jamesn.
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Dennis; your kind and thoughtful reply sent me off into a reflective reverie today where I was held in a kind of aesthetic arrest thinking about all sorts of mythical related material in relation to your book and the things we have been discussing. The metaphor of: “My Fathers House has many rooms” seems to fit as I began comparing some of the different books and approaches I have been utilizing over the years and how many of these ideas seem to run along similar pathways leading back to one’s personal myth. One is Sam Keen’s and Ann Valley-Foxe’s: “Your Mythic Journey” where the various forms of the “self” engage with our interior processes of assimilation; (thinking about how both the personal and collective unconscious connect within the dream and waking states that connect to one’s constant “becoming” Jung talks about; these things called archetypes); and how these things manifest themselves in our lives. Both in our self-image and that ever illusive thing that pulls us forward. Sometimes they come out through our emotions; sometimes they are expressed in our pens as we write; sometimes we try to see and understand them and sometimes we are successful but often they seem to be just out of reach as they lead us ever onward toward some unknown destination we are not aware of.
Joseph’s conversations with Michael Toms in: “An Open Life” brought up an interesting thing that always grabs my attention in a powerful way when I think about the relationship between Jung’s ideas and how people mistake Joseph for a Jungian which he defiantly refuses. I thought you might have some thoughts about this since you are so familiar with his work and it deals specifically with how one should approach their own myth they are constructing.
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On page 123 the conversation states:
Toms:
“Jungian psychology seems to be more open than other more traditional forms of interpretation.”Joseph:
“You know for some people, “Jungian” is a nasty word, and it has been flung at me by certain reviewers as though to say, “Don’t bother with Joe Campbell; he’s a Jungian. ” I’m not a Jungian! As far as interpreting myths, Jung gives me the best clues I’ve got. But I’m much more interested in diffusion and relationships historically than Jung was, so that the Jungians view me as a kind of questionable person. I don’t use those formula words very often in my interpretation of myths, but Jung gives me the background from which to let the myth talk to me.If I do have a guru of that sort, it would be Zimmer—the one who really gave me the courage to interpret myths out of what I knew of their common symbols. There is always a risk there, but it’s the risk of your own adventure instead of just gluing yourself to what someone else has found.”
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I think this is a huge statement because to me he is saying: (You) are the God that is creating your own life; and you are the one deciding what your myth is to be not someone else. This is the left hand path Joseph talks about that informs the modern hero archetype the individual must listen to in traversing out of and beyond their ropes in order to find and know who and what they are to become. They are not only flying blind making their path up as they go; but they are not obeying any kind of set rulebook on how this is done.
This links back to our earlier conversation of our: “freefall into the future” we were discussing Joseph seems to be pointing out. The older mythic prototypes or stories no longer work because they are out of date; and “all” of these older global myths seem to be combining into some kind of new unknown form. In one comment he made to Bill Moyers in “The Power of Myth” he says: “We can’t have a new myth for a long time because things are changing too fast. So the individual has to find their own way”. So the old tribes we are accustomed to only keep us within the Village Compound of the Right Hand Path that the hero must leave to find or answer their own call of their life. (Then of course we get into these other components and dimensions of the mythical applications of the Jungian cosmology Joseph uses to describe what these things mean and how this quest can be accomplished through the individual’s own interpretation.
On a lighter note Shaheda, Marianne, Stephen, and I were discussing how we all name things and their significance to our lives. We started exchanging stories about this sort of thing and objects that we name came up and one included Joseph’s car he named “Gander”. Well come to find out from Stephen that Joseph gave this car to Sam Keen as a wedding present; and there is a lovely little metal sculpture of a Gander Joseph uses as a paper weight on his desk that Jean gave him that’s now on display in a recreation of Joseph’s writing desk where he composed all his work. (I just love these kinds of things because it gives you a sense of connection to how he created his own: “sacred space” where he wrote all this stuff that is putting you right there with him. Kind of like how you show others how they might create their own inward path.)
Again Dennis; thank you so much for what you do and taking the time out to share it with us. Namaste
Dennis; thank you for your extraordinary sensitivity and thoughtfulness in the way you shared such personalized insights with each of our posts. I found particularly fascinating your own methods of accessing and giving voice to the things in your life that you feel need addressing by letting them speak through two specific categories of: “blessings and blisters”. This brings to mind a story about one of things I heard concerning Joseph’s frustration with the way people often misunderstood the meaning of the way people interpreted his term of: “follow your bliss”; and what it often entailed. His comment of: “I should have said follow your blisters” seems to bear this out since his insights in many of his recorded lectures often state there may be great personal suffering along our individual: “road of trials” to fully understand and process what our life is trying to tell us; often through the personal alchemy of our dreams and life experiences in the way we see ourselves. I find for myself that his interpretations of Jungian material has been some of the most helpful in the way I see myths, metaphors, and symbols as suggestive guideposts instead of concretized “thou shalt” commands that society and religion often put up as roadblocks within our own personal experiences; often keeping us out of our own mythical garden so to speak; where the awe and rapture of being alive lies waiting to be discovered; even within this Grand Opera he mentioned we live in with all it’s pain and heartache. Seeing it as a participatory act instead of an ordeal is tough and difficult business sometimes because being able to look behind this veil where our grail truly lies doesn’t necessarily reveal itself automatically; and as he offered we participate in this game of life with gratitude even though we know it hurts; and that is often extremely difficult to ascertain when all this stuff we are in the middle of may be suggesting otherwise.
(This pandemic we are now going through I think underlines how important these insights he left behind are in being able to navigate this: “freefall into the future” he talked about; and our ability to understand what all these inner messages within our lives are telling us with competence.) For instance these last few weeks here in the US with our catastrophic political landscape falling to pieces would be a perfect example of how Joseph’s material could be so very helpful in assimilating the: who, what, and where we all are in getting through these things.) When Joseph talks about Bastion and Spengler and Jung he is not saying that there is some way to see our lives through a single lens; but to see a much larger season of change that is evolving and we must evolve with it and it is hard without the old roadmap we once relied upon. We are making this stuff up as we go along by going inward as well as driving our vehicle outwardly; and our inner compass; (which you so very thoughtfully suggest); is giving us clues we have to: “learn how to read”; and by each of us sharing how we do this I think is of enormous value. Your important book that you put together with such great care is a tremendous aid in helping people to decipher their own inner landscape; and if I may join with the others here in saying we are so glad you could be here with us in sharing these insights you have gathered over the years that are so helpful in doing so.
If I may be allowed one humorous anecdote in reference to your wonderful little clip at the end. My name is (James) btw; and I loved your reference to Hermes and how he loves to have fun by playing the trickster; often causing mischief by messing with communication of any kind. Yesterday; he hijacked my entire post by erasing it completely. Stephen came to my rescue by helping me retrieve it from the “ethers” and alerted me; (that for any astrology buffs); “Mercury is in retrograde at the moment” and this always provides the perfect avenue for him to create mischief and havoc with those who fall under this particular configuration.
Thank you again for your generous and kind participation with us and I will certainly look forward to more of these wonderful insights as we go along. Namaste
As an addendum to the above post I am adding a separate link to a conversation in CoaHO that covers material from myself, Stephen, Shaheda, and Marianne and contains multiple references to your book plus links to your website and Amazon for it’s purchase for those who may be interested. This book is highly recommended as it was first introduced by Stephen for help in exploring one’s personal myth through journaling:
Hello Dr. Slattery; so wonderful to have you here. After you’ve had a chance to respond to Shaheda’s excellent thought provoking requests I was wondering if you might share some of your insights concerning finding one’s “personal myth”. You’ve written extensively on this topic and some of us have been discussing various aspects of this subject lately; (many of which you have covered in your excellent book on journaling: “Riting Myth, Mythic Writing – Plotting Your Personal Story”.
I hope you don’t mind but I have taken the liberty of copying a short blog post from your great website which frames part of the topic I was curious about since it is such a broad subject to address; and indeed there are folks here who journal, keep dream diaries, or have various forms of their art which are utilized to explore what Joseph would call one’s: “Sacred Space”; or place of: “creative incubation”; which Joseph referred to as the place where one could find and realize who and what they might become. A place of nurturing one’s idea of their own personal myth; not the social image or the religious demand of: “thou shalt”; but to find the thing inside them that calls and speaks to them of their own individual destiny. Joseph would call this the left hand path of the hero as opposed to the right hand path of the village compound.
I particularly like the image you use of the Spiral; which reminds me of the: “Ariadne thread and the Labyrinth” as symbolic of one’s inner journey of transformation; and I very much look forward to your thoughts on this. Again a warm welcome and so glad you are here.
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September 17, 2020
What is Mything in Your Life?It is unfortunate that in our current world the word “myth” is still maligned as something that is a lie, untrue, and opposed to “fact.” Myth is something to be done away with because it is counter to what is true. The irony here is that such a definition of myth grew out of a period in history when fact, measurement, and quantification were seen as the only way of measuring reality. That in itself is a myth, namely a belief system, a way of seeing and understanding that shoved myth to the sidelines. It has no standing in our nation’s educational curriculum.
Before the rise of reason, of quantifying and the like, myths were the preferred way to knowledge. Simply put, the word myth means story, narrative and for thousands of years humans told one another stories to impart what had happened to them, what they had learned and even their desires and hopes for the future. Just as importantly, the language of myth is metaphor, symbol, figures of speech, images. I like how one writer I enjoy reading put it: “A myth is a loom on which we weave the raw materials of daily experience into a coherent story.” We can all grasp with a little reflection the power of this metaphor.
The key word above is “coherence.” A myth, be it personal or collective, brings the disparate parts of our life together into a meaningful whole. Without such a coherent meaning, our lives are full of holes. And with coherence another element is included: meaning. A life without meaning is a life without a coherent myth. Some have called myths belief systems. That works.To access one’s myth, one can ask: what am I called to in this life? What is my destiny, my purpose and my path? To answer such questions is to invite one’s myth into the conversation. Most people do not know the myth they are living, or get only glimpses in times of disruption. Illness, surgery, loss of a relationship, family, a job, a purpose for living—all of these can force one to pause and ask: what am I doing in this life? What is not any longer working for me and where do I need to change? Again, these are mythic questions. Not only individuals but nations can find themselves at an impasse where they reach a critical point in what they believe and begin to reflect on its basic values. Values are one of many ways that a myth reveals its presence.
The most popular mythologist of the last century was Joseph Campbell (1904-87). As a comparative mythologist, he spent his life comparing world mythologies and noticed the common terms that so many of them shared. He was also one of the few that understood the power of the media to disseminate not just information but knowledge. His 6 part series on PBS, “The Power of Myth,” in conversation with Bill Moyers is still among the most viewed programs on public television. His book of the same name is a bedrock text for grasping the ways that we are both living a myth and being lived by a myth.
All myths, Campbell believed, are metaphors for actions and events in both our interior life and the external world we move in each day; both can aid us in becoming more aware of life’s meaning. “Follow Your Bliss” reached bumper sticker status years ago. By this he meant follow the path that arises within you, that serves a constructive purpose, rather than following a path dictated to you. If you do, you are living another’s myth, not yours. But he was no sentimentalist; he believed following one’s bliss created its own unique assortment of blisters.Some of the current myths that govern our country include: the myth of growth, the myth of economics, the myth of technology, the myth of consumption, the myth of safety, the myth of self-protection as well as some form of the myths of equality, freedom and opportunity. Our myths reveal themselves most pointedly in the political and advertising worlds. Of course, what shows find their way into our television sets and movie theaters are also good barometers of our values. Look at any country and not what holidays they celebrate together and you get a pulse read on what myths they believe in, even if only partially. A wonderful short story by the American writer Shirley Jackson entitled “The Lottery,” reveals what happens when belief in a myth has been lost, disavowed or forgotten, but the rituals that once organically supported it continue to be practiced. Violence is the consequence. Her entire story can be read on-line.
When a myth that has heretofore united a people begins to dismantle into tribal myths that divide rather than maintain an essential unity, that myth is stressed and strained, perhaps into distorted forms of itself. When a myth is called into question it may need to be revised and/or reasserted with exceptional vigor. Such a crisis can be a signal that parts of a myth need to be rethought, let go of, or revitalized. Being reflective rather than reactionary about this condition can be constructive and replenishing. Being mythically aware is an essential element of being fully human.
There has been so much such rich material from everyone posted in this thread at present it would be hard to cover all of it with the proper attention each deserves. But Mary brings up something I think may be particularly relevant to us all in some form or another; and that is what we as individuals are imprinted with concerning social imperatives; or put another way not only the value systems that are handed down; but the things that are asked of us that we strive for without realizing it. In other words what are the things we strive to attain in finding our place within the society we live in? Or what are the “activating symbols” we inherit as opposed to the ones that the heart responds to? Here I think lies part of the clues or pathway into discovering our own individual mythology.
(Mary writes):
“My dad lived a life heavily immersed in symbols and mathematics and in translating the math into real architecture/buildings when figuring construction plans and also loved folklore and folk music and was so into religious symbols in his spirituality. This reminds me about how the symbols in language can sometimes fit the myth in our lives and vice-versa. So often we feel in symbols as much as we think in symbols.”___________________________________________________________________________________
I was thinking about how our society as well as our family influence steers us from childhood on into directions we as individuals may not actually be interested in following but we do so anyway subconsciously because it is the accepted norms that everyone else follows. I was thinking about a dream I had the other night where the word: “mantle” stood out as something important that I should look up. Well; after several unsuccessful attempts to find the definition I was looking for the one below finally appeared in the Cambridge dictionary:
_____________________“mantle noun (RESPONSIBILITY)
[ S ] formal
the responsibilities of an important position or job, especially as given from the person who had the job to the person who replaces them:
She unsuccessfully attempted to assume the mantle of the presidency.
He has been asked to take on the mantle of managing director in the New York office.”
______________________I then realized this was the sort of thing people go to school to find and achieve a career from and raise a family with because it’s a socially imprinted norm. Now this may compliment something to which the heart on certain occasions may respond to or not given a particular set of “planned” circumstances; but it does not necessarily include the: “dimension of mystery or chance” because it is an “assumed” life path of choice; and one’s life does not always unfold in that kind of specific planned way.
So this brings us back to what symbols represent within finding and following what has meaning to any particular individual; and not a socially agreed upon symbol that represents nothing to the human heart of a specific individual; this represents the personal myth he is talking about. Dennis Patrick Slattery’s book: “Riting Myth, Mythic Writing – Plotting Your Personal Story” approaches this challenge in multiple ways; each exploring various dimensions of the human psyche which this extremely good clip I posted recently in another thread describes here.
(As an example of what he is describing he offers the symbol of the “Spiral” and what I might think of could be: “the Labyrinth and the Ariadne thread” that leads one in and out of the confrontation with one’s inner Minotaur or perhaps to the healing of one’s inner wounded child. Lots of different ways to think about symbols and how to use them. This is just a suggestion because this book is extremely helpful in exploring one’s inner landscape.)
Stephen; your piece to me by far expresses how I think about Joserph’s work and how profoundly his insights have affected my life. In other words the way we see ourselves and the life we are living as being composed by ourselves; not by the society or the cleric or the political order; but through our own experience of it. His sayings of: “The rapture of being alive”; “the meaning of your own life is whatever you ascribe it to be”; “Follow your Bliss”, “the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are”; this deepest call of your soul to it’s own high adventure is as he put it: “the Hero’s Journey”. To me the: “personal myth template” is what he is talking about. And one of the main components of this model is what he describes as the: “Sacred Space”.
The is the place of creative incubation where one can bring forth who and what they might be. It is also the creative space of the artist; and whether in movement or stationary this enclosed mind-space is the tabernacle of the individual’s creative soul expression; the holy space out of which the individual identity expresses itself. A place where the prayer is whispered; the song is sung; the picture is painted; and the word is written: and it may include thinking of others as well as oneself. And it is also expressed within the daily life through the things that “symbolize” access to this sacred realm. It is a place where dreams are born and nurtured and expressed and meaning is given as to their value in one’s life. And these most intimate of human gifts and realizations are not brought forth by demand from any religious deity or social order or construct; but by the human heart that recognizes in it’s expression it’s other half. He felt these things were absolutely critical to having any kind of an inward life which is what the soul cries out for.
In the above post you write:
I wanted to offer a glimpse into how Campbell approached symbols as more than just words on a page. He thought of a mythic symbol as ‘an energy-evoking and -directing agent’ generating a response that ‘bypasses the brain and dilates the heart.’ “
I love this because it expresses so much of what to me Joseph was trying to communicate within his themes. As he said; “The world is a wasteland”; and if one does not listen to what the inward life is asking they risk; as he puts it: a possible schizophrenic crackup because they are not addressing the soul’s inner needs.
In the MythBlast article you write:
Mythic symbols, for Campbell, are more than just words on a page. Embodied in pictures, figurines, a car’s nickname, a book’s title, or even one’s own breath, they serve as touchstones that pitch the mind past the material world, to that which transcends.”
These were a few of my thoughts on this tremendous article Stephen; so I’ll stop for now to see if others have any thoughts they would like to share.
Stephen; thank you for separating the above piece from the article you wrote for the MythBlast series for it presents a chance to explore Joseph’s influence as a separate topic.
(Your quote): “In a series called The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell said to Bill Moyers that we respond to a work of art because the order of the work mirrors the order of our souls.”
This separate article is a very unique look into the world of the artist from several points of view. 1) how the curator as a person contemplates the how much we all have been effected by “Covid” and what Art means to her; 2) how this series of work in particular represents an intimate window into the human experience; 3) of Campbell’s: “order of the soul”; 4) and the links concerning separate pieces and the video concerning his personal individual creative process of how he brings forth his expressions.
This choice of “Diary” intimately evokes within the viewer their own personal experiences as expressed through his eyes and; (at least to me); instantly reflects back my own personal experiences in relation to his chosen topic at hand; (which in this case focuses on his daughter’s early childhood; but part of an ongoing life series referring back to Joseph’s: “Order of the Soul”. This intimate relationship to me touches on so many levels the viewer’s experience of their own personal mythic relationship to life. Whether as viewer or participant; it suggests that we as human beings are asked to see each other as one species; not separated by culture, time, and space; but all part of an ongoing: “carousel of life” that continues ever onward through life’s ups and downs. We are also asked to see past these cultural costumes we wear and understand not only are we all the same in a collective social sense, but in a personal individual one as well.
I particularly found fascinating the overview across time he juxtaposes in this ongoing series; (over 500 prints spread out at last count although we only see a five of them); and the way the viewer can see themselves changing as well as contemplating what his own feelings must be as a parent as he experiences his own life in progression. And his innovative combination of media forms he utilizes to achieve his creative expressions is not only unique but truly individual as well; not to mention his tenderness and sensitivity throughout his pieces which invite the viewer into the experience of his work. My description is a bit clumsy but these are the elements are that affected me the most; and reminded me very much of how Covid has profoundly affected us all.
Beautiful selection Stephen, and compliments your MythBlast article perfectly.
I want to add a (3rd) clip as a summation to this idea of how one’s personal myth or story if found and followed as Joseph Campbell points toward in his themes can become a vehicle of change; and that the ideas he left behind; (at least for me); have become a footpath towards discovering the deeper meanings of my life. The metaphors and the stories of others are roadmaps and symbols that can point the way just as Erin Gruwell did in the discovery of her life’s purpose; (what some of us might call: “Following Your Bliss”); but the point remains that it is your journey and your definition of what it is to be that counts and what happens along the way.
The world is experiencing great hardship right now with this Covid virus pandemic along with global warming and climate change looming on the horizon. There are wars and conflicts and all manner of human suffering going on all over the planet; but within each of us is a seed; and if that seed is allowed to grow; no matter at what age or station in life as Joseph points out; there is a track for each of us waiting to be discovered and if followed can bring meaning and purpose to any life no matter who or where they are. That does not mean there is no suffering; but only a part of the larger canvas upon which our lives are expressed and our story that is left behind. Our story is what it’s all about; (at least this is what Joseph’s message says to me); and like Jung’s symbol of the “Telesphorus” leaves a lantern to show the way!
I am adding a second follow up item which furthers explores and helps to underline the importance of the power of one’s story and it’s effects on others as should be evident after watching it. Erin Gruwell engaged a second individual as an example following: “The Diary of Anne Frank” with another book that was sweeping the world at that time called: “The Diary of Zlata Filipovich” about the writings of a young girl in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War in the early 1990’s. This clip was taken from an interview with TV news correspondent: Jane Pauley and shows actual footage of the war as a backdrop to what she went through.
Thank you Stephen for sharing your insights and experiences of how those Mythic Journey seminars were kind of like a gathering of “mythic” eagles as it were; where for that brief moment people from all walks of life could come together and be inspired and re-energized by what one’s own “mythic journey” is really all about. I remember when I first joined the earlier version of CoaHO I would sometimes hear occasional references to this event and how awesome it was.
This brings me to a particular moment I experienced recently that profoundly reminded me of how one’s own personal story represents as a gateway to understanding what the deeper meanings of one’s life are like no other; that one’s story is a gateway to understanding how one’s personal myth in terms relative to them alone and not the societal context out of which they may be enclosed defines the trajectory in which they come to realization. This idea of one’s own unique identity as a seed that if planted and nurtured can flower into something far beyond their imagination to comprehend because as Joseph Campbell reveals it puts you on a kind of track that has been waiting for you to discover and if followed will take you where your heart and soul tells you to go. But this transformational process is not without peril for these trials of their adventure are indeed important components that are responsible for these alchemical illuminations to take place. Mystics and spiritual advisors have understood this motif for centuries and act as helpful guides by providing insights on this voyage of self-discovery; but it is within the process itself the true meanings are revealed.
As Joseph suggests the night sea journey of these quests often may come in many forms; often with battles that must be faced and dealt with as well as moments of deep reflection where self-examination reveals one’s inner demons may actually be the gatekeepers one is seeking for passage through to the other side of their portals that is calling to them. And that the veil that hides the spiritual grail they are seeking may actually be right in front of them.
I was finishing a conversation and completing a task the other day when upon closing my computer down I noticed a movie playing in the background I had not seen before that caught my attention. It was a film done in 2007 called: “The Freedom Writers” about a high school English teacher named Erin Gruwell who found a way to help “at risk teens” from a poverty stricken neighborhood in Long Beach California find out who they were and that their stories had value in world that does not seem to care. One of the important mechanisms she employed was journal writing; and on this voyage of self-discovery they began to discover stories other than their own which helped to develop empathy for others suffering as well as the self -healing that needed to take place. A bestselling book came out of this experience and of course the movie that I mentioned which is very highly recommended. She went on to set up a Foundation that helps other teachers employ some of these techniques for establishing the meaningful dialogue that needs to take place for this to happen. I searched through lots of clips about her and the movie and came upon this lecture she gave about her experiences which should help provide more background on the: “The Freedom Writer’s Diaries”
Everyone; what an incredible conversation this has been and I have learned so much. I was especially moved by the personal aspect of Joseph’s influence on Andrew and the role it played in: “helping you find your way back” as you put it. As it has often been said: “We live on timeless ground”: and indeed one only needs to witness in wonder at the natural world in which we are enclosed as the seasons change and we realize we are only here for a moment as temporary stewards in a never ending cycle of time. We look up at the same heavens others before us have seen for countless generations trying to make some sense of our place in this Grand Opera as Joseph might have put it; and yet we still have many of the same problems as those before us. I really liked the way you and Stephen articulated the many levels of the human experience and how Joseph’s themes helped pull so many of them together into an accessible and reachable whole. I think for many of us Joseph has definitely been the candle in the dark; much like Jung’s: “Telesphorus“. Thank you sincerely for sharing all your insightful personal thoughts and experiences; and look forward to hearing more.
Btw; speaking of the term “Chrysalis”; here is a truly magnificent piece written by Jean Shinoda Bolen on this topic that for me was a real game changer in helping me to connect so many of these Jungian concepts together into a single coherent whole. This piece was introduced to me along with several other participants in discussion thread concerning “individuation” by JCF Jungian moderator Cindy Bias several years ago. (Thank you Cindy wherever you are!)
Marianne; thank you so very much for beautifully articulating what I was trying to get at. And combined with Stephen’s point:
“Marianne,
The quote you share from A Joseph Campbell Companion on writer’s block (re “cutting off one’s head”) is key. Though I know Joe is talking about writing in general here, this really speaks to my experience when journaling.
At it’s best, journaling is more than just keeping a diary. It’s a dialog with the deeper Self – and “I” have to get out of the way for the words to flow . . .”–within this engagement with the deeper self what type of form or medium can have a great deal to do with how this is accomplished for it is the connection point of how the deeper self can express itself that is often the key that helps to unlock the doorway for this to happen.
For instance it may find it’s voice through another pathway such as the visual or musical to express what it’s trying to communicate and can inform you in that way instead of through words. (On the other hand); the internal process of putting something into words may be a cathartic mechanism or means by which the deeper self can better make itself heard. All of these forms are windows or doorways into this vast and potent realm of inner experience; and like a cocoon in which the deeper self has been enclosed through the alchemy of these processes may be able to emerge as the: “butterfly or moth from the larva” which it has been struggling to accomplish this task; (i.e. the “chrysalis” process is a term often used by therapists to describe the individual’s struggle toward wholeness).
Indeed many of the artworks over the centuries have been the intimate conduits that awaken these dimensions and aspects in others. As a matter of fact Joseph talks about Marianne’s referral in the part in: “The Power of Myth” where he specifically describes finding a room and setting aside time each day to perform this exercise to evoke this aspect of the deeper self and emphasizes it is: “holy time” critical to having an inward life. (I think it is interesting to note that this aspect of the individual experience is often referred to as “self-expression”.) But the important point I think Joseph is making is we all need to develop some form of this aspect of ourselves in the living of our lives because it informs and expresses deeper dimensions of ourselves that long to be heard; and if this is not addressed we are going to have problems that will only get worse. The line in the Gnostic Gospels Joseph quoted at one point in the series seems to come to mind: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” (The point being if you are not listening to what this deeper part of you is trying to say you are in trouble.)
From a more humorous perspective as Stephen offered:
“(When I first heard the term “mining bitcoin,” I had an image of the Super Mario brothers with headlamps on their helmets being lowered into the bowels of my computer . . .).”
Children’s fairy tales pose some interesting examples for teaching them how to make value decisions. So lets take one and dress it up in a new costume:
So there is this Corporate President and he likes trading on the stock market and he keeps making more and more money but still it’s never enough; he has been seduced by what it can do for him. He has a little girl he loves more than life itself. One night when he is asleep a mischievous spirit appears in his dreams and offers him the power to turn anything into gold that he wants; but he has to use “Bitcoin” instead of his usual vehicle of monetary transfer. The stock market opens the next day and he hits send on his computer on a certain stock commodity; and instantly the value of this stock skyrockets and he is even more richer than he could have possibly imagined. But when he comes home and his daughter runs out to meet him and jumps into his arms she instantly turns into a gold statue.
A silly simplistic example I know; but “King Midas” as a childhood metaphor has served as a reminder for countless children that “heart-value” over-rides monetary or economic concerns. I think this is what Joseph was referring to when talking about money. There are lots of these childhood fairy tales that teach certain value systems; but finding the right ones that work within the proper context in which one is living I think would be the key.
Still; as Stephen may be suggesting; I don’t think anyone can predict what is going to fit into every future situation; and who knows what kind of things will emerge looking forward.
(As an addendum I should also add that by no means am I saying this is the only way to approach this aspect of the topic; it’s just what I see from my own perspective and of course there may be other ways of looking at this. The “barter system” is one that comes to mind; where an “item” value or “service” is negotiated in trade.)
Yes Stephen; to me your point has to do with where we both as individuals and as a collective society place value and how we define it. If we say money is a vehicle or transfer system to negotiate value as in a transaction for commerce then the means or type we use is still serving the same function; (i.e. bitcoin or crypto-currencies as opposed to cash or gold is usually economically oriented); then it serves as a means of transfer for a monetary value. But if we say spiritual or emotional wealth that’s not quite the same value system that’s being served.
Metaphors aside; I think the questions we are asking are: “how do we create value and what that value as a commodity or quantity represents or symbolizes”; and “what functions do they serve?” The human heart does not respond in the same way to a transaction of a (material) nature as it does to a spiritual or emotional one. Still we must come back to the question of: “What kind of value are we addressing?” That is if I’m understanding your proposition correctly. You may be looking at this from another vantage point.
