Myth Matters

"Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile, the world goes on..."
--Mary Oliver, "Wild Geese"

The world that you and I knew has ended and many things are changing and yet, the sun still rises and sets, and the spring flowers are blooming here in the Mojave Desert. The earth--- our source and ground---is beneath our feet. 

Here is a program of poetry to connect you with all the life and beauty that remains despite the great changes underway. I've included poems by Eleanor Lerman, James Wright, Czeslaw Milosz, W.S. Merwin, Billy Collins, Wallace Stevens, Eavan Boland, David Whyte, Pat Mora, and Mary Oliver. 

In celebration of National Poetry month here in the United States-- and of all the good that remains.

“Poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence.” —Audre Lorde

A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!

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You and I are living through huge changes. My day to day is a roller coaster ride through grief and fear of loss, to joy at the birdsong, gratitude, inspired resolve, and anxiety. I'm energized and exhausted at the same time. Maybe you're riding a roller coaster too.

It's tempting to devote all energy to practicalities and logistics, to the newsfeeds and the search for distractions, or to disconnect and retreat into your private world. But we're needed. You and me. Right now. 

So how do we ride the roller coaster? And how do we participate with our gifts and wisdom? 

By making space for reflection on the bigger meanings, including our vulnerability. To stop and breathe and let that in. This old Celtic story of competition and tests of character can guide reflections on the source of true strength and the deep meanings of this time. 

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“Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” Joseph Campbell

A lot has changed in a mere two weeks and I hope that you are safe and healthy. 

In the recent podcast about Loki and the quantum cosmos, I suggested that we need to use our ability to question and cultivate a new state of openness. I received requests to talk more about this "openness," which led me to consider these words from Joseph Campbell.

There is a connection between this wisdom and the old stories, one's sense of belonging to the world, and the ability to live this paradox of joy and sorrow. Here is my attempt to knit them together for you, offered with the wish that you find some inspiration and encouragement here.

The need for physical distance compels us to spend more time at home and perhaps alone, yet we have technologies like the podcast to connect with each other.

Take good care of yourself. 

A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!

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Myths of the Norse god Loki combine with understanding of the quantum cosmos to offer insight into the necessity of chaos, and a perspective on the restructuring of our lives.

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How can a thoughtful person think, in a useful and creative way, about the seeming insanity of many politicians and the turmoil in public life and community affairs? What does mythology have to do with the conflict, and do the old stories offer any insight?

These are big questions. The role that mythology plays in shaping every aspect of communal life is too big for one podcast, but this Yoruba story about Eshu and his love of discord offers a good starting point in the search for a healthy, helpful perspective.

A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!

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Are we solitary and relatively powerless egos in a mechanical world, or do we belong to a community of seen and unseen Others? What does it mean to live the life of the soul, and why is this necessary? 

“The Fire-bird and the Princess Vasilisa,” a Russian fairytale about a hunter and a horse, a king, a magical bird and a mysterious princess, offers a way into the imaginal realm where such questions can be considered.

A transcript of this podcast is available at http://www.mythicmojo.com

Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.

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In the last podcast I told you the fairy tale of “The Three Feathers” and talked about the connection between gratitude, imagination, and possibility. This was an invitation to look beyond what you perceive to be a limited situation and actively entertain the unknown, to unleash the power of imagination and the magic that arises from a place of willing curiosity. 

The story that I now offer, “The Old Thief and the Plum Seed,” extends those reflections in ways that I didn’t foresee. And that may be the point(!).

Trickster energy is at work in the world my friends. I hope this story enriches your perspective on our changing times and helps you find the opportunities.

May you have a joyful holiday season and smooth transition into the new year. You are the story circle, dear listener and it means everything to know that you are out there.

A transcript of this podcast is available at http://www.mythicmojo.com

Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.

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“we are saying thank you and waving
dark though it is”--- W.S. Merwin

The wise ones tell us that true gratitude, gratitude beyond the platitude, is gratitude for everything, even hardship and suffering. Easier said than done, right? 

How can we move into a fullhearted posture of thanksgiving? How can the old stories help us reach this peaceful state of acceptance?

In this podcast, a fairy tale called “The Three Feathers” provides a meditation on imagination and a trapdoor down into that realm of possibility.

A transcript of this podcast is available at http://www.mythicmojo.com

Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.

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“Here is the epic of the fear of death.” Ranier Marie Rilke

This program is the third and final episode in my telling of the ancient Sumerian myth of Gilgamesh, the hero-king of Uruk. When he was a young man he terrorized his people, but at the end of his story they say that Gilgamesh was wise, that he traveled the world and knew secret things. 

What happened to Gilgamesh? He faced his fear of death.

Death isn’t something that we’re generally encouraged to contemplate and yet this existential problem (to put it mildly) is a universal task, the catalyst for the quest for purpose, love, and meaning, and the impetus for myth. 

Death looms large in these times of mass extinction and cultural disintegration and I believe that we must grapple with it to be fully alive and present, to do what each of us is here to do with courage, creativity, gratitude, and love. 

I hope your journey with Gilgamesh guides your further down your path to meaning.

A transcript of this podcast is available at http://www.mythicmojo.com

Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.

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In part 2 of this 3-part series, Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu venture into the sacred cedar forest to confront the demon Humbaba and make great names for themselves. These actions and motivations may seem questionable today, and raise questions about the enduring value of the ancient story. 

 What do these two have to teach us about the human condition? Do they simply illustrate timeworn heroic values—for better or for worse--- or does this poem connect past and present in a meaningful, useful way?

A transcript of this podcast is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.

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Email Catherine at [email protected]
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