In this meditation on the creative mind, poet, novelist, essayist and student of Jung, Dale M. Kushner revisits a fairy tale she wrote decades ago during a time of crisis and uncertainty to examine the condition of "self-enchantment," a state of being that infuses life with the healing power of creativity and illuminates the luminous darkness within. Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name, On Fairy Tales, Imagination and the Creative Mind, and Kushner's accompanying essay present an unflinching and impassioned exploration of the persistence of the creative self and its not always peaceful coexistence with family, identity, motherhood and desire. Augmenting Kushner's tale and reflections are three revelatory essays and a foreword by distinguished Jungian analysts Henry Abramovitch, Kenneth W. James, Dariane Pictet and Murray Stein. Together, the story and the essays invite readers on a journey of self-discovery through the wetlands and forests of soul.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Epigraphs

Author's Note

Foreword

- Kenneth W. James

1. The Littlest Princess or the Princess Who Found Her Name

- Dale M. Kushner

2. The Littlest Princess Who Found Her Name - A Tale of Individuation

- Murray Stein

3. The Song of Every-Name: Reflections on the Littlest Princess

- Dariane Pictet

4. Wild Freedom: A Commentary about Sisters, Minks and Spirituals

- Henry Abramovitch

5. Writing as Self-Enchantment: Thoughts on Imagination, Mystery, and the Unconscious

- Dale M. Kushner

About the Author

About the Contributors

Acknowledgements

List of Illustrations