The Stone Sphere

“There is a redemptive quality for an agitated mind in the spoken word, and a tormented soul finds peace in confessing.”       Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

The Stone Sphere  by Suzanne E. Greco, published by 

This compelling memoir delves deep into the author's journey of incest by an ecclesiastical leader - her father. Traversing a Jungian path to healing and transformation unconsciously, the author interweaves profound insights from the realms of theology, metaphysics, and science, exploring the harrowing realities of incest and clergy sex abuse, trauma, and the insidious patterns of intergenerational abuse. The author draws upon a rich tapestry of scholarly voices such as Diana Russell, Antonio Damasio, Peter Levine, Judith Herman, Dan Allender, Bessel Van Der Kolk, N.T. Wright, Terryl Givens and more.

Carl Jung, unbeknownst to most, was the victim of a childhood sexual assault by a man of the cloth. Edward Santana, a clinical psychologist, opined, "Analytical psychology was indeed rooted in and born from Jung's tragic Memories, painful Dreams, and difficult Reflections." On the 28th of October 1907, a significant moment in Jung's life unfolded as he penned, confessing the heavy laden weight carried for decades, "that as a boy I was the victim of a sexual assault by a man I once worshipped." Jung's personal myth is read out of the confrontation with the unconscious and the dissociation of the burial of a childhood sexual assault. A secret he hid away not only psychologically, but also physically in the attic of his childhood home. Jung's personal myth was perhaps one of his greatest achievements that not only charts his journey of healing but potentially serves as a model for others grappling with the aftermath of child sex abuse within a religious context. 

Suzanne's journey towards healing bears striking resemblances to Jung's own odyssey - deeply rooted in spirituality, the numinous, and creativity. By delving into rituals and family history work, akin to Jung's personal transformation following the separation from Freud, and his encounters with departed family members, as contained in The Seven Sermons to the Dead, a profound cosmological framework encompassing the realms of the living and the deceased emerges as a key in the process of healing from child sex abuse in a religious context. 

This memoir sheds light on the profound interplay between the living and the departed, revealing how deeply rooted traumas reverberate across generations. With a compassionate yet unflinching gaze, the author aims to spark crucial conversations and catalyze much-needed reform in supporting victims, addressing perpetrators, and guiding both civil and ecclesiastical leaders toward a more empathetic and informed response to the scourge of abuse. As noted by the esteemed Diane E. H. Russell, a trailblazer in the field of sexual violence and women's rights, "Louise Armstrong has argued that it is not incest that is taboo - it’s talking (or writing) about incest." Through this courageous narrative, Suzanne invites readers to confront the silence and stigma surrounding these dark realities, offering a beacon of hope and healing for all those touched by the shadows of trauma.