The Rose of Being:
Jung, Consciousness, Myth, and Metaphor
~ by Gerry Anne Lenhart PHD
This book explores consciousness development using Jungian psychology, myth, and archetypes (like the four Jungian functions, Genesis readings, and mandala symbolism) to map the journey toward wholeness, offering a guide for personal spiritual growth.
Key Aspects of the Book:
Psychological Framework: It integrates Carl Jung's four psychological functions (intuition, sensation, feeling, thinking) with concepts like individuation and the Self.
Myth & Symbolism: Draws from cross-cultural myths, Sumerian and Biblical narratives, archetypes, and mandala imagery.
Consciousness Mapping: Presents a "map of how consciousness forms," starting from the womb archetype, through ego-soul separation, toward wholeness.
Target Audience: Aimed at therapists, spiritual directors, book clubs, and anyone seeking deeper meaning in their life's story.
Essentially, it's a spiritual and psychological guide to understanding one's life through ancient stories and modern depth psychology, according to Amazon, Strand Books, and Barnes & Noble.
Understanding The Rose of Being
The Rose of Being blends Jung's four psychological functions (intuition, sensation, feeling, thinking) with luminous readings of Genesis, mandala symbolism, and cross-cultural myth. The Rose of Being offers a fresh, deeply human map of how consciousness forms-beginning in the womb archetype, moving through the split of ego and soul, and circling back toward wholeness in the Self. Along the way, Lenhart draws on Michael Fordham's developmental insights, the archetypes of the four archangels, Sumerian and Biblical narratives, and love-of-learning prose that invites both scholars and seekers to see their own story in the world's oldest stories. The result is part guidebook, part revelation: a gracefully argued model of individuation that readers can feel as well as understand-ideal for therapists, spiritual directors, book clubs, and anyone longing for a wiser inner compass. If you've ever suspected your life has mythic shape and meaning, this book shows you why-and how to live it.