The Charm of Making (ePub)

Merlin exists in the recesses of our Psyche. Commonly seen as the precursor to the Arthurian legends, Kennan instead understands that his purpose is more spiritual, and pursues this path guided by his own dreams. In this process history and myth are shown to lead beyond our current scientific and religious positions, to reveal the deep stories that can inform our current views of such issues as the neglect of the feminine, the relativisation of modern medicine and psychology, and the ecological crises that afflict us all.

Using a revelatory understanding in his own personal life story, revealed through his dreams, led Kennan first to Merlin and then onto the Grail; in this, he felt he was following the path of Merlin of legend. Kennan unashamedly explores this understanding with various disciplines and a creative intellect to reveal that not only do these historical themes still talk to us, but they guide us toward a sense of purpose and direction laden with responsibility, in a manner we can put to active use.

Although fundamentally a memoir, Kennan uses his personal story, dreams and life experience to teach about where such themes as Merlin and the Grail can inform us all about our unique life direction; being our destiny, fate, or wyrd. Within this process Merlin is as much recreated as rediscovered in deeper layers than the medieval accounts, and the Grail's secret understood as each of our individual spiritual quests. The wisdom of the past and its traditions is revealed as a light into the present... and the future.