Writing, Aikido, Art, Mythology, and More

Welcome to my world

I'm a writer, artist, aikido instructor, and historian of ideas. This is my personal website, with texts, pictures and videos. See the main categories on the top menu, or read about them below.

I've been on the web since May 1995, when there was not much to be found on it, but everyone had the tingling sensation of something spectacular. We were not wrong.

For any author or artist, this instant connection to the world is a blessing I wouldn't have dreamed of before 1995. Let's hope it stays this way forever. It's true democracy at work, for the first time in history.

Stefan Stenudd

Archetypes of Mythology

Jungian theories on myth and religion examined
Carl G. Jung developed his own form of analytical psychology, based on the ideas of the archetypes and the collective unconscious. He also found those concepts exhibited in myth and religion. Jung got a number of followers, some quite illustrious, such as Joseph Campbell and recently Jordan B. Peterson. This book presents and critically examines the theories of the Jungians, as expressed in their own texts. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Psychoanalysis of Mythology

Freudian theories on myth and religion examined
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and several of his followers used their psychological theories to explain the origin and functions of myths and religion. This book describes and critically examines their ideas as they presented them in their own texts. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Ever Young

Supernatural fiction
Caroline witnesses the agonizing death of her twin brother, when they are no more than 15 years old. Horrified, she feels that nobody should ever have to die. Then she discovers a hidden visitor in her home, who has the ability to live forever without aging at all. And this ability can be transmitted. But she finds that there are grisly downsides to such longevity. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Tao Te ching

The Taoism of Lao Tzu explained
I've been a fan of the old Chinese classic Tao Te Ching since I was about 20, and wrote a Swedish version of it that was published in 1991 (with several later editions). After years of hesitation I made an English version, published in 2011. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Fake Lao Tzu Quotes

Erroneous Tao Te Ching Citations Examined
Lao Tzu was the first Taoist, legendary writer of Tao Te Ching. There are lots of quotes of him in books and on the web, but far too many of them are fake. In this book I go through 90 of the quotes that are spread the most, discussing how to reveal that they are not authentic and searching their real origins. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Aikido

The peaceful martial art aikido can be described as philosophy in motion. I started to practice it in 1972, when I was 18, and I've been going on ever since. The aikido section of my website contains many texts, photos and instructive videos. Click the header to get there.

Aikido Principles

My book about aikido
In this book I present the philosophy and principles of the Japanese martial art aikido, as well as its history and the life of its founder Morihei Ueshiba. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Sunday Brunch with the World Maker

Supernatural fiction
Treating himself to the luxurious Sunday brunch of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, the author is joined by a young stranger. At first, their conversation is all about the author, his experiences and thoughts on life. But as the brunch progresses it becomes evident that the stranger has a lot to say, too. The conversation slips into the mysterious, soon to burst beyond the realm of the possible. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

My Oil Paintings

I started painting when I was in my teens, but then writing got in the way. Still, now and then through the years I have returned to painting, also recently. It is too delightful to give up. Click the image to have a look at my oil paintings.

Mythology

I've studied the history of ideas with great pleasure for a number of years, focusing on the patterns of thought in creation myths. It has resultet in a few books, and there is more to come. You can find some of my texts on mythology by clicking the header.

Cosmos of the Ancients

The Greek Philosophers on Myth and Cosmology
As part of my work on creation myths, I studied what the philosophers of Ancient Greece thought about the mythology of their time and the origin of the cosmos. It became a book, but most of it can also be found on this website. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Aristotle

Myths are stories, so I could not investigate their patterns without the guidance of Aristotle in his Poetics, where he explains how drama works. It's hard to leave Aristotle, once you've gotten familiar with him, so I've dwelt some more on him and his work. Read my texts about his life, his cosmology, and his Poetics.

Life Energy Encyclopedia

Life Force Concepts Around the World
In Japanese and Chinese martial arts, the idea of a life energy called ki (also spelled chi or qi) is instrumental. Similar life force ideas can be found in many cultures all through history, such as prana, pneuma, ruach, and many more. As part of my research in the history of ideas, I made an inventory of all kinds of such concepts and wrote this little encyclopedia about it. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Qi — Increase Your Life Energy

Explanations and Exercises
In this book, I explain the Far Eastern concept of qi (also spelled chi or ki) in detail, and developed a number of very simple exercises by which to experience and increase it. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Tarot Unfolded

Imaginative Reading of the Divination Cards
The Tarot is a deck of cards that has for centuries been used in divination. I wrote this book about its imagery, history and principles. Reading the Tarot cards is essentially done by processing their symbolic pictures in our imagination. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Speculations

Suddenly a subject intrigues me, and I need to write about it. That's my reflex as a writer, as well as my way of contemplating a topic. Here are some texts where I speculate on different topics. Click the header to read those essays.

Reviews

My opinion about films, TV-shows, musical performances and more — what they mean and how their plots work.

Occasionally I Contemplate Murder

Speculative Essay
This is a book I wrote about life, death and the elusive meaning of it all. It is not a novel, exactly, although I let my imagination run wild. I call it a thought-book. Maybe essay would be the proper term. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

Aikibatto

To help my aikido students learn how to work with ken, the sword, and jo, the staff, I developed a system of exercises that I call aikibatto. It became a book, too, but much of it can also be found here.

Your Health in Your Horoscope

Introduction to Medical Astrology
I came across astrology quite by chance in my early twenties, and was intrigued by the complexity so different from what horoscope columns in the newspapers indicate. I know it's a controversial subject, but it is interesting in so many ways — for example as a clue to how our ancestors thought about cause and effect in the world. Anyway, I've written books in Swedish about it — and here is the only one in English, so far. It shows how health issues are described by the Zodiac signs, the movements of the planets, their aspects, and the astrological Houses. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

I Ching

One of the oldest books of China is I Ching, presenting how divination is done with the 64 hexagrams. I made a website about it, where you can try it out online. Whatever you think about it, it's an interesting way of approaching ancient Chinese cosmology.

About Me

If you want to know more about me, click here to read my bio.

Swedish Website

I also have a website in Swedish, with material about my writing, aikido and myths, but also some of the many texts I wrote as a rock critic for the newspaper Dagens Nyheter and as a restaurant critic for Sydsvenskan.

BOOKS	ART	MYTH	PHILOSOPHERS

AIKIDO	BATTO	REVIEWS	SPECULATIONS

Writing, Aikido, Art, Mythology, and More

Welcome to my world

My Other Websites

Stefan Stenudd