A myth is a way to represent a truth that we can accept and understand. Unlike many symbols, myths are actually true.
The Pathwork Guide explores what myths really are—and clears up a common misunderstanding. Myths are not made-up stories or falsehoods. They are meaningful ways of expressing truth. Like symbols, they present complex ideas in a form we can grasp, often through images or stories.
While symbols can be personal and vary from person to person, myths point to universal truths. They are designed to communicate deeper realities about life, human nature, and spiritual development.
In this sense, myths are not fictional—they are another way of conveying truth.
So why do people disagree so strongly about them? The issue is not the myths themselves, but our attachment to belief systems. We often cling to religious or political views because they make us feel safe.
Letting go of them can feel threatening.
As a result, we resist questioning our assumptions. We avoid looking deeper, even when it might lead to greater understanding.
This chapter invites us to loosen that grip, and to become more open to the truths that myths are trying to reveal.
Jill Loree is the founder of Phoenesse and a longtime student of the Pathwork teachings. She has studied the Pathwork Guide’s material since 1997 and completed four years of training to become a certified Pathwork Helper.
When she first encountered the Pathwork teachings, she described the experience as “walking through the doorway of an AA fourth step and finding the whole library.”
Through Phoenesse, Jill writes and teaches about personal transformation using the spiritual psychology found in the Pathwork lectures.
Her books present these teachings in clear, accessible language to help readers apply them in everyday life. Her work focuses on helping people move from the struggles of duality toward the peace of inner unity.
Raised in northern Wisconsin, Jill began her professional career in technical sales and marketing before discovering that her true calling lay in spiritual teaching and writing.
She lives in New York with her husband, Scott Wisler, who now works with her in sharing these teachings around the world.
