On Bliss

At the center is the idea that for modern man, money, success, power, and status have replaced myth. The author believes that none of this relates to true spiritual life. Bliss is understood not as pleasure, but as a deep alignment with oneself and the present moment, a feeling of a vibrant and necessary life just for you. Campbell turns to comparative mythology and depth psychology. The publication discusses the functions of myth, symbols, the collective unconscious, personal myth, and the hero's journey. The plots of different cultures are compared with modern questions of self-determination — for example, with the choice of a path that seems dangerous, unclear, and promises neither money nor safety. The book was compiled after the author's death based on his lectures and public speeches from the 1960s to the 1980s. The preface and editing are by David Kadler. The style is essayistic, philosophical, and popular-scientific.