The Way of Imagination - by Alejandro Jodorowsky (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published in Spanish in 2022 under the title De la psicomagia al psicotrance: correspondencia psicomâagica: la vâia de la imaginaciâon by Ediciones Siruela, S. A.

Book Synopsis

A detailed guide to the theory and power behind psychomagic

- Explains the theoretical basis behind psychomagic, Jodorowsky's shamanic healing technique

- Details the author's technique of "psychotrance" to access his subconscious mind to discover the most suitable psychomagic remedy

- Shares passionate correspondence between Jodorowsky and patients and admirers who have successfully used psychomagic methods for personal healing

Through films, books, comics, and art spanning seven decades, legendary filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky has offered his singular surrealistic perspective on the fundamentally dreamlike nature of reality. This perspective also underlies his healing technique known as psychomagic, which uses the symbolism of the unconscious to understand and mend reality as if it were a dream.

In The Way of Imagination, the master offers a detailed exploration of the mechanisms by which psychomagic works to heal our most pressing emotional and spiritual wounds. He describes the initial stages of psychomagic's development into a practice and how he crafted the first psychomagic prescriptions to speak directly to the subconscious through the language of dreams. Above all, Jodorowsky explains, psychomagic is a therapy of action, rather than one of words.

Sharing passionate correspondence between himself and patients and admirers in the form of 84 letters, the author demonstrates how people have successfully used psychomagic to make profound changes in their lives. He shares detailed accounts of how he uses Tarot readings to determine a diagnosis as well as how he uses a trance state--what he calls "psychotrance"--to access his subconscious mind to discover the most suitable psychomagic remedy.

Presenting a complete immersion in the techniques of psychotrance and psychomagic, this guide show how the dreamlike nature of reality can help us move forward on the path to healing.

Review Quotes

"A legendary man of many trades, talents, and of passionate sincerity."-- "Roger Ebert, American film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter, and author"

"A man whose life has been defined by cosmic ambitions."-- "The New York Times Magazine"

"Alejandro Jodorowsky is a demiurge and an interpreter of our stories, always exploring further the understanding of both the beauty and complexity revealed by humankind."-- "Diana Widmaier Picasso, French art historian specializing in modern art"

"Alejandro Jodorowsky seamlessly and effortlessly weaves together the worlds of art, the confined social structure, and things we can only touch with an open heart and mind."-- "Erykah Badu, singer and songwriter"

"Alejandro Jodorowsky sees life with the eyes of an eternal soul, living it in synchronicity, mixing reality and dreams, life and death."-- "Youssef Nabil, artist and photographer"

"Jodorowsky is a brilliant, wise, gentle, and cunning wizard with tremendous depth of imagination and crystalline insight into the human condition."-- "Daniel Pinchbeck, author and founder of The Liminal Institute"

"Jodorowsky is today's true Renaissance man--a master of many mediums that all point directly towards a towering and imaginative vision replete with profound insights into the real by way of the surreal."-- "John Zorn, composer"

"Seventy years ago, Alejandro Jodorowsky came to Paris from his native Chile to 'rescue surrealism.' He saw the magic in life and wanted others to do the same. His journey led him to invent 'psychotrance, ' which draws from the power of art to open up life and expand the way we live. With him, we learn to live as artists--and thus to heal our wounds, in ways only art can."-- "Donatien Grau, editor in chief and artistic director of Alphabet Magazine"

"This book is for everyone to read immediately. It will help all readers understand the complexity of human emotions."-- "Marina Abramovic, conceptual and performance artist"

About the Author

Alejandro Jodorowsky is tarologist, therapist, actor, theatrical director, and director of the legendary cult films El Topo, The Holy Mountain, and Santa Sangre. His most recent film is 2019's Psychomagic, a Healing Art. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Psychomagic, Manual of Psychomagic, and The Way of Tarot. His development of the therapeutic techniques of psychomagic and psychogenealogy has revolutionized psychotherapy in many countries. He lives in Paris.