September 25-A, 2022

I have two books to recommend,
that everyone should read at least three times
over the course of their life,
with five years or so between times.

The first is by S.I. Hayakawa,
"Language in Thought and Action."
Because nothing is more important
in knowing what's what 
and what to do about it
than language--as we use it
and as it is used by others
in relation to us.

I read it the first time in 1979, 
in Amory, Mississippi,
when I was just a sprout of a guy,
and it has been of immense importance
in helping me find my way.

The other book is the fourth in the series
of "The Masks of God," by Joseph Campbell.
It is titled, "Creative Mythology,"
and is about the work of individuation,
Carl Jung's term for becoming who we are
and doing what is ours to do.

(While we are talking, if you are into
the history of religion worldwide, 
Campbell's third volume in the Masks series
is "Occidental Mythology, and is beautifully done)

We are on our own when it comes to finding our life
and living it.
What passes for religion
is about believing in Jesus
and waiting for heaven when we die,
which makes it worse than useless,
in that it actually interferes 
with our efforts to get to the heart 
of the matter
while we are still able 
to do something about it.

Campbell is a worthy guide,
and "Creative Mythology"
is an excellent place to begin.

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