"War in Heaven, Accessing Myth Through Drama is the opening curtain on the dawn of a spiritual renaissance of the theatrical arts. The archetypal myth of Herakles (Hercules) portrays to us all our journey as humanity, with its challenges to see the task clearly, have the courage to undertake it, and the skill and wisdom to triumph. War in Heaven is not only a reinvigoration and reinterpretation of the Herakles myth, but a manual and guidebook. By its very depth and scope, it outlines the vision and the means for the re-creation of sacred drama in the 21st century." -- Gordon Davidson, author of Spiritual Politics, President, The Center for Visionary Leadership, Washington, D.C.

This book is a description of, and theatrical guide to, the production of a mythical story that contains coded messages important to our time. As such, it concerns itself not only with the practical aspects of planning and carrying out the production, but with the philosophical, psychological and spiritual dimensions of mythological theatre.

The book contains a complete script for the drama "The True Herakles," together with production notes.

Contents

1. Opening to this Series
Mythological Theatre, The Herakles Series, Encountering the Divine, Who is Herakles? Plan for the Series, Practical Matters: to the Actor, Building the Pathway, Begin with Activities
2. Opening Theme
How Herakles Overcame the Man-Eating Mares, Horses that Eat, The Herd, The Rage of the Feminine
3. The Drama
"The True Herakles," i. Preparations, ii. Prologue, iii. The Fallen Gods, iv. The Temple at Elis, v. At Tiryns with Eurystheus, vi. The Land of Diomedes, vi. Return to Tiryns
4. Activities
5. Commentaries
Who are the Gods? War in Heaven, The Gifts of the Gods, The Tasks of Aries, The Man-Eating Horses, Eating by the Senses, Psychodynamic Explanations, The Man-Eating Mares of Dionysos, Another Line of Inquiry, The Healing Vortex, The Sacred Order of Things
6. Production Notes
The Narrators and Preparations, The Gods, The Song for Herakles, Gifts of the Gods, Herakles, Abderis, Eurystheus at Tiryns, The Mares, Conclusions
Appendices
Foundations of Mythic Theatre, A. The Building Blocks: How Humans Work; The Hierarchies; Centers of Our Energy; Initiations; The Stars and Planets; The Seven Rays; Eurythmy; Systems, Systems, Systems…; An Example of Building Blocks; B. What Makes a Ceremony: Warming-up, Naming, Moving Our Names, Learning Names, The Five Rhythms, Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, Stillness, Rhythm of Rhythms, Waves for Groups, Cooling Down. C. Insights into Herakles and the Labors: Eurystheus.