Kirjahaku

From Joseph Campbell, the renowned comparative religions and mythology scholar, Toby Johnson derived his central insight that there is a "new myth" arising in human consciousness. This is the understanding of the nature of myth itself, a "meta-myth," the "myth of myth," according to which our lives are always giving us clues to the secret of our true and deepest nature, and our salvation comes from following our own unique clues. One of the clues that many cultures share is the tradition of the "wise old man," the elder who serves as guide, teacher, and companion, helping others on the path to enlightenment. When Toby Johnson, a young Catholic seminarian, left the monastery on his own unconventional spiritual journey, he had the good fortune to find such a teacher in the person of Joseph Campbell. Johnson says in the introduction: Joe demonstrated how to gently leave behind the na ve religiousness of youth and find wonder, meaning, and bliss in a new post-mythic, but re-mythologized, spiritual consciousness. Toby Johnson's spiritual/philosophical autobiography, Finding Your Own True Myth-The Myth of the Great Secret III, is both a loving memorial to Campbell and an original extension of his work. Johnson, later a psychotherapist, religions scholar, novelist, and gay spirituality writer, offers insight into the vital role that myth-and insight into myth-play in the modern world and inspiration for anyone seeking coherence and meaning. A wealth of personal anecdotes and teaching stories are woven throughout the text to provide practical applications for these lessons and concrete examples of their power to change lives.

The Fourth Quill recasts the story of AIDS into a parallel universe with a surprising and happy ending, where its main character can wonder if he really has brought about the cure of AIDS. Woven through the hero/adventure plot are two lovely and heartwarming romances, one straight, one gay-both with unexpected twists. A little modern, scientific and sensible and a little mystical, The Fourth Quill exemplifies Toby Johnson's style of dramatizing gay spirit through storytelling and speculative fiction. This is a parallel universe readers will likely remember and come back to. Originally published in 1987 when AIDS was still a mystery disease, this novel, originally titled Plague: A Novel about Healing presented wisdom from A Course in Miracles and The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment. In those days, successful treatments had not been developed and spiritual/attitudinal healing-of soul, if not of body-was the only hope. Thirty years later, the novel's quandary about the nature of evil and its message of hopeful acceptance and love of life are perhaps even more relevant if about something so much more than disease and illness. The story of the "fourth quill" comes from an Indian tale about a previous incarnation of the Buddha who discovers the "treasure of the ages" and it's not what he'd expected; Johnson retells the tale and derives a meaningful and life-affirming attitude that transcends the specific issues of AIDS in the 1980s.

Sweet, sexy, wise and thoroughly entertaining, this mytho-historical novel features two lovable apparitions from the late 1800s America. Their adventures in the novel-within-the-novel that the book is about interweave in a heart-warming story of youthful romance and mature, modern love. And the story offers an ageless life-affirming and gay-positive spiritual message ...along with just a touch of the Twilight Zone.

A classic, titled before "queer" became an accepted umbrella term for sexual and gender deviations of all sorts, i.e., LGBTQIA, and written from a gay man's perspective, Gay Spirituality shows how the experience of being an outsider, a deviant with different feelings and attitudes, and not part of the ordinary human round of birth, reproduction, and death affords its own kind of enlightenment and vision of greater meaning for life and for God. Still timely and insightful. GAY SPIRITUALITY: Gay Identity and the Transformation of Consciousness offers a sensible, modern and enlightened understanding of spiritual consciousness for gay men who are so often faced with misunderstanding and conflict dealing with traditional religion. Acclaimed author Toby Johnson presents a bold perspective: being the outsider and consciousness scout allows cutting edge insight. In this Lambda Literary award-winning title, Toby Johnson explores how the rise of gay identity has become an important part of contemporary religious development. This dramatic transformation has resulted due to the perspective of gay men with their ability to step outside the assumptions and conventions of culture and see things from a different point of view. This book will reward readers seeking new insight into faith as well as culture, myth and traditions. Johnson's vision of a life-affirming, sex-positive spirituality of love, cooperation, mutual respect and acceptance is in sync with modern scientific knowledge, and does not ask the reader to suspend logic or critical thinking. Gay Christians who are struggling with their sexual orientation will especially appreciate Johnson's convincing refutation of common "biblical" anti-gay arguments. A powerful book for personal change and a great gift to a gay friend who is unhappy with his life or suffering from low self-esteem.

Gay Perspective shows how the experience of being an outsider, a deviant with different feelings and attitudes, and not part of the ordinary human round of birth, reproduction, and death gives us a particular perspective and influences how we see the world-and especially how we understand "God" and the supernatural things alluded to in religion. Titled before "queer" became an accepted umbrella term for sexual and gender deviations of all sorts, i.e., LGBTQIA, and written from a gay man's perspective, this book has become a classic, unlike anything else written about the queer experience of growing up different. In this companion volume to his critically acclaimed, Lambda Literary Award-winning title Gay Spirituality, Toby Johnson further explicates his visionary stance that gay people's nature as outsiders gives them a uniquely powerful perspective on the nature of God and religion. By living outside gender norms, gay people are more open to seeing across boundaries of gender and gain access to a less dualistic outlook on the nature of life. Once again, Johnson approaches this potentially controversial subject matter with erudition, empathy and visionary speculation and gives meaning to gay consciousness beyond superficial issues of sexual behavior. This revised edition includes a new Preface and extensive updating and expansion. A White Crane Gay Spirituality Series Selection. Still timely and insightful.