A companion workbook to the 30th Anniversary Edition of the groundbreaking book, The Heroine's Journey, that provides a model of the feminine journey for contemporary women that has touched generations of women worldwide.
"The task for today's woman is to heal the wounding of the feminine that exists deep within herself and the culture."
— Maureen Murdock,
The Heroine's Journey
This workbook is designed to guide the reader consciously through the different stages of the Heroine's Journey. Based on workshops conducted by the author with women of all ages, it can be used individually or in a group. The reader will explore each stage of the journey and look at the myths and fairy tales that shed light on these archetypal experiences:
(1) Separation from the Feminine, in which a woman searches for an identity in a masculine-defined culture
(2) The Road of Trials, in which she challenges the myths of female inferiority, dependency, and romantic love
(3) Spiritual Aridity, a feeling of having lost herself in her struggle for achievement
(4) Initiation and Descent, a period of drawing inward and looking for the lost pieces of herself
(5) Urgent yearning to reconnect with the Feminine and heal the Mother-Daughter Split
(6) Integrating and healing the wounded parts of her inner Masculine
(7) The Sacred Marriage, which occurs as she learns to integrate and balance all aspects of herself.
The chapters include questions for reflection as well as exercises in guided imagery, writing, art, and dreamwork to bring clarity and understanding to the quest. Finally, the skills learned on this archetypal journey prepare a woman to work toward the larger quest of bringing consciousness to others and preserving the balance of life on earth.
Published August, 2020 by Shambhala Publications.
This 'map for every woman's quest, with guided imagery, dreamwork, and creative exercises,' a companion workbook to Murdock's best-selling Heroine's Journey, is an eye-opener. My first jolt came while addressing the author's initial "Question for . . . Reflection," which was, "Who are the heroines in your life . . .?" I could have reeled off a whole list of heroes, but even one heroine was a stretch. There's message enough in that, yes? We'd better get working! And this workbook is a great tool, for individuals or for groups. Skillful prompting and multiple techniques guide readers through various stages of recognition, acceptance, healing, and integration of the feminine. Others' experiences, myths, and fairy tales further combine with personal realizations to produce a much-needed antidote to an affliction of the spirit that haunts us more than we know.
NAPRA ReView
What I love about the 30th Anniversary Edition of Maureen Murdock’s The Heroine’s Journey is that the premise and inquiry the author put forth originally, borne of her own desire for the expression of a woman’s quest rich with story and meaning, still bears fruit for us today. Companioned by a workbook which guides the reader through each of the stages of the Heroine’s Journey, the books provide context and a way to work through writing, ritual, and art making, that brings one toward wholeness. But it is not a straight path. It is not a clear road. It is labyrinthine, there are questions posed which could cause the reader to pause for days, for a week. And there are questions that will set our pens on fire. This paired set of books is an able and deeply provocative guide. The voice is that of the Wise Woman, a Crone to urge us on our journey towards what we all crave: wholeness, connection and integration of our inner and outer lives. Many thanks to Shambala Publications for this special edition of Maureen Murdock’s necessary and illuminating work.
Suzi Banks Baum,
artist, actress, writer, teacher