Passage to Poros - by Edward Tick (Paperback)

About the Book

"A guide to spiritual pilgrimage and the healing powers of immersion in sacred places"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A guide to spiritual pilgrimage and the healing powers of immersion in sacred places

- Takes you on a mystical journey to the sacred Greek island of Poros, a site of pilgrimage and healing for more than 3,000 years, and presents its mythological, literary, historical, and cultural heritage

- Examines pilgrimage, sanctuary, and asylum under the god Poseidon, the ruling spirit of the island, and how these have been practiced through the millennia

- Explores ancient healing traditions, including dream incubation of Asklepios, and using sacred art and ritual to connect with our visions and the divine

Transformational psychotherapist Edward Tick, Ph.D., takes us on a journey of healing, transformation, community, myth, and divine presence to the sacred Greek island of Poros, a site of pilgrimage and healing for more than 3,000 years.

In this book, Tick rediscovers asylia, the original practice of sanctuary that provides safety and inspiration while facilitating healing and connection to divinity. Drawing on ancient traditions, Tick explains how we know ourselves, our destinies, and our connection to the divine through dreams, visions, oracles, and synchronistic events. He shows us how Poseidon's fierce and unpredictable power can rescue as well as destroy, and that we must express humility and balance in order to receive his gifts. Tick continues his decades-long revival of Asklepian dream incubation and other modern versions of ancient rituals while providing a deep dive into the sacred history of Poros and how it can bring transformation and serenity today. He also reveals life-changing mystical experiences his travelers and he have had over 40 years of pilgrimages, including encounters with animal guides, higher powers, and oracles, as well as examining the physical and spiritual restoration of Poseidon's sanctuary and contributing to its literary and mythological legacy.

Review Quotes

"Passage to Poros is a radiant sanctuary, capturing the spiritual light and safety of this place. With wisdom, Tick conveys what poets, artists, travelers, and refugees cherish, offering a profound, grateful embrace of its sheltering essence."-- "Babis Kanatsidis, leading journalist on Poros and editor of Poros News"

"A spiritual book that revives myth in the heart of the present, reminding us that we need a safe place to seek refuge and reconnect with the universal soul."-- "Gianluca Cinelli, editor of Close Encounters in War Journal"

"A story that defies time--or better, finds the threads of mythic time within historical time. Ed's memories offer the poetic space of archetypes, divinities, and the precious Greek people of Poros. Readers will gain new wisdom through ancient stories."-- "Dennis Patrick Slattery, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at the Pacifica Graduate Institute"

"Ed Tick rebirths an ancient fountain of healing and life in this book. Having spent every summer on this island since 1974, it is wholesome to experience Poros through his eyes. He brings healing not only to the reader but also to the land itself."-- "Lindy McMullin, Ph.D., director of psychology programs at the Hellenic American University"

"Ed Tick writes with a breadth of scholarship, depth of soul, and love. Reading Passage to Poros is like reading a love poem to Poros and to the archetypal ground of our human imagination."-- "Roger Brooke, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Duquesne University"

"Edward Tick constructs a sublime, colorful mosaic. A precious reminder of the authentic wisdom of the ancients: how we can draw it into the present, restore it in our own lives, and preserve and protect it."-- "Susan Raby-Dunne, military historian, veterans' advocate, and author"

"Healers and storytellers, Homer assures us, are always welcome. There is no better or more urgent time to welcome Ed Tick, compassionate healer and inspired storyteller, into your life. In Passage to Poros, Tick takes us on a transformative journey, offering us asylum from a crazed world and entry into inner healing and peace. Part travel guide, part memoir, part poetic commentary, and part spiritual meditation--every chapter is a pilgrimage, a journey of soul. This book is a paean to sanctuary."-- "Robert Emmet Meagher, author of Herakles Gone Mad, Killing from the Inside Out, and War and Moral In"

"In Poros, Ed Tick found a home, and in Greece, he summoned Psykhe from her ancient Olympian home into our modern lives through Western medicine, psychiatry, and psychology."-- "Ikhlas Grace Akra, M.D., holistic naturopathic psychiatrist in the ancient Hippocratic tradition and"

"On the beguiling island of Poros, Ed Tick combines his love for the people and culture of modern Greece with the wisdom, mythology, and healing practices of the ancients. On Poseidon's island, we encounter mythical heroes, renowned artists, local personalities, refugees, an array of expats, and American veterans, all of whom have come to appreciate the value of philoxenia (hospitality) found in this magical place. As I read this book, I was transported to Poros, with its kali aura (beautiful air), serene waters, and magnificent sleeping goddess. This is a book that feeds the soul."-- "Peter Meineck, Ph.D., associate professor of Classics in the Modern World, New York University"

"This book is like the psychological tales of the travels of the winds from classical mythology as they surf over the tiny island of Poros, sift through particular pines, strike the ancient rocks of time, and finally gather at the mouth of the cave of Poseidon, who continues to speak--in this case, personally to Tick, and through him, to all of us. We should listen."-- "Steven B. Katz, Ph.D., Pearce Professor Emeritus of Professional Communication and English at Clemso"

"This is the story of love for the island of Poros, love for the people, and love for the past, present, and future. Ed Tick invites us into the world of myths and archetypes that bring new light to our modern hardships, giving them roots and the wisdom of the eternal. With modesty and generosity, the author shares his insights and feelings with the reader, opening a door to a new dimension of the invisible world of symbols and imagination that heals our souls."-- "Natalia Pavlikova, Jungian analyst and previous president of the Russian Society for Analytical Psyc"

About the Author

Edward Tick, Ph.D., is a therapeutic mentor, pilgrimage guide, educator, international activist, and poet. He guides transformational growth by restoring our connections with the numinous. An international thought leader in cultural and war trauma healing and psycho-spiritual development, he restores ancient spiritual and holistic practices for modern seekers. He is the author of The Practice of Dream Healing, Soul Medicine, and six other books. He lives in Belchertown, Massachusetts.