Myth and Magic
Look around and tell me what you see. Tell me of the buildings that seem to reach the sky and pierce the clouds, of the floating towns that have risen out of the sea like the tales of Atlantis. When you walk down a street and see the churches, the temples of the new religion, does it make you think of the old ways, the old religions that have come and gone? When you think of the gods and goddesses of myth, do see what their stories have inspired, the impact that they left on what is now modern life? Now let's take a mental journey from the cave gods of old to the modern god of today, from the savage goddesses of the east to the cool and cultured goddesses of the west. For when the people had nothing but their families and their minds they brought forth powerful rulers and the means to pay them proper tribute. Myths have held space in the minds and tales of every culture. For what we call stores where once the explanations of unknown phenomenon
Reasons Why I Love Mythology
Heroes are not Paragons
For many cultures around the world, being a hero didn’t mean being like superman catching cats out of trees. It didn’t even mean you had superpowers or were a crime-fighter. Being a 'hero' didn't have the connotations we put on it in our culture, and therefore didn't have the same pressures or expectations that we have. Being a hero just meant that you stood up for what you believed in.
The gods are just as messed up as any of us are.
The gods in most myths are just as messed up as the people who worship them. The greatest takeaway is the people made the gods they needed to survive. In most religions that were not Judeo-Christian dods had faults, they had emotions and made mistakes making them relatable to their followers even as they served as the embodiment of celestial or elemental concepts.
Feminist figures in powerful goddesses
Hestia, Persephone, Hera, Is there really anything else more empowering than being a goddess? These are but a few goddesses that hold great power in the lives of women throughout time. Hestia who fanned the flames of family throughout all the time, Persephone the holder of truth in death whose very presence brings about spring and Hera queen of the gods who would allow no mortal nor God to get in the way of her marriage without taking what was her due.
Not every story has a happy ending.
Take for example the myth of the seasons, the “rape” of Persephone. The kind of harsh reality that is found in the Greek myths can be sobering, and serve as a good reality check. In reading mythology, we come to find out that most things are not black and white but are shrouded in varying Shades of Grey. Analyzing these texts allows us to wrap my mind around the idea that everyone is the hero in their own story and maybe the feeling in someone else's.
Heroes are not Paragons
For many cultures around the world, being a hero didn’t mean being like superman catching cats out of trees. It didn’t even mean you had superpowers or were a crime-fighter. Being a 'hero' didn't have the connotations we put on it in our culture, and therefore didn't have the same pressures or expectations that we have. Being a hero just meant that you stood up for what you believed in.
The gods are just as messed up as any of us are.
The gods in most myths are just as messed up as the people who worship them. The greatest takeaway is the people made the gods they needed to survive. In most religions that were not Judeo-Christian dods had faults, they had emotions and made mistakes making them relatable to their followers even as they served as the embodiment of celestial or elemental concepts.
Feminist figures in powerful goddesses
Hestia, Persephone, Hera, Is there really anything else more empowering than being a goddess? These are but a few goddesses that hold great power in the lives of women throughout time. Hestia who fanned the flames of family throughout all the time, Persephone the holder of truth in death whose very presence brings about spring and Hera queen of the gods who would allow no mortal nor God to get in the way of her marriage without taking what was her due.
Not every story has a happy ending.
Take for example the myth of the seasons, the “rape” of Persephone. The kind of harsh reality that is found in the Greek myths can be sobering, and serve as a good reality check. In reading mythology, we come to find out that most things are not black and white but are shrouded in varying Shades of Grey. Analyzing these texts allows us to wrap my mind around the idea that everyone is the hero in their own story and maybe the feeling in someone else's.
Mythical storytelling
Here is a list of 3 Epic Myths from Around the World
Reference
Crash Course, & Rugnetta, M. R. (2017, February 25). What Is Myth? Crash Course World Mythology #1. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeX6CX5LEj0&t=1s
Holzwarth, L. (2022, April 3). The Most Epic Myths from Around the World. History Collection. https://historycollection.com/the-most-epic-myths-from-around-the-world/13/
Marketing The Conscious Club. (2020, June 17). The Wisdom of Myth and Folklore: Why We Need Stories to Keep us Alive as a Society. The Conscious Club. https://theconsciousclub.com/articles/2019/10/9/the-wisdom-of-myth-and-folklore-why-we-need-stories-to-keep-us-alive-as-a-society
TED-Ed. (2018, February 8). The myth of Arachne - Iseult Gillespie. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvUHcsZOhJ8
TEDx Talks. (2018, June 22). Why do we still care about Greek Mythology? | Lilly LeJeune | TEDxYouth@MBJH. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZZSsrDsSYw&t=1s
Why Greek Mythology is Still Relevant - Centre of Excellence. (2019, September 2). Why Greek Mythology Is Still Relevant. https://www.centreofexcellence.com/greek-mythology-still-relevant/
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