Crossing to Avalon
Book Description
When a mysterious package arrives from a stranger in England containing a golden pendant and an invitation to visit sacred European sites, psychiatrist Jean Shinoda Bolen recognizes the profound synchronicity calling her forward. This unexpected gift becomes the catalyst for an extraordinary pilgrimage that transforms her understanding of midlife, meaning, and the sacred feminine.
Bolen weaves her European journey through ancient sites like Chartres, Glastonbury, and Iona into a deeply personal exploration of her own life passages. Drawing inspiration from Arthurian legend, she frames her quest as a search for the elusive Grail, representing what remains missing from both individual lives and contemporary culture. Her travels become a mirror for examining the mystical experiences that shaped her medical career, the archetypal awakening she discovered through motherhood, and the personal transformations following her divorce.
This spiritual autobiography transcends simple travelogue, offering penetrating insights into the psychological landscape of midlife transition. Bolen examines the sources of midlife depression, celebrates the vital importance of female friendship, and explores how ancient sacred sites continue to speak to modern seekers. Her narrative demonstrates how external pilgrimage can illuminate internal transformation, revealing the mythological dimensions of the universal search for renewal and purpose.
Through vivid storytelling and psychological wisdom, Bolen creates a multilayered account that speaks to anyone navigating their own midlife passage or seeking deeper connection with the sacred feminine within themselves and the world.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 303 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Biography
- ✓ Explore Travel
- ✓ Explore Women Physicians
- ✓ Explore Psychoanalysis
- ✓ Explore Personal Narratives
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects of Midlife crisis
- ✓ Explore Description and travel
- ✓ Explore Goddess religion
