Podcast appearances and mentions of catherine svehla

Kelli Scarr is an American singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Kingston, NY. She is also the founder of Vera Jean Music, a pioneering record label dedicated to championing the talents of women artists over the age of 40.On May 12, 2025, she unveils Greater Mysteries, an immersive album and performance experience inspired by the ancient myth of Inanna. Born from a 2022 artist residency in Crete, and recorded in Iceland, the album invites listeners to connect with their own cycles of transformation. Transcendent piano and airy woodwinds intertwine with Scarr's otherworldly voice and the earthy pulse of the rhythm section, alongside contributions from an array of surprise musicians—creating a soundscape steeped in myth and mystery.Raised in Northern California, Scarr's musical journey began in church, eventually leading her to Berklee College of Music before settling in New York City. Over the years, she has woven her way through an eclectic range of projects, from fronting the bands Moonraker and Salt & Samovar to a significant collaboration writing, recording, and touring with Moby. Her artistry extends into film scoring, where her emotive and organic approach—favoring live musicians and improvisation—has set her apart. She earned an Emmy nomination for her score to the HBO documentary In A Dream (2008) and has composed music for dozens of films, TV shows, and commercials. Notable projects include the documentaries Advanced Style and Far Western, and the forthcoming After All (2025), for which she composed the score and contributed six original songs.As a solo artist, Scarr has released three albums—Piece (2010), Dangling Teeth (2012), and No Rush (2021)—establishing herself as a singular voice in atmospheric, deeply emotive songwriting. Her forthcoming fourth album, Greater Mysteries, marks a new creative chapter, offering music as an initiatory experience. The project will unfold through intimate preview concerts in the Hudson Valley, culminating in immersive cave performances this fall and beyond.Today we get to dive deep into Kelli's creative process in the making of Greater Mysteries from the seeds of inspiration that came from many sources such as Talk Talk by Spirit of Eden, Maureen Murdock's "The Heroine's Journey," and Dr. Catherine Svehla's mythical wisdom to the whisper from her psychic about Greece in her future. Kelli shares about the magic and mystery of her residency in Crete, how the voices of Odeya Nini and members of the Threshold Choir appeared to lend magic to the album, and we listen to three songs - "Knowing is the Call," "The Yes that Leads," and "Aphrodite" - as we meander through the myth of Inanna and how transformation happens to us..."she's not dying, she's flying free."Hudson Valley audiences will have an exclusive opportunity to preview Greater Mysteries before the rest of the world. On April 16th, Kelli is hosting Lesser Mysteries at Unicorn Bar in Kingston. The special preview event will feature an impressive lineup of local and national talent and offer attendees a unique opportunity to witness the early stages of what will become a larger, Greater Mysteries immersive cave experience scheduled for fall 2025.https://www.viewcy.com/e/lesser_mysteriesHere's Kelli's recommendation to Leah Thau's Podcast, Strangers.Today's show was engineered by Ian Seda from Radiokingston.org.Our show music is from Shana Falana!Feel free to email me, say hello: she@iwantwhatshehas.org** Please: SUBSCRIBE to the pod and leave a REVIEW wherever you are listening, it helps other users FIND IThttp://iwantwhatshehas.org/podcastITUNES | SPOTIFYITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i-want-what-she-has/id1451648361?mt=2SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/77pmJwS2q9vTywz7Uhiyff?si=G2eYCjLjT3KltgdfA6XXCAFollow:INSTAGRAM * https://www.instagram.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast/FACEBOOK * https://www.facebook.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast 

I discuss with mythologist and depth psychologist Dr. Catherine Svehla the 'Myth of Unlimited Human Potential', the problematic impact it has on us, and what is a psychologically more wholesome way to integrate myths into our lives. You can find out more about Catherine and how to work with her on https://mythicmojo.com​. There you can also find her biweekly podcast "Myth Matters". If you have questions or requests regarding my podcast, or are interested in therapy sessions with me, take a look at https://www.elliscounselling.com/​ or contact me at gabriel.ellis.counselling@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/elliscounselling

Here we are, two weeks further into this process, a process that few, if any of us, can define, a collective transformation. Sometimes I feel a certain fatigue in all of this, and maybe you do, too. I remind myself that all I can do, really, is express - through how I live, what I do, what I say and my own being- the values that I want to see in the world. In that spirit, I offer you a little bit of humor and sweetness in today's story, a Czech folk tale called "Clever Manka." "Peace begins with a smile." Mother TeresaA transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

You and I are living through huge changes. My day to day is a roller coaster ride through grief and fear of loss, to joy at the birdsong, gratitude, inspired resolve, and anxiety. I'm energized and exhausted at the same time. Maybe you're riding a roller coaster too.It's tempting to devote all energy to practicalities and logistics, to the newsfeeds and the search for distractions, or to disconnect and retreat into your private world. But we're needed. You and me. Right now. So how do we ride the roller coaster? And how do we participate with our gifts and wisdom? By making space for reflection on the bigger meanings, including our vulnerability. To stop and breathe and let that in. This old Celtic story of competition and tests of character can guide reflections on the source of true strength and the deep meanings of this time. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” Joseph CampbellA lot has changed in a mere two weeks and I hope that you are safe and healthy. In the recent podcast about Loki and the quantum cosmos, I suggested that we need to use our ability to question and cultivate a new state of openness. I received requests to talk more about this "openness," which led me to consider these words from Joseph Campbell.There is a connection between this wisdom and the old stories, one's sense of belonging to the world, and the ability to live this paradox of joy and sorrow. Here is my attempt to knit them together for you, offered with the wish that you find some inspiration and encouragement here.The need for physical distance compels us to spend more time at home and perhaps alone, yet we have technologies like the podcast to connect with each other.Take good care of yourself. A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Myths of the Norse god Loki combine with understanding of the quantum cosmos to offer insight into the necessity of chaos, and a perspective on the restructuring of our lives.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

How can a thoughtful person think, in a useful and creative way, about the seeming insanity of many politicians and the turmoil in public life and community affairs? What does mythology have to do with the conflict, and do the old stories offer any insight?These are big questions. The role that mythology plays in shaping every aspect of communal life is too big for one podcast, but this Yoruba story about Eshu and his love of discord offers a good starting point in the search for a healthy, helpful perspective.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com.Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In part 2 of this 3-part series, Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu venture into the sacred cedar forest to confront the demon Humbaba and make great names for themselves. These actions and motivations may seem questionable today, and raise questions about the enduring value of the ancient story. What do these two have to teach us about the human condition? Do they simply illustrate timeworn heroic values—for better or for worse--- or does this poem connect past and present in a meaningful, useful way?A transcript of this podcast is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

What is the source of creative ideas and guiding visions, and how do they come to us? How do our creative ideas change and how do we change along with them? In this episode I share a Celtic story that offers an opportunity for meditation on these questions. The story of Aengus and Caer is based on myths that inspired the poet William Butler Yeats to write his poem “Wandering Aengus.” Here are a few words from Yeats about the creative life:“The greater energies of the mind seldom break forth but when the deeps are loosed. They break forth amid events too private or too sacred for public speech, or seem themselves, I know not why, to belong to hidden things.”Creative inspiration is commonly linked to artistic and poetic endeavors and yet, it is an essential ingredient for anyone who understand that a good life is made, that it is an adventure with purpose, form, beauty, and meaning. This is the life of the engaged imagination and fully utilized powers of perception, the life of the soul.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“These lofty words are an antidote for anyone sickened by extremism’s poison.” AttarThe Conference of the Birds is an epic poem from the 12thcentury written by Sufi poet Farid ud Din Attar.The story is an enduring source of insight and inspiration for truth seekers everywhere. Rumi, said, “Attar is the soul itself.” If you want a story to speed you down the path to your fulfillment then let Attar be your teacher.If you are feeling lost, beat down, angry, or despairing, let the story of these birds and their quest to find a king, guide you and lift you up.“The way of love is not subtle argument. The door there is devastation. Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.How do they learn it?They fall, and falling, they’re given wings.”--RumiA transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“I sing of the great god Poseidon, mover of the earth and fruitless sea […] god of the deep, shaker of the earth […] tamer of horses and savior of ships […]” Homeric Hymn to PoseidonAfter the Olympians defeated the old gods, Zeus and his brothers, Hades and Poseidon, divided the world into three realms. They drew lots to establish which of them would rule over each.Poseidon was awarded the ocean.In this podcast I talk about Poseidon and share some his myths, including his role in Homer’s Odyssey and the contemporary significance of his longstanding competition with the goddess Athena.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

In the Greek myth of Oedipus a king tries, unsuccessfully, to avoid fulfilling a horrifying prophecy. He doesn’t escape his fate and yet free will exists, doesn’t it? Did Oedipus make a critical mistake? Did he have other options? Do we? Reflections on the message and meaning of the tragic fate of King Oedipus and how it can illuminate the dance with fate and destiny today.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

How do you come to know yourself? What does this mean and how is this task accomplished? Most importantly, do you really want to know? The quest for self-knowledge lies at the heart of human experience and it is a quest surrounded by questions. Some of them are addressed in one of most famous Greek myths, the myth of Oedipus, immortalized in a trilogy of plays by Sophocles from the 5th century BCE.In this podcast I tell the story of Oedipus and reflect on the connection between this story, the contemporary quest for self-knowledge and authenticity, and the patron deity of Greek tragedy and theater, the god Dionysus.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

When the moon shone, Artemis was present, and beasts and plants would dance.” Karl KerenyiAn exploration of Artemis, Greek goddess of the moon, the hunt, and wilderness, and the myth of her fateful encounter with Acteaon, that may help you find your place in the family of things.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

Summer is almost here, bringing warm nights perfect for stargazing and communion with the moon. A full moon rises here in the United States on Saturday May 18th, so this podcast includes stories and information about two Greek moon goddesses, Selene and Hecate, and an invitation to develop your night vision and capacity for magic. Bathe in the silver shimmer, get moonstruck, and maybe a little bit mad.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“Without warningAs a whirlwindSwoops on an oakLove shakes my heart.” ---SapphoIn this podcast I share some of the ancient Greek mythology about Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and Eros, the God of Desire, the force that brings people and things together. These are universal, timeless energies and the Greek ideas about them, personified in this Goddess and God, can help us expand our thinking about the role love, beauty, and desire play in our lives.Aphrodite is depicted as very beautiful. You may be familiar with Botticelli’s painting “The Birth of Venus,” for example. (Venus is the Roman name for Aphrodite). She personifies beauty and yet Aphrodite is not the goddess of beautiful people. She gives her gifts to everyone who wants to know the transformative power of love.A transcript of this episode is available at www.mythicmojo.com. Thanks for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmatterspodcast)

“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)

In this episode, Catherine tells us it was only until after moving to the desert that she remembered traveling through the desert as a small child on family trips. In later years, she would visit alone, with her backpack, taking respite from the demands of life in LA. On one such trip, just before her 40th birthday, Catherine made the decision to move permanently.   Dr. Catherine Svehla is the hi-desert's "local mythologist". She is a cultural mythologist, storyteller, artist, activist and creates story-based programs to share the transformative power of myth.  Catherine is also the host of  'Myth in the Mojave', a storytelling podcast with listeners around the world. She founded and led the Hi-Desert Mythological Roundtable from 2009-2015 and lives in Joshua Tree.   After moving here, Catherine had numerous jobs, completed Graduate School and now hosts myth workshops, one of which is called, 'The Heroines Journey'.

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)

Dr. Catherine Svehla is a cultural mythologist, storyteller, artist, and activist with a PhD in Mythological Studies. She draws on her knowledge of mythology and psychology to bring the story to life and share insight into the contemporary meaning of the tale. She uses myths and stories as the catalyst for conversation, group discussion, and shared reflection. Her goal is to teach as well as entertain, and to provoke thought as well as laughter. Among other projects, she runs the Mythic Mojo project that seeks to create a mini-revolution in consciousness by helping individuals explore the mythic dimensions of their lives. She states, "I'm calling for a mini-revolution because I think the old images of big and loud and violent have outlived their usefulness. I think that's time for us to appreciate the quietly powerful, the tiny but significant, and the subversive nuance. As James Hillman says, “Think subtly, act simply.” Welcome to Mythic Mojo and the mini-revolution in consciousness." Here, we discuss the significance of myth in the modern world, how stories are templates for engaging authentic human experience, and the transformational power of mythological consciousness.