Ageing is no accident. It is necessary to the human condition, intended by the soul.
In his best-selling 'The Soul's Code' James Hillman restored passion and meaning to the concept of identity, arguing that each of us is born with an innate character, the "daimon" or "spirit" that calls us to what we are meant to be. Now, in 'The Force Of Character', Hillman brings the idea of character full circle, offering a revolutionary new vision of life's most feared and misunderstood chapter - old age.
In this empowering and original work, James Hillman resurrects the ancient, widespread and socially effective idea of the old person as "ancestor", a model for the young, the bearer of a society's cultural memory and traditions. "Oldness" is an archtypal state of being that can add value and lustre to things we treasure, places we revere, and people's character. When we open our imaginations to the idea of the ancestor, ageing can free us from convention and transform us into a force of nature, releasing our deepest beliefs for the benefit of society.
