Myth in the Mojave

“From now on, never cease to investigate the truth. Take nothing on hearsay, but examine all till you are sure that it satisfies the demands of your own reason.” Rafe Martin and “The Wise Crow Jataka”

Jataka tales are part of classical Buddhist folklore. They are the stories of the Buddhas’ past lives and bodhisattva journey. This program features my version of “The Wise Crow Jataka,” found in the collection Endless Path, Awakening Within the Buddhist Imagination by Rafe Martin. Martin writes, “Whatever we’re going through, the Buddha went through it too. Whatever shortcomings we have, the Buddha had them too.”

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“Behind all seen things lies something vaster; everything is but a path, a portal or a window opening on something other than itself. ” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 

Myths and stories can offer such paths and portals—it may be the images they evoke, the power of their metaphors or the questions that they pose. In that spirit, let me tell you my version of The Conference of the Birds, a 12th century epic poem written by the Sufi Farid ud Din Attar.  The poem tells the story of the birds’ quest to find their true king. Attar’s example later inspired Rumi who said, “Attar is the soul itself.” I hope his poem inspires you too.

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Do you ever feel like your contribution to the world is too small? That you should do more, know more, or be better equipped to address the problems of the world and be part of positive change and cultural transformation? 

This program is for you… with thanks to the beautiful people at the Joshua Tree Music Festival who pondered the story of “How Coyote Brought Fire to the People” with me and retrieved these insights.

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This popular fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen is frequently seen as a tribute to the truth-telling power of an innocent child, a child with whom it’s nice to identify. But there’s more to explore in this “simple” tale as we continue thinking about our current war against the titanic, the nature of consensual reality, for example, and the role of the swindlers.

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“I turned. And there it was: a bright green parrot with a red beak perched on the ledge of the bird feeder.” Tista Sen, “How a Bird Feeder Revived My Marriage”

The titanic is found in our longing for the unlimited and obsession with the power of the huge and inflated. It does violence to everything that is relatively small, singular, and specific, and leaves us feeling numb, flattened, and stressed. 

The excess of the titanic is a function of its emptiness, and therein lies the cure---filling that emptiness. We do this by recognizing, connecting, valuing, and caring for Others. This practice unites the heart, mind, and imagination, and can begin with a bird feeder.

Full text of the essay “How a Bird Feeder Revived My Marriage” can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/fashion/modern-love-how-a-bird-feeder-revived-my-marriage.html?_r=0

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"We do not have to live as if we are alone." Wendell Berry

The names that we have for things can be labels and replacements for what "is," or a means of seeing and an invitation to deeper knowing of the Other. The natural connections between names and recognition, awareness and affection can enrich our daily lives and populate the titanic emptiness that numbs us and threatens our world today.

With readings excerpted from Wendell Berry, Ursula LeGuin, Annie Dillard, David Abram, and poet Mary Oliver.

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The gods of the ancient Greeks personify dynamics in the world and the human psyche that are active today. The titanic is experienced as a longing for the unbounded and unlimited, in grandiosity, and phrases like “shock and awe” or “too big to fail.” It takes form in the mega-corporation, in the jumbo supersize, the global economy and global catastrophe. 

These are titanic times. What can we do?

In this program we take a look at titanism today and consider a possible cure proposed by archetypal psychologist James Hillman.

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In the ancient Greek creation myths, as set down by the poet Hesiod, there was a great war between the Titans, who were the first generation of gods, and the Olympians. The battle between the Titan Cronus and Zeus, his son and the Olympian champion, can be understood as an ongoing struggle between two powerful forces and ways of being in the world, a struggle that we are engaged in today. 
 
 What is Titanism and what threat does it pose to us? 
 
 In this program I introduce this question and share the myth of the Titanomachia, the war between the gods.. Listen and get grounded in the story-- then stay tuned for the next program, "Huge is Ugly," where we'll take a closer look at Titanism today with the aid of a provocative essay on the topic, written by James Hillman.

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The word “tao” means “way” and refers to the cosmic order and the way of being, the way of life. Anyone who understands and lives the Tao is in harmony with the great “what is.”

The Trickster called Coyote has a specific way. Coyote’s way is the heart of the stories that are told about him. This program blends several Coyote stories with a couple of short stories about Chuang Tzu, an ancient Chinese Taoist, to explore some of the lessons Coyote might offer about the world that he created for us.

The stories are sourced from Barry Lopez’s collection Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With His daughter: Coyote Builds North America and The Book of Chuang Tzu translated by Martin Palmer with Elizabeth Breuilly, Chang Wai Ming, and Jay Ramsay.

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It often seems that images of the hero and the active stance that implies is the only acceptable model for a person who wants to be responsible and successful in life. The products of popular culture revolve around the “hero’s journey” and stories of the “super hero.” The self-help industry urges us to be the “hero” of our own lives. But one size never really fits all.

The hero is a courageous surmounter of obstacles and a determined problem-solver. Self-sacrifice may be involved. The hero has many admirable qualities but it is only one perspective on life, and like any other notion, it has a shadow side. 

In this program we explore the “heroic” with the aid of a humorous story called “The King Who saved Himself From Being Saved” by John Ciardi. 

“The planet doesn’t need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.” Dalai Lama

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