Journey out of the garden

the long version

Francis of Assisi did not begin his life as the serene saint we know from countless garden statues. While he would become known for his poverty and peaceful ways, his early life was far different. He was born in Italy in the twelfth century during the violent death pangs of feudalism. A member of the prosperous merchant class, he dressed in finery, threw lavish parties and trained as a crusader. Early in the thirteenth century, however, he underwent a profound spiritual crisis. No longer comfortable living out the collective values of his age, Francis embarked on the life-changing process of individuation. In this new study of Francis of Assisi, author Susan W. McMichaels describes one man's struggle to become the hero of his own life by following the deepest promptings of his heart. Using the map of Jung's psychology to follow Francis out of the garden and along the road of his inner and outer quest, Journey out of the Garden offers insight into this remarkable figure and challenges the reader to discover the courage and humility to chart his or her own individual path through life.