The Sacred Path Beyond Trauma (Paperback)

Ellen Macfarland

ISBN 10: 1556437250 / ISBN 13: 9781556437250

Published by North Atlantic Books,U.S., Berkeley, CA, 2008

About this Item

Paperback. One of Graham Greene's characters famously said, "I suffer, therefore I am," suggesting that pain is an inescapable, and perhaps incurable, part of the human condition. But must this be so? Ellen Macfarland argues otherwise in The Sacred Beyond Trauma. Through the use of mythology, stories from film and fiction, real-life examples, and her personal history, Macfarland shows that healing trauma is indeed possible, using rich resources near at hand, in nature. The book explores major symbols of healing nature that can provide an impetus for personal transformation. One of the case studies profiles Monty Roberts, a well-known horse trainer who overcame significant childhood abuse by working with horses and eventually fostering some forty children alongside his own biological family. The key, says Macfarland, is using these and other natural symbols such as yin yang to balance the tension between trauma and numinosity (sacredness, transcendence), resulting in the creation of a new way of being in the world. Understanding this and the book's other nature-based symbols can turn the distressed mind into a fertile field of spiritual awareness, empowerment, and lifelong growth. Bridges two theoretical perspectives, abuse-focused therapy and depth psychology, for the purpose of encouraging those who have been traumatized to understand the difference between being victimized and being a victim. This book focuses on the healing power of Nature. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781556437250

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Sacred Path Beyond Trauma (Paperback)
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books,U.S., Berkeley, CA
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1556437250
• ISBN 13: 9781556437250
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

One of Graham Greene’s characters famously said, “I suffer, therefore I am,” suggesting that pain is an inescapable, and perhaps incurable, part of the human condition. But must this be so? Ellen Macfarland argues otherwise in The Sacred Beyond Trauma. Through the use of mythology, stories from film and fiction, real-life examples, and her personal history, Macfarland shows that healing trauma is indeed possible, using rich resources near at hand, in nature. The book explores major symbols of healing nature that can provide an impetus for personal transformation. One of the case studies profiles Monty Roberts, a well-known horse trainer who overcame significant childhood abuse by working with horses and eventually fostering some forty children alongside his own biological family. The key, says Macfarland, is using these and other natural symbols such as yin yang to balance the tension between trauma and numinosity (sacredness, transcendence), resulting in the creation of a new way of being in the world. Understanding this and the book’s other nature-based symbols can turn the distressed mind into a fertile field of spiritual awareness, empowerment, and lifelong growth.

About the Author

Ellen Macfarland practiced psychotherapy for twenty years. She leads popular workshops nationally on the healing of trauma from a depth perspective. The founder and director of Brookfield Counseling Services, a nonprofit agency providing mental health care for those unable to pay, she lives in Big Sky, Montana.