• Through the Dark Wood

  • Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life
  • By: James Hollis PhD
  • Narrated by: James Hollis PhD
  • Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (527 ratings)

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Through the Dark Wood  By  cover art

Through the Dark Wood

By: James Hollis PhD
Narrated by: James Hollis PhD
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Publisher's summary

Have you ever looked at your career, your relationships, or your role in life and wondered, "Is this why I’m really here?” If so, then you are ready for your “midlife crisis" - the pivotal time when you have the opportunity to become the person your soul seeks to be.

"When the illusions of our youth begin to crumble," explains James Hollis, "we reach a turning point that the poet Dante called the 'dark wood.'" With Through the Dark Wood, this author and Jungian analyst reveals the steps we all must take on our road to true maturity, meaning, and fulfillment.

When the Second Half of Life Begins

How do you know when you’ve reached the “second half ”of life? According to Hollis, the first sign comes when you feel dissatisfied by where you are today—and hear a call from within to live a more purposeful life. This marks the collision between your “False Self,” created from the expectations of others, and your instinctive “True Self.”

Drawing upon his experiences with hundreds of clients, Hollis provides an essential map for traversing the universal challenges of midlife, such as building genuine relationships, cultivating a mature spirituality, and letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve you.

An Invaluable Guide through the Challenges of Midlife

"The second half of life isn’t about looking for easy answers," James Hollis says. "It’s about honestly exploring the questions that bring richness and value to your life." With Through the Dark Wood, this penetrating thinker shares a lifetime of insights about how to navigate your life’s most turbulent passages - and emerge from the darkness wiser, stronger, and in greater harmony with your soul’s purpose.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2009 James Hollis (P)2009 James Hollis

What listeners say about Through the Dark Wood

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  • DP
  • 10-23-15

Required listening for anyone searching for answers

This is another amazing piece of work by Dr. James Hollis. The only thing I wish I had done differently when listening to this book was that I be sitting at home taking notes because the amount of wisdom that pours out of Dr. Hollis is like nothing I have ever seen. This book and his work talks to me like nothing else ever has. I'm 36 years old and going through the Darkwood. This book has help me to understand why I have been going through such a tough time for the past 10 months of my life. I'm so relieved to know that there is someone out there who truly understands exactly what I am feeling.

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7 people found this helpful

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Magnificent and deep

Hollis’s narration itself adds SO SO much interpretative meaning that it makes the audio book much better than the print version.

You are transported right there via his real life stories.
There are so many nuggets here that I found myself re listening to chapters several times over multiple year periods

I Could not give this book a higher rating but it can be heavy. So one must be ready for this book and you probably need to BE in the second part of your life.

Patrick

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Good insights

I have listened to James Hollis lecture on Youtube and out of those in the Jungian school I find he is one of the easier to comprehend, he puts things into an easy format for nonjungian analysts (everyday people.) A lot in this lecture is repeated in other lectures, but much of it was new to me. I don't think it is for everyone, there are some who wouldn't benefit from this, you have to be willing and ready to look at yourself, your actions, and intentions critically, but also have compassion for yourself. It is more self help, than a study of depth psychology, it doesn't go deep into Jungian concepts, there is definitely an aim at practicality. Overall, it is just another guy's observations and opinion, albeit a guy with a lot of experience. I'll listen to it again it reminds me that some of my motivations aren't so obvious to myself.

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Easy to listen and grasp the deep meaning

very easy to listen and grasp the deeper meaning about midlife crisis as a transition.

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Very enlightening

Loved how this book is like a therapy session. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is searching

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Exactly What I Needed

Dr. Hollis has created a deeply meaningful product here.

I'll going to have to come back and relisten to this every year for the rest of my life.

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Best of the best!

... and I’ve read a LOT!
He speaks the REAL Jung - and very eloquently!
Should be required reading for everyone to get their 40th birthday driver’s license 😁!

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  • JR
  • 04-08-21

Wonderful

Hollis manages to combine so many useful ideas in this book: the patterns and ideas we have unknowingly internalised (and how to dig them out), the process of individuation and transformation, and importantly that this last one is a very difficult process, not to be glossed over with spiritual bypass and the current culture of pathological positivity (he doesn't go so far as to call it "pathological", but that's my view ;)). Ultimately the journey through the dark wood of midlife is very specific to each individual but he offers wonderful tools and questions that can shed light on our footsteps along the way.
Also, I have ALL of Hollis's books (fan here). There is a bit of repitition throughout them, so if you want to chose one book, I'd recommend it be this one.

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Insightful.

A good book, of this type, not only makes important insights that i had not made for myself, but triggers my own understanding through my own connections to some of “their” expounded ideas, that I am able to expand upon and find deeper meaning, for myself. This is such a book.

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This man’s work is genius

I feel less alone on a lonely road, caressed by paradox and warmed by my body’s adjustment to the cold.

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