Finding the True Self, Part 8: Navigating Through Self-Deceit

Finding the True Self, Part 8: Navigating Through Self-Deceit
“The Companions of Odysseus Steal the Cattle of Helios,” 1554/56 Pellegrino Tibaldi. Fresco, Palazzo Poggi Museum. Public Domain
James Sale
Updated:

Odysseus has had a most terrifying, almost overwhelming, experience in summoning the dead spirits of Hades in order to continue his journey home so as to find his own true soul, Penelope.

We have seen in this series that the integration of the soul does not admit of any shortcuts. Odysseus must suffer all of the nine shortcomings that are to be found in the human personality. From sloth and lust, at points Nine and Eight on the Enneagram cycle of nine personality types, he has moved through gluttony (where a bold shortcut was attempted and failed), fear, and avarice at points Seven, Six, and Five.

James Sale
James Sale
Author
James Sale has had over 50 books published, most recently, "Gods, Heroes and Us" (The Bruges Group, 2025). He has been nominated for the 2022 poetry Pushcart Prize, and won first prize in The Society of Classical Poets 2017 annual competition, performing in New York in 2019. His most recent poetry collection is “DoorWay.” For more information about the author, and about his Dante project, visit EnglishCantos.home.blog
Related Topics