In the movie Mindwalk, a physicist states that “we need a new world view.” This is a statement with which I wholeheartedly agree. We have risen as a species on the mechanical image of the world of René Descartes, seeing each living being as a machine, as a clock (this comparison was made in Mindwalk). If something doesn’t work, we can disassemble the machine and fix the broken part or just remove it. Thomas Moore speaks to this image in his book Care of the Soul when he writes that “it is remarkable how often people think they will be better off without the things that bother them.” (p. 5) He also discusses the image of the Psychologist as the mechanic and how we are going to go to therapy and say “this is what is wrong, now fix it”. But Moore goes on to explain what he does in dealing with this: “…I try to give back what’s problematic to the person in a way that shows the need for him, even the value of him.” (p. 6)
In our current society, we are taught that efficient operation is of paramount importance. We work our bodies with this in mind, we train our brains to do calculations like a computer, and we see food as fuel. When there is a malfunction in the “system” we look for a way to fix it or eliminate it as quickly and easily as possible.
But where does this leave freedom of expression, compassion and beauty? Have we no place for these things in the world today? I would say we have space but no one is using it.
Descartes’s image of the world and everything in it as a machine has helped us dramatically improve our lives and evolve at an incredible rate. But the bottom line is that those views are dangerous for us now. If we continue to live as before, the world will be a very dark place. I can see that this is already happening everywhere. I see it in the depletion of the ozone layer, in global warming, and in the crazy speed at which we are depleting our resources. I see it in starving nations, tortured children and animals, and in landfills and overflowing waters. Mostly I see it in my own city, community and life. We give up a lot to function efficiently, as good little machines should, but we are NOT machines, our world is NOT a machine, and the beings in it are NOT machines! If we continue to hold to this point of view, let this be our “world picture” or our world myth, everything will die.
So what do we do about it? Of course I have many ideas in this area, as I am sure you have already guessed. First I feel that as a culture we need to embrace the feminine again, this is already happening, just take a look at the impressive growth of Goddess religions and mythologies, this would add to the new worldview already mentioned. Second, we need a new world mythology. There, the answer to all the questions that have been asked, a solution to the problems of today’s world. I know this sounds simple, but please stay with me and I’ll explain it to you.
Let me first clarify what I mean when I say that we need a new worldview and this will naturally lead to embracing the feminine. It is not a secret nor a profound idea that today, technology means more than anything. Let’s once again take a quote from Moore, “…we can’t live without technology, but we can live without beauty.” (p. 278) Kala Trobe also makes this observation; “We have created (as a species) a culture in which science and the rational are revered above the primal and intuitive, when, in fact, both should be taken in equal measure.” (p. 33)
What these quotes are telling me is that we cannot live without the masculine aspects of efficiency, technological advancement, and of course reason and logic, but we can live without the feminine aspects of creativity, art, imagination and the emotion.
Proof of this is at the root of our culture, in our schools. Art and music programs are trimmed daily to make room for more logic-based disciplines like math and computers, as well as ever-evolving sports. What happens to our children when we do this, when we cut off all creativity and flow from their education?
They grow up in a world very similar to ours, where efficiency and logic are key and creativity, beauty, imagination and emotion are not. They learn to be competitive, insecure about their appearance, emotions, and even their wants and needs. They learn to stifle those aspects of the feminine that their souls are crying out for.
As a start to our new world myth, we might first begin to consider these two sides, male and female, as equally important. The world is alive, as are the many beings within it, and any being is nourished by beauty and creativity. Instead of stifling our natural urges to create and observe things that are eternally beautiful, we could start to embrace those urges. Simply taking the time to really look at the world around us, watching the birds pecking at the ground, the squirrels fidgeting from one tree to another, or simply acknowledging that the change of seasons would have an effect on us. To do this, we would first have to see the world as a living thing, for me that’s not hard to do, but for others it may be, and this is where mythology could help.
We already have at our disposal an amazing collection of mythologies. There are racks and racks of them in every library, in every bookstore, and even in most of our homes. I agree with Carl Jung when he said that naively wishing for the good old days is a dangerous act, but that’s not what I’m suggesting we do. I’m not suggesting that we go back and dig up those mythologies to read them as fact. It wouldn’t be so simple as to suggest we go back to the days of superstitions and witch trials, I certainly wouldn’t want to be burned at the stake.
What I am suggesting is that we take another look at those ancient mythologies and the many world mythologies that still exist and, with our current knowledge intact, study them for what they have to offer. Elsa-Brita Titchell explains this much more clearly in her Mythology Today article: “If we were to recognize the infallible wisdom, thinly veiled in all ancient traditions, the human situation would be greatly alleviated and humanity would be less likely to suffer the delayed effects of its own folly.” (1999). And Moore has this to say: “…we could resurrect the mythmakers of the past by regaining an appreciation of mythologies from around the world.” (p. 221)
So how would we go about rediscovering the world’s mythologies? We can always start right here, right now, by bringing these mythologies into our own lives. The Tarot is a type of mythology and a good introduction to archetypes and archetypal situations that revolve around and within mythology. Jung himself affirms, “the set of images in the Tarot cards descended far from the archetypes of transformation…” (p.38). Here is a start.
Then there is the creation of our own mythologies and the mythologies of our children. As parents, we instantly become creators of myths and gods for our children, and that is a responsibility I take very seriously. Simply telling your story is always a wonderful place to start. Richard Stromer says that, “…the practice of personal myth work can be described as any activity that engages one in deep imaginal, symbolic, metaphorical, and archetypal reflection on one’s life story.” (p. 35) Simply tell your story, the story of your upbringing, that of your ancestors, and that of yourself.
Adam Blatner listed storytelling, journaling, making art, “re-enchanting everyday life, adding angels, fairies and magical moments” and “adorning” life with symbols as forms of mythmaking. (2002)
I tell my son stories about the activities of our day in which he plays the hero, the trickster or whatever, and for us that is making myths. We make up stories about magical beasts and ancient guides that play in our lives. In our lives, a bad person becomes a lonely dragon and a difficult situation becomes the trickster at play. We start each day by telling ourselves the dreams of the night before and go to bed each night reciting something we did to help another being that day.
There are so many ways to let your life become a magical and mythical place. All you need is a little time and a little imagination. Let the world and the things in it become an active player in your mythology, pay attention to your dreams, and don’t be afraid to get a little creative.
Studying mythology, learning the myths of other cultures, and looking for ways myths play out in our own lives will have effects on us and our families that last for generations. “The end result of such a personal encounter with mythology is nothing less than a fundamental and profound alteration in the way one views life and relates to the world.” (Stromer, 35) According to Moore, by studying mythology we could learn to “…perceive the myths that we live every day and observe those that are particularly ours as individuals.” (p. 223)
There is a reason why the mythology has lasted so long and why it still exists despite the many wars that have been waged against it. We need mythology, maybe more now than ever. We need to be reminded of the big picture and the lasting effects of the decisions we make every day. We need to be reminded that there is always something greater going on and that each of us is not only surrounded by the sacred and divine, but part of that sacredness and divinity. We can choose to overload it or make it more magical by having our own presence. I choose to be present. And you?