Phallos: Sacred Image of the Masculine

It was a bit tough ploughing through this book ten or so years ago as it seems a little ponderous and self conscious but I'm glad I did. In retrospect I can't think of another book that raised my consciousness quite the way this one did. As a female victim of childhood molestation, I have tried to understand sexuality from the male perspective and it was helpful to read a frank but intelligent and spiritual book by a man about men without intercession and without courtship to the feminine in the audience. I often recommend this book to women who are genuinely interested in a better understanding of men and not just interested in getting them to put the toilet seat down. If you're one of these more enlightened sister types, give the book a try. It's one of a kind in my experience. I also appreciate the Jungian approach to all matters in life and this book is part of a series of books, most of which I have read with interest and appreciation.

This is a great book for one's 'men's issues' or Jungian bookshelf. Of particular interest to me was the author's elucidation of the archetypal unconscious having 'phallos' qualities intrinsically. Both Freud and Jung articulated the feminine quality of the unconscious, with heroic ego differentiation representing a masculine step (initially)away from it. Yet, metaphorically, why would the unconscious be exclusively feminine? Why would the heroic ideal be exclusively masculine? As our culture's gender roles become more flexible Monick's interpretations will become increasingly useful to analysts and other therapists. This book also contains great photos of depictions of the phallos in art.

A useful addition to your "men's issues" bookshelf. Especially good for readers not familiar with the new movement to affirm the sacredness of masculinity. -- Craig Chalquist, M.S., creator of the Thineownself self-exploration site.

First Mother then Phallos then the union of the two, all performed WITHIN, has nothing to do with human beings, which is to say LOVE is not human = EROS.