Roots of Renewal in Myth and Madness

by John Weir Perry

Mental Health, Psychology

Genres: Psychology, Mythology

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1976

Reviews

[Mick D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful symbolic approach to psychosis. The scope of the thesis and Perry's intellect is impressive. Quite a dense book, which I think would be helpful to be studied and discussed as read in isolation was a bit labour intensive and requires an amount of focus. Read: beautiful conceptual approach, but I probably missed a bit because I'm a simpleton.

[Fred 'Meagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

As spirituality as contact with 'spirits' is termed schidzophreni,a and as current medicine and science has a less than 1% full recovery rate with such a belief; John Perry with his 85% cure rate appears mythological to so called scientific methodology. Using psychedelic users in 1960's Berkley as staff in a home like non drugged setting encouraging long term 'tripping' within a natural psychosis; 85% achieved a higher state of function than normal people, not a lifelong disability on heavy medication. That this was discovered by cross referancing world scriptures from numerous cultures regarding the rituals installing the divine kings who founded civilization being duplicated in classic schidzophrenic episodes; has shattering implications in innumerable areas of knowledge; not only in psychiatry. Truly a mind boggling read along with its companion volume "Lord of the Four Quarters".

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book written on psychosis to date with pains made to situate oneself in the shoes of those in the throes of psychotic experience.

[John Westover · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Death is a planting."

This book is dated in its ideas about gender, and suffers from that flaw much the way most other works by people who are self-identified mythopoetics do. Patriarchy as a worldview is presented as a given.

Besides that, it is an interesting exploration of acute psychotic episodes as renewal of the patients self. One of the best arguments made in it is that in order to facilitate the return from psychosis, the content of that psychosis needs to be engaged. While I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, I have had a number of experiences that line up with this. If you can engage the story being told by the person in a VERY SPECIFIC sort of psychotic episode, it does encourage healing.

In any case, this was a very interesting read.

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool read. Some brilliant perspectives and enlightening ideas.