Mythology opens up the world so that it becomes transparent to something that is beyond speech, beyond words – in short, what we call transcendence.* Joseph Campbell
Mythology is usually inseparable from ritual. Many myths make no sense outside the liturgical drama that bring them to life, and are incomprehensible in a profane setting.** Karen Armstrong
Though not made of dragons, minotaurs, and odysseys, Life is mythological in seeing beyond the appearance of the ordinary or familiar, to the wonder of life within and around us; Our personal and collective myths quietly shape our habits, practices, and systems of energy – Though some will not understand, Many are awakening to their hunger for myth.
[Signs of Egocentricity:] 1 – Playing the comparison game … 2 – Being defensive … 3 – Needing to display our brilliance … 4 – Needing to be liked and accepted* Sunil Raheja
Properly speaking, a man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognise him and carry an image of him in their mind.** William James
A couple of thoughts on the Ego and the Self:
1. The signs of egocentricity make a lot of sense: We need to know that we are different to our parents and our peers, It is important to look after ourselves and be secure, Expressing what we are good at allows us to live with purpose, Relationship and connection are meaningful for us; These are important as we grow from dependence towards independence – But difference, security, purpose, and connection are multiplied and transformed when we move from independence to interdependence.
2. When we seek to be different persons or versions of ourselves depending on who we are with, It’s likely our Ego turning up, and, whilst the journey is far from linear, I’m imagining that our movement from Ego to our True Self, From independence to interdependence is going to see us becoming the same person towards the many others.
That urge is love. Love for the material, love for the work, love for our brothers and sisters to whom we will offer our work as a gift.* Steven Pressfield
Despite the revelation of the remnant, those in the larger group almost always blame the ones they consider “less than” for whatever they are lacking, a tragic tendency we now call “blaming the victim.” Failure in almost any form is considered “your own fault” in many upwardly mobile or fully capitalistic society.* Richard Rohr
There are two ways to be wealthy – to get everything you want or to want everything you have.** Ryan Holiday
The leftovers are those who are not valued or deemed to have nothing of value to bring or offer, The tragedy being that those so labeled or marked tend to agree by believing they have nothing others may want, But everyone has something of value to contribute.
The wisdom of creation is directly accessible to us in our everyday experience – the universe dwells inside us.^
Everyone contains some valuable element or aspect of the universe within them; This is our wildness, our truest self, larger and more valuable than our educational, employment, or political selves, Forgotten and unknown to us.
If we establish a regular practice of intentional solitude, we invite a conversation between ourselves and the wild soul that comes near to our shore. We do this not only to “be near” the wild soulful nature, but as in the mystical tradition since time out of mind, the purpose of this union is for us us to ask questions, and for the soul to advise.^^
More than ever we struggle to be alone in our quietness, listening for the questions of the soul, questions that echo the universe’s What we will do with your life? – but here is an experiment: To find our secluded place to be quiet awhile and listen.*^
In fact … wealth undermines everyday awe and our capacity to see the moral beauty of others, the wonders of nature, and the sublime in music or art.^*
The universe, began 13.7 billion years ago with a great flaring forth of light. That is when I began and that is when you began.* Philip Newell
Character isn’t fate or destiny. Character isn’t DNA, decided before birth. Character is the result of your little choices and little actions.** Derek Sivers
A lot of work has gone into making you you, though there are some finishing touches required which only you can make – No matter what you think is happening around you and upon you through all those events and people, It’s all about you making your choices, And here’s another day to make a few more.
*Philip Newell’s The Great Search; **Derek Sivers’ Hell Yeah or No.
Living a good story is … more like writing a good story. And writing a good story happens when a writer has created the disciplined habit of sitting down.* Donald Miller
The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.** Jessica Hische
Maybe that thing you find yourself pondering or playing with when the “main thing” stalls or finds itself in the doldrums needs to be given some serious time: You may have found your other story, the really good one.
“Connais-toi pour t’améliorer” (“Know yourself to improve yourself”).* Alain de Botton
Old opinions shouldn’t define who you are in the future … But if you avoid pain, you avoid improvement. Avoid embarrassment, and you avoid success. Avoid risk, and you avoid reward … Remember the classic story arc of the hero’s journey. The crisis – the most painful moment – defines the hero … If you avoid pain, you avoid what you really want.** Derek Sivers
You create your room of requirement when you identify where you are and where you could be – both are necessary, The latter being identified when you take stock of your talents and energies and values;^ The fun stuff doesn’t begin when we get to perfect, rather it opens up When we embrace our imperfection but also discover there’s far more to us than we thought (and, there’s far more to others, too) – And then we have to move to action this, For hero think: person willing to step into uncomfortable one step at a time.
The truth about vulnerability or dependency is that’s who we are. And so I try to rally the lovesick and the brokenhearted.* Adam Kahane
Blessed are the vulnerable for they shall experience the fullness of life, Blessed are the dependent for they shall create communitas,** Blessed are the lovesick for they shall become a movement of love, Blessed are the brokenhearted for they shall become our healers.
When we seek to be impervious to these, We deny ourselves – denying or avoiding pain leads to the evasion of joy, yet embracing these in ourselves and in others, opens us to as much devotion and bliss and beauty and awe as we can humanly cope with – And we can cope with a lot.
And if stand or sit or be with the vulnerable and dependent and brokenhearted and lovesick, then …
*Adam Kahane’s Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems; **Communitas here refers to a group of people who find their bonding and togetherness around a common purpose.
THIN|SILENCE 
You must be logged in to post a comment.