the Book is a Swiss psychotherapist Verena Kast "Sisyphus. Retention and release in the middle of life." Using the myth of Sisyphus, the author examines the aspects of human life in middle age (in the age of mid-life crisis), the typical experiences of the man: the meaning and meaninglessness of committed efforts and life in General, leads client stories from his practice in which people, like Sisyphus, was going through the monotony of his life, talks about how they managed to cope with it.

Sisyphus, besides being punished by the gods, engaged in hard and meaningless labour, non-result is interesting by the fact that he cheated death itself. In the myth of Sisyphus says that he tied his lead to the underworld Thanatos and returned home to the land of the living. And then he cheated death again, telling his wife not to bury his body and perform funeral rites, and then again was returned to the world of the living. And punished he was for it — for refusing to recognize the natural course of things, refusing to die, and successful resistance to the dying.

Adult man going through a mid-life crisis think about it — half of my life has passed, here come the second half, and then — death... Want to deceive the death, for example, to live the second half of life as something different, and radically change everything — family (especially because children have grown up), work, profession, city or even country of residence, etc. as If to live another life, different from the first.

Myth preachy — although Sisyphus and manage to outwit death, this victory is only momentary, followed by the defeat and severe punishment. Kast gives examples of other myths and fairy tales in which the hero manages to cheat death, or, as an option — hell. However, nowhere hero becomes immortal — death or hell retreat, but only temporarily.

a Simple analogy that arise about our lives when reading the myth of Sisyphus — a recurring action, do not bring result. But if bringing — the result is not final, but only for a while. She Verena Kast writes that the idea for the book came to her while doing the dishes. And in fact — it is impossible once and for all to wash the dishes. Some of our actions, the lessons in life are repeated endlessly, we don't think about it — we brush our teeth, wash the dishes, made the bed. Every day is the same. In the norm — people do not think about it, however, existing certain violations of this provision give us and obsessive-compulsive disorder with Intrusive thoughts, obsessions usually these daily repetitive actions, and various other disorders.

the Myth of Sisyphus is a reflection of this story. The history of our daily life, as if devaluing and depriving the meaning of our lives. Why, if every day — all one and the same? Endless repetition, in the end, after some number of years, ending with death. How to escape from this meaningless of everyday life, perhaps finding in all this a sense?

I Remember Victor Frankl, who offered not to seek some kind of global meaning of life, and to find these meanings in the everyday life. The same notorious washing dishes — after all, it is not done just so, it makes sense. Perhaps You wash a plate for her little child who is not able to do it himself. The existence of this child, his life and all its manifestations very important for You, fill your life with meaning. Even if You live alone and wash a plate for herself, maintain cleanliness and beauty in the house, and maybe brings You closer to a sort of Harmony?

One of the customers told me that when in his youth he for some time worked as a janitor, he was inspired by a phrase from "the Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-exupéry — in the morning, clean your planet. He perceived that he had to sweep, as entrusted to him the area of the planet, which he leads in order. In many ways, it was this game with yourself. But he liked her. By the way — the job as a janitor grateful in the sense that he immediately sees the results of his activities and experiences bring to the people.

Literature:
1) Verena Kast ""Sisyphus. Retention and release in the middle of life"
2) Viktor Frankl "Man's search for meaning"
3) Antoine de Saint-Exupery "the Little Prince"

(to be Continued)

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