In this meditation on the creative mind, poet, novelist, essayist and student of Jung, Dale M. Kushner revisits a fairy tale she wrote decades ago during a time of crisis and uncertainty to examine the condition of “self-enchantment,” a state of being that infuses life with the healing power of creativity and illuminates the luminous darkness within.
Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name, On Fairy Tales, Imagination and the Creative Mind, and Kushner’s accompanying essay present an unflinching and impassioned exploration of the persistence of the creative self and its not always peaceful coexistence with family, identity, motherhood and desire.
Augmenting Kushner’s tale and reflections are three revelatory essays and a foreword by distinguished Jungian analysts Henry Abramovitch, Kenneth W. James, Dariane Pictet and Murray Stein. Together, the story and the essays invite readers on a journey of self-discovery through the wetlands and forests of soul.
Praise for Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name, On Fairy Tales, Imagination and the Creative Mind
“As a published poet and writer with a liberated soul that contains multitudes, this brilliant author of a fabulous fairytale and three creatively wise Jungian interpreters teach us to trust our psyche’s healing images and awaken our Omni-Nameable Princess, who calls us each to become free from bewitchment.”
―Steven Herrmann, Jungian psychoanalyst, poet, and author of Emily Dickenson: A Medicine Woman for Our Times
“A fairy tale she wrote during a time of crisis and rediscovered years later is the spark for Dale M. Kushner’s illuminating meditation on the roles art and creativity play in forging identity and shaping the self. The book also includes three essays by prominent Jungian thinkers who provide their own fascinating insight into the fairy tale. These essays, Kushner’s wise and revelatory analysis, and the charming yet challenging fairy tale at the heart of the book will speak to and inspire not only writers and artists, but anyone fascinated by the mysteries of the mind, the process of creating, and the power of stories.”
―Judith Claire Mitchell, author of A Reunion of Ghosts
“This is a magical tale of a unique and universal princess in search of her true name. It features animal guides, a lost and found heart, and words that weave wonder. Finding freedom from people pleasing is a surprising ride into aliveness and connection with the authentic self. Three interpretive essays by Jungian analysts plus Kushner’s reflective essay on writing as self-enchantment enlarge and deepen the meaning of the tale. Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name. On Fairy Tales, Imagination, and the Creative Mind is a spectacular combination of encounter with psyche and its rendering into consciousness. I’m smitten.”
―Deborah C. Stewart, LCSW, Jungian Analyst, This Jungian Life podcast
