Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up

This is the sort of book you have to read properly - no skimming. The author has an expansive writing style, very readable, but some reviewers have said repetitive. I would disagree with that - The concepts he talks about are complex and important. After reading about 50 pages I came to the conclusion that if he had just explained things once, I wouldn't have fully understood their depth or, if I'm being honest with myself, my ego wouldn't have accepted that I think in the way he is suggesting. The repetition slowly breaks down the barriers. I started my own journey on the "second half of life" about 2 years ago so, from what I've gone through in that time, I can identify with everything he says. The book makes sense, is relevant and, most importantly, really does talk about the things you need to know if you are entering your midlife crisis. Definitely worth buying

'We are acting out the unfulfilled parts of our parents lives'. The book gave some deep insights and prompted deep thought. Would reccomend. Chimed with me.

Informed and full of persuasive thinking processes. A book to go back to again and again. A great read for all.

I’m only into the introduction of the book and it has pinned me down to my armchair. A must read for all have reached mid life. It’s enjoyable and informative to read.

I will be turning 50 this year and frankly I feel as though my life is falling apart. This wonderful book helps you see it more positively as a time of growth: a time for reprioritising and listening to your soul. It's no quick fix though. It tells us to look deeply within for the answers and to let go of the 'security blankets' we have been holding onto since childhood. For those of you with the courage to seek growth and congruence through reading books like this, I salute you!

Great book. Disappointing so many annotations

I love all books written by James Hollis. I have actually started buying these as presents for my friends.

Delighted from the purchase

il contributo che questo libro ha dato alla comprensione della mia crisi di mezza età è impagabile. Il linguaggio è piuttosto comprensibile e non troppo tecnico. Unico neo: a volte i concetti espressi vengono ripetuti un pò. Per il resto è una esperienza da non perdere.

This is an excellent book! You can read the other reviews to see why. I'm going to discuss two criticisms of this 5 star book. If you are looking for a proof that you have an unconscious that is also equivalent to a soul which is linked to God, you won't find it. I'm not sure that you will find that in any book. Evolution theory stipulates that evolution has no goal, no plan, so humans are not destined to raise their consciousness. Synchronicity (S) is an opposite Jungian concept. There is a goal called individuation which is helped by S's. Jung has developed more than one notion of S, and there are several books which attempt to explain it. Hollis mentions S, briefly on page 253, "We have mastered the language of the outer world through physics and chemistry, but the principle of synchronicity acknowledges that there is an inner world of causality as well." The word "acausal" means _not_ having a chain of cause and effect events unfolding in physical reality; it's the opposite of causal. Here are some of Jung's definitions which I don't see as including the Hollis interpretation which is tantamount to describing a miracle manifested by the will of God (constellated through the archetypes) is a causal agency and/or process. I think that "meaning" is not considered by most writers to be causally ordered. Here are various Jung descriptions, "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle; "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events." Jung variously describes an "acausal connecting (togetherness) principle", "meaningful coincidence" and "acausal parallelism" So it seems to me the Hollis description employs a peculiar emphasis. A skeptical agnostic will not find resolution or solace in Jungian theory as being true to reality. But the tools seem to work, at least so far. I became conscious that I had projected my anima on a real woman. Depth psychology recommends approaches to this dilemma. One of the methods is active imagination, or entering into a dialog with my inner, archetypal anima. I had this dream in which I was notified that two missing emails (I'm a retired computer tech) had been discovered. I remembered this dream when I awoke because I don't have any missing emails. Later on I was browsing the Yahoo news and read this article that Amelia Earhart and her pilot -- they think they found remains of where they crashed on some island in the Pacific. So then I read about Amelia, and she is the ideal of what I think my anima should be (I should be so lucky for such a real woman). I thought this event, my search for inner meaning through contact with my anima, and this outer event, discovery of news about Amelia Earhart, who matches what I would like my anima to be like, I thought this could be a coincidence touched by synchronicity. Hollis does a great job of blending in Jungian theory and his actual therapy accounts, which add up to a compelling and intriguing call to explore the Mystery of life. Perhaps the Jungian techniques actually do work and are testable in your own experience. EDIT: I have recalled that the woman I projected my anima upon did have a problem with some missing emails.

Highly recommended for anyone having a mid life crisis and seeks to seriously understand themselves.

I can’t say more about then this book is a must read unlike any other self help book the content is realllllly reallllllllllllly helpful. I’m glad to have reached it somehow through inner retrospection . Right from the beginning of the book providing the metaphors of the feelings that are deep inner provides instant therapy to those who need the most. More over examples to the 6 patterns connecting what everybody goes through. The real life example. This book is not just a therapy to reader but the author also notably did everything he could to dip people through a journey of sole. I love this book.

Sehr inspirierend!