Myth in the Mojave

“Writing is a way of thinking. When I compose poetry, the refining of language, the rhythms and compacted structures and the resultant shaped and cadenced language is a still life that captures an instant of ongoing discovery.” Greg GilbertThis special edition podcast with poet and writer Greg Gilbert is part of our annual celebration of National Poetry month. In this interview, Gilbert reads some of his wonderful poems and talks about writing as a way of thinking that can lead to empathetic understanding and advocacy for the life experiences of others. His poetry is tender and funny, intelligent, and rich with an awareness of the beauty in ordinary life. In the words of poet Cynthia Anderson, “These poems dance on the brink of the apocalypse while urging us to sit together, listen to each other, and transform our world.” (Anderson’s interview with Myth in the Mojave can be found in the archives).Greg is a retired English professor, and his many contributions to his students, the college community, and the high desert include the founding of several literary magazines, including CMC’s “Howl.”Gilbert’s poetry collection, Afflatus,” is available at these high desert locations: Space Cowboy, Rainbow Stew, and Raven’s Books.Thank you Greg.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses.” AristotleWe celebrate National Poetry month with this special edition interview with high desert poet and writer, Caryn Davidson. Caryn shared the quote (above), which may lead you to ask, “Why would a poet quote Aristotle, the father of modern science?”According to Davidson, curiosity and attention to sensory experience can be portals into the natural world that illuminate the mysteries of that world, and the meaning one finds there.Caryn’s poetry and prose blend her deep knowledge and love for the desert with keen observation, a willing heart, and an adventurous mind. She allows the outer world and its sensual gifts to lead her into new lands and fresh insight, and offers practical suggestions for being more present and conscious of place, no matter where you live.You’ll be refreshed by Davidson’s humor, writing, and reflection. Desert lovers will revel in Caryn’s poetic portraits of the Mojave and the stories she shares from her many years here. Thank you Caryn. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“It was an adventure much could be made of: a walkOn the shores of the darkest known river…” ---Mark Strand, from “Orpheus Alone”The Greek myth of Orpheus, singer of sweet songs, and his beloved Eurydice, has inspired countless artists and lovers of all stripes. The version shared in this podcast is based on Ovid’s telling in Book X of the Metamorphoses. This ancient story offers a view of the Greek underworld and underworld journey, and still has the power to move, inspire, and puzzle us with open questions about heroes, love, loss, death, and selflessness.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Everything changes and no thing abides.” HeraclitusI’ve devoted the last two podcasts to the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, and the connection between the life of the soul and the underworld initiation.These podcasts generated a lot of comments and questions about Greek ideas of the underworld, and fascination with the underworld experience. Whether you are intrigued or frightened by the prospect, the image of the underworld remains a potent metaphor for our descent into the deepest mysteries in human life.So how is this trip made successfully, and what more can we glean from the Greek perspective?Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In this podcast, I return to the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone to reflect on the soul’s longing for depth, meaning, and experience, and the violence that may perpetrate on the sunny side ego and the innocent personality. These reflections lead me to the telling of an Inuit tale called “Skeleton Woman,” and a few wise words from Jungian Anne Ulanov as well.If you missed the last podcast with the telling the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, you can find it in the archives on bandcamp or at the Myth in the Mojave website.“If you will contemplate your lack of… inner aliveness… and impregnate it with the interest born of alarm at your inner death, then something can take shape in you, for your inner emptiness conceals just as great a fullness if only you will allow it to penetrate into you.” C.G. Jung as quoted by Ann UlanovSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

How can one summarize a myth as profound as the one I offer you this week? The Homeric Hymn to Demeter gave rise to the Eleusinian mysteries, a potent, secret ritual that was performed for millennia, to liberate men and women from their fear of death. This story of mother and daughter continues to speak to us today about love, grief, and perpetual renewal. Blessed be the great mother Demeter, giver of all good gifts, and Persephone, the Great Destroyer. May we all move deeper into the sustaining mystery with each turn of the seasons.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“A myth is an image in terms which we try to make sense of the world.” Alan WattsMany stories, old and new, begin with someone leaving home. This leave taking comes in many forms, from answering the call of destiny to running away or being abandoned. Whatever the circumstances or intent, “leaving home” entails letting go of the familiar to engage the mystery.In this podcast, I explore this image of “leaving home” with the aid of stories and poems, to consider our shared challenge of these crazy, interesting times--- to let go and make room for the new. What does the image of “leaving home” hold for you right now?“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself…” John O’DonohueThe poems read in this podcast include: “Unfold Your Own Myth” (“Shams”) by Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks“Self Portrait” by David Whyte“Unlived Life” by Dawna MarkovaSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“I had no idea that the gate I would step through to finally enter this world would be the space my brother’s body made.”From “The Gate” by Marie Howe Many of the most familiar fairytales, and the issues and questions these tales raise, revolve around the happily-ever-after marriage between prince and princess, king and queen. But there is another important male-female pairing and another intimate bond, the one between siblings. In this podcast I tell the last in a trilogy of stories about sisters who save their brothers from enchantments, “The Seven Ravens,” collected by the Brothers Grimm. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

The fairy tale “The Twelve Brothers,” collected by the Brothers Grimm is the story of brothers and sisters, murderous kings, evil queens, and enchantment in various forms. It’s also an interesting meditation on the need for psychic renewal and the process we undergo when that time comes. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Seasonal darkness is an invitation to move inward, to do the deep soul work that proceeds all meaningful outer action or personal growth. The holiday culture urges social interaction, busyness and brightness and yet, you may feel the warmth of a tiny spark of a new idea burning deep within, a potential that you can’t articulate.You may feel a palpable tension between the existing structure of your inner kingdom and the needs of a new paradigm. The gap between the every day world and your private life may seem especially wide.If this is so, honor the need for introspection and solitude. This is a tremendously creative time, a time to align with the energies of renewal that gather in the earth and the fertile ground of psyche. This is a good time for a fairy tale about the power of silence, “the Six Swans,” collected by the Brothers Grimm.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“It takes a long time to learn that nothing is wasted. It takes a long time, and a lot of suffering usually, to understand that there is more to life and to poetry than our conscious purposes.” M.C. Richards Is there value in the collective storms raging around us, and the ups and downs of life?In this podcast I weave the Sufi teaching story “Fatima the Spinner” with insights gathered from the work of poet and potter M.C. Richards, to offer metaphors and suggestions for a creative response to the inevitable hardships we face.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Outrage can be valuable spark for action in these trying times and yet there is another beautiful resource available to us as we endure the collective and personal trials—joy. Joy is not denial or looking away. Joy is found in mindful presence, and it can change everything.Reading poetry is one way to unhook from the habit of dire predictions and negative news, and tap into the sweetness of the present. We need this fuel friends, to participate fully in our shared transformation.In this program, I read poems by Mary Oliver, Robert Francis, Denise Levertov, and others. Sunrise by Mary OliverWaxwings by Robert FrancisThe Heart by Maxima KahnThe Sycamore by Wendell BerryLift Off by Constance CrawfordA Blessing by James WrightSeptember Afternoon at Four O-clock by Marge PiercyConstellations by Phillip RosenbergMaking Peace by Denise LevertovA Blessing for the Senses by John O’DonohueI Worried by Mary OliverExcerpt from This Ecstasy by John SquadraThe painting is Fuchsia and Colibri Flowers By Antonia JG Cardona.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Flying has it uses but walking on the ground is not as easy as it looks from up here.” Rafe Martin, from “The Gentle Heart Jataka”Some days, the boundaries between the turbulence and change in the outside world, and what’s taking place in my own head and heart, are hard to define. I'm called to question, re-evaluate, and revisit everything, AND to imagine new possibilities, even if my usual methods seem to work just fine.Transformation is underway and the discomfort is collective and personal. How do we participate? What do we practice? How can we support and encourage each other? My telling of “The Gentle Heart Jataka,” a story of one of Buddha’s incarnations on the path to awakening, is inspired by Rafe Martin’s version in Endless Path.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Life can only be understood backward; but it must be lived forward.” Soren Kierkegaard.How do we become who we are meant to be? What lends a life its integrity and coherence? How does meeting the Baba Yaga help us along the way? A few questions to bring to a Russian fairy tale called “The Tsar Maiden.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In Book 11 of The Odyssey, Odysseus tells the Phaeacians how he followed the strong advice of the goddess/sorceress Circe and made a journey to the underworld to consult with the dead seer Tiresias. The ghosts that he meets there remind him, and us, of the important connections between memory, story, and life, and how honoring the past can help us stay aware of what matters most in the present.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

At the turning point in his journey, Odysseus and his men land on the island of Aeaea and meet the enchantress Circe. This is my paraphrase of Book 10 of the Odyssey, based on Robert Fagles translation.“They found Circe’s polished stone palace in a clearing. Mountain wolves and lions roamed around the doorway like dogs, bewitched into gentleness by her drugs. They could hear the goddess inside at her loom, weaving beautiful fabrics and singing in an enchanting voice.” Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Circe, a secondary goddess in ancient Greek mythology, is best known as the sorceress in Homer’s Odyssey who turned the men into swine and later helped the hero Odysseus make a required trip into the underworld. Circe’s powers of seduction and evil enchantments have titillated the Western imagination for centuries. Now Madeline Miller gives us Circe’s whole story, told from the perspective of the goddess herself.Miller skillfully handles the mythological fragments of Circe’s documented past to create an absolutely beautiful story, a story that led me to consider the importance of works that reshape the old stories, and how they can help us deconstruct the dominate paradigm of heroes and heroics and power.Treat yourself to this book and better yet, listen to the audio version narrated by Perdita Weeks. I hope you enjoy my reflections too.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

What if looking foolish, mistakes and regret are essential to living your purpose?This famous Arthurian tale provides an interesting backdrop to questions of seeking, destiny, and character.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

This is the 2nd of two podcasts devoted to telling and exploring the fairy tale of "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen. We reach the end of the story with lots of questions and possibilities to consider, questions and possibilities that reflect on us, the listeners.What was Andersen’s “happy ending” for his Little Mermaid? Can you imagine making such a bargain, simply to gain the opportunity to try to win your deepest desire? What was she after, in the end? How does our/your interpretation of the story reveal the nature of your own quest? Your expectations about women? Death? Whatever answers you find to the questions raised by this story, I hope you’ll pursue them as valuable reflections of your own heart, mind, and soul. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Millions of little girls (and many boys and adults), fell in love with Ariel, the mermaid in Disney’s popular movie, based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. As is often the case, Disney’s version differs significantly from its source. Andersen’s mermaid is nameless, for example (and I won’t say more to avoid spoilers).My version of the fairy tale follows Andersen. You may be surprised, moved, inspired, or disgusted by this story. You may love it or hate it. All and any of these reactions are opportunities to reflect on important questions with cultural and personal implications.This is part 1 of two podcasts devoted to telling and exploring this story. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Sometimes I dream of hearing the wind.” From "Edges," Cindy RinneWhen the figures in a series of images that she was creating asked Cindy to tell their story, she listened. The result is Moon of Many Petals, a novel in verse that grew from Rinne’s conversation with the Muse. Set in Manzanar, one of the camps where Japanese-Americans were interned during WWII, the work is a moving meditation on home, exile, family, beauty, and the cost of intolerance. In this interview, Rinne talks about the genesis of the work and her process, and reads from the book. She also shares some of the synchronicities and personal experiences that accompanied its creation.Cindy Rinne creates art and writes in San Bernardino, CA, where she brings myth to life in a contemporary context. Her poetry and fiber art elements inform one another creating a narrative in text and visuals. Moon of Many Petals is her second novel in verse. She is also the author of a full-length collection of poems, two chapbooks, and a full-length collaboration. Rinne is a founder of the PoetrIE literary community. Her poems have been published worldwide. Connect with Cindy and purchase her work at http://fiberverse.com/. Moon of Many Petals is also available at https://www.amazon.com/ Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Pay attention to what rises up in you.” Ranier Marie RilkeDian is a former Poet Laureate of San Luis Obispo and co-founder of SLO Code Pink. She was introduced to me as “a poet who could start the revolution” and I’m thrilled that she agreed to speak with me for this podcast. Sousa describes herself as “drinking companion and reverend to the heretical and free.” I think you will be inspired and invigorated by her thoughts on poetry, truth, reality, marvels, and praise, and heartened by her vision of the world that we can create together. Connect with Dian on Facebook.“Life moves through us all and life wants us to be attentive and tell our part of the story.” Dian SousaSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Marriage is a tricky proposition. Many of us long to be part of the “perfect couple” at the same time we fear such a union. In his essay, “Hera, Goddess of Marriage,” James Hillman writes; “Marriage involves two worlds—a world of huge ideals and a world of mundane practicalities.” In this podcast I take a look at the archetype of marriage through the image of Hera, and myths of her jealous response to her husband’s many infidelities.“Other men? I could have had them all. Meteors ripen in the fold of my veil […] But from the beginning I set my eye on him, the god of luminous ether […]” from “The Seven Wives of Zeus” by Rebecca McClanahan Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

"Electrifying! Shocking! Will knock your socks off! Then you'll think twice, about everything." ―Margaret AtwoodCan a novel about women with electrifying power help us create new myths about gender?The Power by Naomi Alderman is an engrossing read AND a mythopoetic work that invites conversation about our myths of gender and patriarchy. Alderman tells a good story. She also asks important and provocative questions. Could the answers we find contribute to a new mythos about men and women and human nature? I hope you'll read it for yourself-- and here are a few thoughts to carry with you to the page."I was riveted by every page. Alderman's prose is immersive and, well, electric, and I felt a closed circuit humming between the book and me as I read."―Amal El-Mohtar, New York Times Book ReviewSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

The Big Dipper is part of the constellation commonly known as Ursa Major, the Great Bear. In this program I tell the Greek myth of Callisto (who is the Bear) and talk about the meaning our ancestors found in these celestial patterns. What significance could they hold for us today?Note- I have a correction to the story that I tell. Zeus gives the boy Arcas into the care of Maia, one of the Pleiades.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

The myths and fairy tales that we’ve inherited from anonymous sources in days long past can inspire alternatives for the future. This podcast includes “Marouckla and the 12 Months,” a Slavic fairy tale that utilizes some familiar themes and inspired Neil Gaiman to write the story “October in the Chair.” “Stories grow, sometimes they shrink. And they reproduce — they inspire other stories. And, of course, if they do not change, stories die […] Stories should change you — good stories should change you.” Neil GaimanSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“What is there in thee, moon! That thou shouldst move my heart so potently?” KeatsFull moons super moons, blood moons; these lunar events at the opening of 2018 inspire a meditation on the moon that includes a Chinese myth about Chang’e, the Woman On the Moon. Happy New Year!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“I want to feel both the beauty and the pain of the age we are living in … I want to possess a light touch that can elevate darkness to the realm of stars.” Terry Tempest Wiliams, from When Women Were BirdsAn exploration of the various ways we are called to “let go” in the final days of this autumn season, to reach the state of being described by Terry Tempest Williams. Includes a story about an old woman and a black dog, the descent of Innana, and poetry by James Wright and Jane Kenyon.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In “A Ritual To Read To Each Other,” the poet William Stafford writes, “Though we could fool each other, we should consider---lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.”Many of us long for a stronger connection to the wise intuitive voice that knows the way and truth in our lives. So why don’t we always hear it? How do we fool ourselves? Two fairytales---“The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “Vasilisa the Wise”--- provide some clues.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

A Celtic myth for Samhain, the annual descent into the deep darkness and the season of sleep, which lasts until the Winter Solstice. Everything that dies at this time can be transformed, so say good-bye to something that must be left behind and carefully consider the new seeds that you will plant for the future. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Will the chaos and conflict, the emerging truths and challenges of these days, result in cultural transformation and renewal? Or will we settle into a new definition of “normal” and fall back to sleep?I believe the answer to this question rests with our ability to actively engage with the archetypal feminine and the Great Mother, and that fairy tales like “Vasilisa the Wise” offer us clues about how to proceed. In this program you will meet the Baba Yaga, and remember that cultural transformation includes you too.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

How do we become aware of nefarious, destructive aspects in the psyche and handle them successfully? The fairy tale “The Robber Bridegroom,” collected by the Brothers Grimm, is one of many stories about the dangers that prey on the naïve. Here are three variations on this theme.Here are three variations on this theme as we consider unimaginable acts of violence and their mysterious source.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

What frogs can teach us about transformation and “The Three Feathers,” a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Each of us comes into the world with the longing to fulfill our promise, to realize the potential inherent in our existence. But how do we find and meet our unique purpose?Inner searching is often part of the process and yet responding to the world outside is required. We must gather our courage and trust life to show us.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

A reflection on the “Great American Solar Eclipse” and the lion heart of Leo, intertwined with the Egyptian myth of Sekhmet, a South African story called “The Flying Lion,” and poetry by Billy Collins and Phillip Rosenberg. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

My telling of this story is based on a version collected from the Tlingit-Haida people of Southeast Alaska, a place relatively few of us know well. Yet the spirit of this myth and the truth it contains are easily felt and recognized. What is the source of your abundance, and how can you contribute to the give and take that sustains life?Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

This program contains a telling of a Nez Perce story about love, life, death, and the Trickster in Mythic Time. Thank you to Archie Phinney, a Nez Perce enthnographer who recorded and translated his mother’s telling of this story in 1929, so it might be more widely shared. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

How do you experience the transcendent in your daily life? The night sky is a portal into the mystery for me, especially in the summer months when the nights are long and soft. he night sky is a portal into the mystery for me, especially in the summer months when the nights are long and soft. These Navajo myths about the placement of the constellations enhance the beauty. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Movies are shared stories about life and the world that reflect our collective fears and desires, beliefs and values. Even fantasy films like Wonder Woman, based on comic book superheroes, are part of an important, ongoing cultural conversation. Wonder Woman is setting box office records and upsetting industry ideas about the appeal of female protagonists and stories aimed at women. Is this film inspiring and empowering us to explore new possibilities, or reconciling us to the status quo? The answer to that question depends on each of us.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Down, down deep into the well that is my own source…”e.g. wisePart 2 of the fairy tale “Iron John,” about a mysterious wild man, a boy, and much more. What gifts might a new alliance with the wild man bring you?Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“We sense there is some sort of spirit that loves birds and the animals and the ants—perhaps the same one who gave a radiance to you in your mother’s womb.Is it logical you would be walking around entirely orphaned?”—Kabir, trans. by Robert BlyRobert Bly made this fairy tale, known as “Iron Hans” by the Brothers Grimm, a cornerstone of the men’s movement in 1990. This story offers a poetic opportunity to reflect on the wounds inflicted by patriarchy that is still timely and important, and extends beyond the needs of contemporary men into the common psychic territory of masculine and feminine, civilized and wild, and the shadow cast by culture.The images this story evokes in me are beautiful and powerful and I hope it provides the same for you.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“The palpable sense of mystery in the desert air breeds fables, chiefly of lost treasure.” Mary AustenThe desert is an archetypal landscape, the traditional geography of revelations. In celebration of national poetry month and the desert, these poets read some of their work about the lessons and gifts they have received from the Mojave. Includes a brief telling of the Hopi myth of the creation of the fourth world.This is part 2 of 2 programs recorded at an open mic hosted by Catherine Svehla at the Beatnik Lounge in Joshua Tree, CA.Featuring original work read by: Cynthia Anderson, Noreen Lawlor, Mark Evans, Greg Gilbert, and Lisa Mednick-Powell. Thank you poets!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“You should not see the desert simply as some faraway place of little rain. There are many forms of thirst.” William LangewiescheThe desert is an archetypal landscape, the traditional geography of revelations. In celebration of national poetry month and the desert, these poets read some of their work about the lessons and gifts they have received from the Mojave at an open mic at the Beatnik Lounge in Joshua Tree.Featuring original work read by: Dave Maresh, Gillian Spedding, Anita Harmon, Nanci Campbell, Rich Soos, Steve Braff, George Howell, and Phillip Rosenberg. Thank you poets!This is part 1 of 2 programs recorded at an open mic hosted by Catherine Svehla at the Beatnik Lounge in Joshua Tree, CA.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In this program we explore questions of homeland and security, hospitality and love, with the aid of Odysseus, Ovid, and the Good Samaritan. Can we create a world where the question “What can I do to help,” matters more than “where are you from?”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

The ancient Egyptian myth of the goddess Isis and her husband, the god Osiris, is a story about renewal and resurrection, and the necessary partnership of feminine and masculine energies in service to life. I offer this story in the energy of International Women’s Day because we need this wisdom in our current time of change and challenge.This program is dedicated to my Muslim sisters, and to all the courageous women and men who fight for the human rights and freedom of women around the world.“Isis, the great One, Mistress of the Gods, Mistress of magic, she is the skilful Healer, in her mouth is the Breath of Life, by her words she destroys pain, and by her power she awakes the dead.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“In a dark time the eye begins to see,I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;I hear my echo in the echoing wood—“----Theodore Roethke, from In A Dark TimeLike the Norwegian fairy tale, “Prince Lindworm,” the Arthurian story of Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell is a story about the mysterious transformative power found in embracing the un-embraceable. It raises different questions though, questions about the nature of a true king, patriarchy, and our secret ugliness. I’m sending this out to nasty women everywhere, and the men who love and support them.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

A Norwegian fairy tale about a king and a queen, a witch and a maiden, a dragon, and a prince in a “once upon a time” kingdom, that holds a potent message about cultural transformation today. May you find some images and ideas that catalyze your imagination and give birth to visions for the future.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor RooseveltHow can we each tell the truth as we see it? This important question faces many of us who are dismayed by the rise in false news and misinformation, and the divisive rhetoric that passes for public debate. My work with “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen led me to “The Gangamala Jataka,” for some insight into this question. I share this Buddhist story in this program.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Just to live is holy. To be is a blessing.” Rabbi Abraham HeschelIn this program we use the Norse myth of the trickster Loki and the death of Balder to explore the territory that was staked out in the previous program, “Beauty and Love in the Shadow.” How can this myth help us understand Joanna Macy’s advice to “inhabit larger fields of time?” Special thanks to Cynthia Anderson for sharing Deborah Miranda’s poem, “Prayer of Prayers for the Water Protectors at Standing Rock” which is included.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Here are 4 ideas and 11 poems to help you stay connected to the beauty of the world and strengthen your resolve to love what you love in the face of whatever may come. Insights collected from James Hillman, Pema Chödrön, Joanna Macy, and Rob Brezny are reflected through a handful of poems and thoughts about the way that Tricksters force us all to face the shadow.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“From now on, never cease to investigate the truth. Take nothing on hearsay, but examine all till you are sure that it satisfies the demands of your own reason.” Rafe Martin and “The Wise Crow Jataka”Jataka tales are part of classical Buddhist folklore. They are the stories of the Buddhas’ past lives and bodhisattva journey. This program features my version of “The Wise Crow Jataka,” found in the collection Endless Path, Awakening Within the Buddhist Imagination by Rafe Martin. Martin writes, “Whatever we’re going through, the Buddha went through it too. Whatever shortcomings we have, the Buddha had them too.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)