On November 7, 1993, writer, workshop leader, and Jungian analyst Marion Woodman was diagnosed with uterine cancer. This inspirational and edifying volume contains her entries in her journal during the two years she battled the disease. With great courage and equal conviction, Woodman decided to learn all she could about herself, aging, healing, and transformation.

Near the start, the author writes: "Research tells me there is no exact explanation for the 'miracle of healing.' It also tells me that images that feed us affect the white blood cells that strengthen the immune system. That fact, interwoven with awe at the exactness, humor, and wisdom of the inner terrain, sustains me in my solitude. Sharing my discoveries and my compassion for the sheer beauty of the human soul is my contribution to community."

The journal entries contain art, line drawings, and excerpts from the poetry of Emily Dickinson, William Blake, Rumi, and others. Woodman uses these as resources to perk up her soul and to sustain her spirit. She also discusses her ideas and responses to traditional and non-traditional medicine. Her husband Ross is there as a constant source of love and support, along with her friends.

Through her writing, Woodman confronts the prodigal parts of herself and welcomes them back home. She realizes that cancer has enabled her to leave motherhood behind in order to become a crone. And last but not least, there is this realization: "Because death is an essential part of life, to be fully alive is to be prepared for it. Cancer has prepared me. And that makes me grateful for my life, present to it and in it to a degree that life before cancer never attained."