You may not have heard of Houston, a disciple of mythologist Joseph Campbell’s who will now likely be remembered as Hillary Clinton’s ““guru.’’ But among followers of New Age mysticism, this pop psychologist and avatar of the Human Potential Movement is a legend.

The daughter of a gag writer for Henny Youngman and an actress, Houston, 55, received a doctorate in the philosophy of religion from Columbia. In speeches, Web sites and 15 books with titles like ““The Search for the Beloved: Journeys in Mythology and Sacred Psychology,’’ Houston teaches how to train the mind to get in touch with ““the wonder of the inner and outer worlds that is our legacy.’’ Houston argues that a finely tuned mind can in effect reach back in time, tapping into the vestiges of our evolutionary ancestors that she says still exist in our brains.

This feat is said to be accomplished through a rigorous regimen of mental exercises. In ““The Possible Human,’’ readers are taught to spend hours acting out various stages of evolution – pretending to be a fish, then an amphibian, then a monkey. Eventually, they imagine themselves in the future as ““extended humans.’’ Later, readers are told to become ““units of time,’’ making a ““z-z-z-z-z-z sound like a very large bumblebee’’ and pretending to be a minute, a year, a million years.

Part textbook psychology, part Eastern mysticism, part self-help inspiration, Houston’s program stresses exercises intended to sharpen the senses, improve memory and help followers discover hidden ““myths’’ that hold the key to a fulfilling life.

Lively and self-assured, Houston made an instant impression on the First Lady, Bob Woodward writes. ““Jean is a tall, engaging, big person who is very exuberant, an earth-mother personality,’’ adds a White House aide. ““She casts a sense of warmth. She has all this ancient history in her head. She’s kind of a character. You can laugh her off or listen to her.’’ Woodward writes that Houston ““strongly encouraged Hillary to write a book,’’ and ““virtu- ally moved into the White House residence for several days at a time to help.''

The White House is no longer flattered by the attention. While Houston herself is not commenting on Woodward’s book, administration aides now say that Houston’s friendship with the First Lady isn’t particularly close at all. And they bristle at Houston’s claim to Woodward that she was instrumental in persuading Mrs. Clinton to travel to Asia. ““She’s magnifying her own importance in Hillary’s life,’’ says one aide.

Mrs. Clinton devoted her newspaper column two weeks ago to naming the many women to whom she has reached out, including authors Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mary Pipher and Deborah Tannen. Jean Houston is also very much on Hillary’s list, here and beyond.