Myth Matters

"I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread.."

 ---from "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W.B. Yeats 

The Salmon of Knowledge is a mythical creature in Irish folklore associated with poetry and knowledge of deep truths. Any person who ate a bit of the fish would become wise and know the essence of all things. 

Which leads one to wonder: what is the nature of this wisdom? 

The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill suggests an answer to this question. I love this story and hope you enjoy it too.

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“Dogs are our link to paradise.” -- Milan Kundera

Sometimes a "little" detail in my day triggers thoughts about my mythic orientation and brings stories to mind.

This episode began with a short news story about a dog. Which led me to a Jicarilla Apache creation myth and an Irish legend about Fionn MacCool.

These stories remind us of the enduring bond between humans and dogs, and what they teach us about loyalty, empathy, and joy. How they help us be better humans. And love.

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"I don’t think the meaning of life is what we’re seeking. I think it’s an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have residences within our own innermost being in reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive." -- Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

The meaning of life isn't what we're seeking? 

Isn't meaning what makes life worthwhile, at least, or especially, from the perspective of a depth-psychological-mythologist?

In this episode, I take up these questions and Campbell's claim with the aid some stories found in his book Myths To Live By.

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"Rationality and logic can be spiritual." -- Alan Lightman, Mr. g

The antagonism between Western science and myth/religion has shaped human history and continues to obstruct the quest for a holistic understanding of existence.

In Myths to Live By, Joseph Campbell outlines the conflict and offers solutions to the modern dilemma. Science will provide new metaphors, he explains.

I wonder about the reconciliation of science and religion and what forms this might this take. This led me to Mr. g, a novel by Alan Lightman.  

Lightman is a theoretical physicist who has served on the faculty at Harvard and MIT.  In his novel he combines science, theology, and moral philosophy to tell a creation story that is mythic, if not technically a myth.
 
Through the eyes of the cosmic creator Mr. g,  we witness the birth of the universe and the wonders of scientific evolution, from galaxies and stars to the emergence of life on a small planet.

I hope you enjoy this gloss of the book and are inspired to read it too.

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The Babylonian Enuma Elish, also known as The Seven Tablets of Creation, is one of the oldest surviving creation myths. The story narrates the epic battle between the god Marduk and the primordial goddess Tiamat, which resulted in the creation of mankind and the establishment of an enduring order in heaven and on earth. 

No one alive today "believes" in this myth. The cuneiform tablets containing the poem were lost for centuries. Nevertheless,  Marduk exerts considerable influence over the world-dominating cultures today. 

In this episode, I tell you the myth, provide some historical context, and consider the role it has--and might yet-- play in the ongoing creation of culture

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How did all of this-- what we call reality, the universe, the earth, life, begin? What do you think? This question is a primary motivation for our ongoing myth-making. Despite all the tools and technologies, the origins of the cosmos, life, and human beings are still a mystery.

In offering us an explanation of our creation, these myths offer a perspective on human nature, purpose, and social organization as well. Your inherited myths influence how you live and what you value, even if you spend little time consciously thinking about them.

So, let's spend some time thinking about them.

This episode is a brief survey of some creation myths from around the world that illuminate the variety and implications in the answers that humans have developed to answer the question of  beginnings.

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The proper way to be a father or mother, questions about who can father or mother, and what these parental roles mean are contentious topics, ripe for creative reflection and renewal. Myths about fathers and fatherhood contain images and meanings that shape society and family life. They're a key part of this cultural conversation.

The fathers in myths and fairy tales exert influence over us whether or not we believe in them or know the specifics of the stories. In this episode, we take a look at the Christian God the Father, Zeus of the ancient Greek pantheon, Odin from Norse mythology, and a couple of fairy tales dads. 

Happy Father's Day! 

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Our appreciation of mythology as a symbolic language is central to the contemporary relationship to myth. As people bound to a psychological view of the inner life, myth as metaphor is the key to understanding the old stories. And yet, myth is more than metaphor.

The elements in a story, the specific animals, plants, and features of the land that are named in a given story, are more than artistic details. Investigation into the scientific as well as the mythic biography of these elements can result in discoveries that enhance your appreciation of the story and expand your original insights.

In this episode, our exploration of the stinging nettles in "The Wild Swan" takes us further into the world of the story and a psychology of craft for today.

"Working so slowly by hand is transformative, bringing up different conceptions of time and questions of what constitutes value." --  Dylan Howitt , filmmaker, "The Nettle Dress"

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On the surface,  "The Wild Swans" is a fairy tale about cursed brothers who are saved by their sister.  This is a common motif.

 Closer examination led me to consider the creative power of words and of silence, and how we use and are used, by both.

I hope you enjoy the story. 

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In The World's Wife, Carol Ann Duffy offers myth poems that are also myths for today in the form of a poem.  These poems converse with old myths and stories AND they are stories in themselves.  They display a deep appreciation for the poignancy of these tales, and a wicked, dark humor. 

I love them. 

As the title suggests, Duffy tells her myths from the perspective of the women who are largely silent in the older and more popular versions. This episode includes a handful of my favorites from the collection, accompanied by a bit of background about the relevant myth or fairytale.

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Email Catherine at [email protected]
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Learn how you can work with Catherine at https://mythicmojo.com
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