From AudioFile
Subtitled THE BLOSSOMING OF YOUR CREATIVE SELF, this lovely and complex program is about opening to the deeper mysteries of who we are at midlife and recovering the great dream we have for our lives. Angeles Arrien, author, cultural anthropologist, and eloquent storyteller, describes the three principles that should inform the second half of life: generativity, intimacy and creativity. One way to follow these principles is to perform daily the three cross-cultural tasks referred to by Arrien as "the Blessing Way"--say a prayer or set a sacred intention, express gratitude and perform at least one life-affirming action. Many stories are interwoven throughout the program: Solomon's Wisdom, Pandora's Box, The 12 Labors of Hercules, and The Nine Muses. Eloquent and provocative, Arrien provides not only stories and myths, but also many practical instructions to encourage us to change at mid-life. To paraphrase the poet Rumi, Arrien inspires her listeners to drop "the shrouds of insufficiency" and to return to our souls' highest nature. A well-crafted, superbly recorded, and rewarding audio work. C.S. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Book Description
Second Half of Life Angeles Arrien Begin the Adventure of a Lifetime: In every culture, in every age, there is a turning point in human life. At this threshold, when you see fewer days ahead than have already passed, you begin the greatest adventure: the second half of your life. On The Second Half of Life, anthropologist and author Angeles Arrien retrieves the world’s vital wisdom teachings that have opened people at midlife to the deeper mysteries of who we really are, and why we are truly here. We are all born with a great dream for our lives, Dr. Arrien begins—a dream that may have been submerged or derailed along the way by family and career realities. In the second half of life, after your roots have gone deeply into the world, it is time to resurrect this dream. For now, the blossom of your "wild and precious life" is ready to bring forth the fruit of your special creative gifts. By reclaiming your dream—by refusing to stay down—you "lift your heart up to heaven and make all things possible." For more than 25 years, Dr. Arrien has examined the way diverse cultures handle the challenges unique to the "great crossing" at midlife. Now, in 12 challenging lectures, she brings you the "Blessing Way": the indigenous ritual for making a golden invitation to those who follow us; the Eight Gates of Initiation, which open to new vistas in your inner and outer worlds; the Nine Muses of the ancient Greeks, explaining how they mediate your creativity; and much more. When you find the courage to change at midlife, Dr. Arrien teaches, a miracle happens. You are now prepared to create your legacy: an imprint of your dream for our world—a dream that can only come true in the second half of life.

About the Author
Angeles Arrien is a teacher, author, and cultural anthropologist. Dr. Arrien’s teachings bridge the disciplines of anthropology, psychology, and comparative religions, while focusing on universal beliefs shared by humanity. She is the author of The Tarot Handbook, The Four-Fold Way, and Signs of Life.

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile - Cheryl Stiles