Awakening and the power of myth
‘Mythic writing is a process of allowing the images from myths, fairy tales, dreams and our active imaginations to speak to us. By employing the arts of storytelling and fiction writing, we can draw out the meaning of the myths—and be changed by them’ Michelle Tocher
‘Without the guidance of our elders, and the wisdom found in stories, myth and dreaming, we in modern culture are mirroring an increasingly distorted image of the externalised life’ Toko-pa
Fairy tales and myths like dreams are multi faceted and multi layered and allow for many readings and interpretations and they seem to contain all the wisdom of the world in a nutshell. Underlying cultural and political dynamics, good and bad or evil, freedom amd oppression, dark patriarchy and oppressive sexism, conditioning and liberation, injustice and arrogance and ethical and fairness, the light and the shadow aspects of our self and others, family and societal dynamics, abuse and cruelty, home and journey, ignorance, the power of knowledge and awakening, and many more themes are all part of these often universal stories that have survived time. Fairy tales often contain our life stories and challenges and the walls we are called to bring down. Our engagement with them allow us to peel layers of experience or conditioning, which like the hundred matresses in The Princess and the Pea fairy tale may be crushing our authenticity and also hiding the truths that can potentially set us free. Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805) wrote that‘deeper meaning lies in the fairy tales of my childhood than in the truth that life teaches’. Humans are meaning making creatires and stories are part of who we are. I have personally always been fascinated by stories, fairy tales included, and their power to transform or heal. I have in previous posts referred to how working with fairy tales can help us uncover our own stories and the workings of our psyches, minds and societies.
Today I am reposting something I wrote in January 2016, unedited, although if time had allowed I would have added more since time has the potential to broaden our understanding.
I would also like to share Michelle Tocher’s website address, which contains interesting material and the work that she has been doing in this area… http://www.michelletocher.com/