Myth Matters

"I shall sing of Zeus, the best and greatest of the Gods; far-seeing, mighty, fulfiller of designs..." Homeric Hymn to Zeus

Real change begins with a change in perspective. The old myths offer a valuable lens and means to make such a shift. They reveal the shared webs of meaning and images that are the source of ideologies, theologies, and other constructs.

Greek mythology continues to be a particularly strong influence in the world today, given the colonizing history of Western culture. I think it can help us understand the deeper themes in this time of social unrest and transformation.

In this episode, we examine the Greek myths surrounding Zeus, the ruler of gods and men. What do these stories suggest about power, legitimate authority, and justice?

This episode builds on ideas in the last one, "Meaning is magic: the trickster Hermes and radical change." You might want to listen to that one first, if you haven't already.

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Meaning is a very powerful thing. The meaning of something is intimately connected with the nature of the thing itself, whether that thing be an actual "thing" or an idea. The meaning of something is central to its appearance, identity, and significance. When you change the meaning of something, you change the truth of it. 

You change the context. You may change the "rules." Something brand new may come into the world. Changes in meaning = world creation, my friend!

I think this is a useful lens to apply to the painful divisions and amazing developments taking place right now. People are consciously attempting to manipulate or change the meanings of things. This is causing a lot of disagreement, discomfort, and excitement.

The mythological figure that is most closely associated with these activities is the trickster. In this episode we take a look at Hermes, the Greek trickster god, to see how an expert uses the magic of meaning to recreate the world. 

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"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, pass the wit of man to say what dream it was."  --Shakespeare, from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

A few Celtic stories about encounters with fairies, to celebrate the solstice and midsummer, and to consider the need for healthy skepticism and making room for magic.

"The Celt in all ages of his long history, like the ancient Greek thinkers with whom his ancestors were contemporary, has always been inclined, unlike modern scientists, to seek an explanation for the phenomena of evolutionary life by postulating a noumenal world of causes as the background to a phenomenal world of effects.  Today, the rapid march of scientific pioneers, chiefly those in psychical research, is bringing our own cold and exact science very close to that indefinable boundary which separates the two worlds [...]"

 --Walter Evans-Wentz, The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries 

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The help that we need often comes from unexpected sources, if we have the wisdom to recognize them. 

We're surrounded by helpers, teachers, and truth-tellers in the visible and invisible worlds, and yet it's easy to miss the advice and magical tools and get stuck. 

We think that we know what's important. We place faith in illusions of power and control. We're rude to the dwarf who stands at the side of the road.

There are so many old stories on this theme. Apparently, learning how to respond without arrogance is part of the process, a lesson on the journey that is repeated over and over again!

Here are a few short stories with a humorous twist to help you locate yourself on the spectrum between pride and prejudice, and an open mind and heart. I hope you find a moment or two in these tales to aid you in your quest for transformation.

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When the king is fatally ill and radical change is required, you need to make a journey down unfamiliar paths into the symbolic world of story, and find the water of life.  

"The Water of Life," a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, provides some guidance about how this quest can be undertaken. What message does it hold for you right now?

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"I’ve been terrified every moment of my life—and I never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do." -- Georgia O’Keefe

How do you find the courage and commitment to be true to yourself?

A relatively small happening in your life, a minor mystery or random thought, even an irritant, can be a moment of awakening and the start of your quest. In this Native American story, a busy little mouse hears a strange roaring in his ears. This experience has no place in his world. Other mice tell him that it doesn't exist. But one day...

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."~ Joseph Campbell

Sending this out in celebration of my dad, Robert L. Svehla, who would have been 88 years old today.

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"Imaginal knowing is the only way that the unconscious can move into consciousness [... it happens through pictures, events, and well-told stories. It happens through poetry, where well-chosen words create an image that, in turn, creates a new awareness [...]" 

In this episode we do something a bit different, in celebration of National Poetry month.

Here is a kaleidoscope of poems and voices, of topics and perspectives, a short journey beyond conventional wisdom, to deeper knowing and recognition, to appreciation of the gift of living in this time. 

There is loss and pain, there is grief and helplessness mixed in. Let's not pretend otherwise, and let it also be fuel for creative fires. May synchronicity, or a moment of grace or attention, gift you with a poem that lifts you up today and helps you see that you are not alone.

Thank you to the Myth Matters patrons and supporters who contributed their voices and poems to this episode. They give life to our virtual story circle.

A complete transcript of this episode--and links to the featured poets and poems-- are available at www.mythicmojo.com

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"Art is the informed translation of soul." ---Brian Michael Tracy

April is National Poetry month in the United States. I'm joined by fellow myth-lover and poet, Brian Michael Tracy, for an exploration of the connections between poetry and soul. 

Psyche is the mysterious wellspring of myth, dream, and poetry, and our source of creative vitality. As Brian writes, "Art is the informed translation of soul." 

Brian's poetry weaves through our conversation. I hope you find inspiration and a reflective respite here, and perhaps hear a whisper of soul.

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"April 1st is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are the other three hundred and sixty-four days."    Mark Twain

There's been so much abuse of the truth, deception, and erosion of our trust in each other that April Fool's Day feels a bit dicey. And yet, laughter is more than the best medicine. Laughter is life.

Here are some fun facts about April Fool's and a handful of humorous tales.  I hope they give you laugh, and some perspective, and help you feel that you belong.

"The first of April, some do say,
is set apart for All Fool's day,
but why the people call it so,
Nor I, nor they themselves do know.
But on this day people are sent
on purpose for pure merriment."

---Poor Robin's Almanac (1760)

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To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour

from "Auguries of Innocence" by William Blake

Among the paradoxes posed by Blake, I find the notion of "eternity in an hour" particularly compelling. Events of the past year have changed our relationship to time. I wonder how to retain the gifts as we move into spring, fresh starts, and new life.

How to remain in the still point as the wheel begins to spin.

In this episode I tell a Japanese fairy tale about the fisherman Urashima Taro, which leads me to thoughts about the power of stories to collapse time, and one of Joseph Campbell's observations about art, wonder, and aliveness. 

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