Helen M. Luke (1904-1995) was a Jungian writer and therapist who dedicated her life to the study of sacred stories, from classical literature to religion and mythology. She clearly and movingly explained how to apply this knowledge to everyday life, especially for women.

Luke met Carl G. Jung after reading one of his books and deciding to study analytical psychology. She worked with Robert Johnson, the renowned writer and therapist, and in the 1960s founded Apple Farm Community in rural Michigan. This farm, surrounded by trees, offered a retreat close to nature for quiet meditation, study, and exchange with like-minded individuals; or, in her words, a place where “one encounters individuals who breathe fresh air and find their own way.” There he created study groups that led to many of the essays published here, and even almost four decades after Luke's death, the Apple Farm community continues to operate as a center for Jungian retreats.