion."
"All life stinks and you must embrace that with compassion."
This book has given me a new way of approaching the mysteries of existence and consciousness and the way I interact with the world. I am going to read Hero With A Thousand Faces to further explore mythology and how it can/does impact us.
Stunning treatise on how mythology shapes and changes our lives. He talks deeply about the how it's lack in the modern world has a serious and negative affect on our development as fully integrated people.
Very summative, sometimes reiterative and redundant of Campbell's other late works. The perspective here is more existential and self-reflective than in his other pedagogical essays.
I loved this book. Its one I will want to re-read, maybe a couple of times, over the coming years.
Is Campbell's call to "follow your bliss" a call to hedonism? Hopefully?
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Joseph John Campbell was an American mythology professor, writer, and orator best known for his work in the fields of comparative mythology and comparative religion.
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“All life stinks and you must embrace that with compassion.”
—
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