He: Understanding Masculine Psychology

One of my top favorite books. It's not only an amazing psychological perspective on the masculine, but it also happens to explain Parsifal in Jungian terms (symbols) beautifully. I found the Parsifal explanations so helpful I quoted them in my book. I can't say enough about it. I would probably buy every male friend & their wives/SO's a copy of this for Christmas, lol. Just read it. It's really needed in today's culture too. I like that it's not political but psychological.

I’m beyond wonder. It’s remarkable how concise and clear the author explains Man’s myth: to become whole again.In gratitude to have received this guidance and wisdom.I’l re-read this piece again.

Myths and legends form powerful expressions of our humanity. It would seem that the most enduring of them are likely so powerful because they tap into some elemental truth of our humanness. If so, a deep reading of the story should illuminate ourselves.This is what Robert Johnson achieves in He: Understanding Masculine Psychology, a deconstruction and interpretation of the Grail story. Johnson, a psychologist with Jungian training interprets the tale of Parsifal's departure from his mother, arrival at Arthur's court, and search for the Grail.The Arthurian legends comprise a body of stories with multiple variations. The tales focus variously upon Arthur, the naïve knight, Parsifal (Percival), other knights, mentors, the ailing Fisher King, Queen Guenevere, other damsels and loathsome ladies. Johnson uses the French version, penned as an epic poem by Chrétien de Troyes, in the 12th century because it is the oldest. Being the oldest version, it is simpler, more direct, and closer to the subconscious.As we follow Parsival through his adventures Johnson interprets them as life transitions for men. In the process we discover antecedents to Lord of the Rings, the Star Wars trilogy, and Harry Potter. At the end we understand that chasing happiness is ephemeral and true meaning and wholeness can only be attained through service to others.To get us there, I have a worry about the fidelity of Johnson's retelling of the story, the origins of which are lost in the mists of time.My leadership story here:Turn the Ship Around!: How to Create Leadership at Every Level

In councling my councilor recommended that I read this. So far it’s been not only incredibly informative, the fisher king spin has made it more of a story time novel.

I have read this three times, and have given it as a gift to many great men in my life.This is a short book, but packed with psychological insights that are useful to grow -- not just for adolescents, but for every man.Emotional maturity and spiritual maturity overlap, in my estimation,.Robert A. Johnson does an excellent job of using a parable to bring you along on how men can reconcile their feminine side with their masculine side without losing their masculinity or sanity, and how they can overcome many of the natural growing pains all men experience in this society.Johnson explores many archetypes and cathartic experiences and how to integrate them into the psyche to become whole, mature, happy.I highly recommend this book to both men and women alike.

For those wanting a deeper understanding of their relationship to God (Higher Power, Universal Truth), their role or archetype of the male, and their relationship to the female, their relationship to who they are, this is an important book. Johnson, a Jungian analyst, brings a deep understanding of the human spiritual relationship to his readers in his writing. Though writing from a Christian perspective his work can be recognized applicable from all faiths. I've read, so far, his books Balancing Heaven & Earth, and He; and find his thinking/writing comparable to Rabbi Abraham Heschel, Man is Not Alone.My personal evolution is more "layers of an onion-like (or leaves of an artichoke-like because there is a heart in the middle, as a friend says) than explosive. I see, sense and am living my life different from reading Johnson.

Illuminating mythological perspective of the search for the Holy Grail and it’s metaphor to the male psychological life. However, random bursts of interpretation and anecdotal Jungian quotes are interspersed throughout which make following the storyline difficult.

John A. Sanford, in "The Invisible Partners", quoted and recommended Robert A, Johnson's "HE" as a good explanation of the Holy Grail Myth. So I purchased "HE" and read it. It explains the HG myth and shows how it corresponds with modern masculinity and how it describes the inner journey of a psychologically health man.I found this a quick/absorbing and enjoyable read. It helps in understanding more about the Holy Grail myth, John A. Sanford's "The Invisible Partners" and myself.Truly a good book. Well worth reading, contemplating and absorbing.

Es on tema muy interesante y muy bien explicado, elautores genial en so ramo. el libro es farci / de leer muy amena y agradable lectura. Muchas gracias.

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A highly recommended book. Easy to read and follow

A very wise book, written using the Grail myths as mythology and symbolism for masculine psychology and its development using a post-Jungian analysis. What looks like clunking gender stereotypical work is in fact a subtle and nuanced description of great importance that is highly relevant to our age, despite using medieval myth as the basis to explain it. As the author states medieval myths reflect and make our society and its values, especially of 'He'Hence, this book can be read on a number of levels. There is a review saying 'a terrible book' that is the level of someone who hasn't yet been able to get the level of wisdom to go beyond the (apparently) strange symbology (Parsifal, the Grail etc) and hear anything about what it is really saying about what men are and what drives them (or better what He is). At another level it could be considered 'awful' (another review) but it is important to understand that He is also a concept that woman is required to take on (and does everywhere in our society) so while the title is He it does not mean 'men' it means the male archetype, rather than the feminine (She) Such is the prevalence of Patriarchy in our society that we can't even notice these differences any more or if we do we deny them, get angry or say that we are all equal, amongst other things.Excellent...highly recommended.

Still as fresh and insightful as the day it was written, with a poignant message for any man.