This episode begins with an old Mayan tale, called Poder, which was traditionally told to young boys as an initiation story. Through this powerful story, we’re taken on a journey that gives us a glimpse into what may have contributed to the global crises we find ourselves in now. The story tells us about the nature of our gifts, the potential for what the world has to offer us, and the wrong kind of trouble that occurs when those inherent gifts are abandoned and disowned by the village and culture.

In this deep and heartfelt conversation, we speak to the lack of meaningful initiation and rites of passage that are missing from our westernised culture, the loss of elders and authentically initiated adults, and the grief of all that comes along with that.

We turn to this powerful myth, and other old tales from Greece, to look through the mythic lens to see if there are life-enhancing ways that might support us to proceed given the grand mess we find ourselves in. 

Resources

"The Genius Myth" - Book by Michael Meade 
“Nocaratanaje” - Ashaninka word for “healthy,” translates to "I carry harmony") 
“Tears & Threads of Unbelonging” - Poem by Alexandre Jodun
"The Rites of Passage" - Book by Arnold Van Gennep