Exploring Joseph Campbell and cutting the Gordian Knot

Introducing people of all ages to mythology... in pre-college educational curricula, youth orgs, the media, etc. Share your knowledge, stories, unit and lesson plans, techniques, and more.

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Ercan2121
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Post by Ercan2121 »

There is a wonderful scene in the opening section of: " The Hunchback of Notredame "; where Victor Hugo portrays the sweep of history of centuries past from the roof of Notredame Cathedral over Paris and the " March of Time " while the layers of the invisible reality upon which shoulders we stand go unnoticed by the obliviousness of those unaware. ( At least this was my memory of it reading it many years ago. Wonder how accurate my memory of the rendition is and what that view would look like now.


What an astonishing portraiture, James, so rich in
reminisces from the age of cathedrals to virgin births and so on and on!

PoM is like our mythical legacy condensed and rejuvenated
to meet the expectations of 20th century and 21st as well
with some minor updates for 2000's :P

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

JamesN. wrote: I find now more and more in the US; the older architecture as witness and oracle of the past; is in the present stampede for economic profit and pursuit to court the fabulous creature called progress; wiped away to be replaced by strip malls, fast food restaurants, and prefab urban developement. Yet because for some there is an imprint of the knowledge of what came before; there is an awareness and understanding that something important is missing in this presentation to our perception of our present reality. Europe, India, and China; ( that is what Communism hasn't stamped out ); for instance; along with many other centers of older culture are much more keenly aware of this type of landscape; yet even now some of them are coming under this spell of commercialism. One must also be keenly aware that financial ambition, political agenda, and religious dogma play a significant role in the dynamics that fuel change in historical evolution.
Namaste
:)
Namaste,
What a nice greeting to start with, James :)
I think that people feel exactly the way you do in all parts of the world;
this seems like the problem of the age and nowhere seems isolated enough
to remain authentic -IMHO & if I properly understood your point.
Everything seems more attractive from a little afar, I believe; because one can
perceive the architecture, local colors and one can hear the music.
We can feel the charm when we're 'out of the box'; when we can still dream
about somewhere. All the places Campbell is talking about look more beautiful
than they're actually are only because someone with exceptional wisdom and
insight is telling the story -again IMHO.
We all moved to Internet and social media. So, where can be our sacred places?
The sacred mountain is where we stand. The only problem is to find a way to
feel this, free from the distraction of day to day life. Don't you think it is?
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

Dear Ercan and Nermin;

How generous your thoughts are on these attempts of my interpretations of Joseph Campbell's material. It never goes unnoticed or unappreciated. You are always supportive and I hope you know how much I value your opinions! I think many of us struggle in our efforts to express our feelings concerning this dimension; ( I know I sure do ); because of how important and personal it is.

Joe knew how vital and life affirming these themes are and thought it was so critical he spent a lifetime trying to make it accessable to everyone and in a way that was understandable and could be adaptable for re-interpretation in a modern setting. So the question becomes how do we take these insights and this mythic sense and bring it into our everyday life.

You both have brought up an aspect which I think is one of the cornerstones of his understanding of how one might do this; and that is the creation of a " Sacred Space ". In " The Power of Myth " he goes into great detail about this concept. In " Sacrfice and Bliss " Bill Moyers asked Joe: ( " What does it mean to have a sacred place? " ); to which he replied: " This is an absolute necessity for anybody today. "

From here he goes on to describe in various ways that you must make your own personal kind of temple, room, shrine, or holy imaginary enclosed place within your consciousness that you can utilize on a regular basis. And to bring forth from the deepest and most meaningful aspect of yourself; who you are; who you can be; and in this process be able to identify and connect this aspect with " the life you were meant to live ". ( This is the Holy Grail of the quest; and the bliss is the vehicle. ) And so looking back at the end of your life in doing this; you find the gift of the Grail is having lived an authentic life.

He calls this sacred space the place of creative incubation. And it is within this context; and in this search for what this is; and how to accomplish this task; that the discoveries are obtained. ( But you and you alone have to decide and determine what these stars that you are following are going to be. ) You go into the dark forrest where there is no path and there would not be a path for anyone else; and you find or follow the call; and that call is your life path or journey; like an explorer in a new country; with all the possibilities of both danger and success. Your sacred space and what ever you determine your bliss is; are the things that help you find your way.

Now although rather simplistic; this is in my humble attempt what the sense of this theme is pointing at that Joseph Campbell is talking about. Others may have a different view or can probably articulate it more eloquently or precisely. But I hope I have expressed my feelings; ( at least the way I see it ); to address the subject you were asking about in a way that is helpful.


Best Wishes :D
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

JamesN. wrote: You both have brought up an aspect which I think is one of the cornerstones of his understanding of how one might do this; and that is the creation of a " Sacred Space ". In " The Power of Myth " he goes into great detail about this concept. In " Sacrfice and Bliss " Bill Moyers asked Joe: ( " What does it mean to have a sacred place? " ); to which he replied: " This is an absolute necessity for anybody today. "
Life is full of illusions, my friends and sometimes the real choice is between
getting lost in them or staying 'awake' and I'm relating the sacred place with this.
My sacred place is a tea table with some candles, feathers and a lamp shade.
And I know that's also metaphorical because I think that the sacred place basically within.
That's somewhere (maybe a centre?) in my soul and life's is full of gifts when I can live
from there, without loosing touch with my centre :)
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

By the way; how is the weather for everyone out there these days?
The situation in Syria is getting even worse, villages being attacked with helicopter
gunships and tanks and religious minorities also starting to flee their homeland
as they lost all their hope for peace in near future. Secularism was one of the last
assets of this bloody regime :!:
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Ercan2121
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Post by Ercan2121 »

JamesN. wrote: From here he goes on to describe in various ways that you must make your own personal kind of temple, room, shrine, or holy imaginary enclosed place within your consciousness that you can utilize on a regular basis. And to bring forth from the deepest and most meaningful aspect of yourself; who you are; who you can be; and in this process be able to identify and connect this aspect with " the life you were meant to live ". ( This is the Holy Grail of the quest; and the bliss is the vehicle. ) And so looking back at the end of your life in doing this; you find the gift of the Grail is having lived an authentic life.
James,
An understanding of bliss as vehicle is an astonishing idea to me
because I often thought of bliss as a goal in itself. Maybe here,
we're adding the ethical constituent? Thank you for providing this refined
standard to ponder over :)

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

What means Tartus port to Russians?

Sorry folks for getting political again and again.

According to some, Tartus naval base is insignificant from a stratetic point of view,
yet it still has some symbolic value.
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

Ercan2121 wrote:
There is a wonderful scene in the opening section of: " The Hunchback of Notredame "; where Victor Hugo portrays the sweep of history of centuries past from the roof of Notredame Cathedral over Paris and the " March of Time " while the layers of the invisible reality upon which shoulders we stand go unnoticed by the obliviousness of those unaware. ( At least this was my memory of it reading it many years ago. Wonder how accurate my memory of the rendition is and what that view would look like now.


What an astonishing portraiture, James, so rich in
reminisces from the age of cathedrals to virgin births and so on and on!
Ercan,
Sometimes we talk assuming that certain terms frequently used by
Campbell can be tolerated by all associates -isn't-it?
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Ercan2121
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Post by Ercan2121 »

Nermin wrote: Ercan,
Sometimes we talk assuming that certain terms frequently used by
Campbell can be tolerated by all associates -isn't-it?
So sorry if anyone feels offended.

I think that's the phraseology used by Campbell himself and there's no
intention to affront any denomination when honestly searching for common
grounds and mutual understanding :(

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

I'm posting here since 2010 and kept posting even when I'm infuriated
by world events. At times, I received polite notices from moderators,
paused for a while, 'receded' to social media but then I came back.
The reason is, I like this open-mindedness even when I don't fully agree
with another poster or entirely reject an opinion.

Where else can-we develop tolerance for each other?

And where else one can find truly heroic hearts from all
corners of the world?
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

Russian made MiG planes have bombed eastern areas
of Syria’s second city Aleppo on 24 July 2012 , the 4th day
of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims. There are reports
of dozens of casualties and widespread damage.
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

They have find a way to hide themselves from the world for long years.
That's not the first time they attacking with planes to civilians but as I said,
rarely this regime has become a centre of attention for Western media;
One thing is certain, Syria doesn't want him anymore
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

And this link's for those still wanting to visit Russia
Russian Tourist Office in Britain
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

JamesN wrote:In the Middle East the emerging engagement of these ancient societies from isolation into the modern world while still maintaining these ancient mindsets and identities has been an extremely difficult transition. And when you consider the overwhelming and dominating impact that Oil and it's desirability has played you begin to get a sense of how volitile the potential for violence is. ( The Iran - Iraq war is another example; not to mention the Arab-Israeli Conflict ) It really has been a succession of conflicts in many of these areas; one after the other for a long, long time. Boundaries are very difficult here; and conflict is extremely contagious.
What happens and what will happen once the dictators are gone?
That's not an easy question. Probably, a new journey begins for the society
and younger generations start seeking new solutions to age-old problems.
Isn't-it their right?
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

Nermin
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Post by Nermin »

Protesters unfurl bloody Syrian flag under Eiffel Tower

'On Friday morning, a giant Syrian flag stained with fake blood briefly hung under the legs of the Eiffel Tower. Two men climbed construction scaffolding under the tower to attach the flag, as about a dozen protesters decried Bashar al-Assad’s regime down below'
Courtesy of Céline Lussato for magazine Le Nouvel Observateur
Last edited by Nermin on Fri Jul 27, 2012 9:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
True friendship is based on trust, honesty and sincere generosity of our hearts

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