The Power of Myth

The Power of Myth

Every year we retell the story of Jesus' birth, and I've gone from literalist to that's-bullshit to I-don't-know-what-I-guess-believer-whatever-that-is in the course of my life. I've read enough Joseph Campbell to know a little of the frequency of miraculous births in world mythology; in other words I'm barely knowledgeable.

But last night as I heard the story once again, I was struck by the power of myth, both in this ancient story, and in my own personal family myth as played out in this meeting of former lovers.

I'm taking a risk, using the word 'myth', because today it connotes fantasy or untruth. In fact it is the opposite - it is the core of truth or longing for truth that is truer than true.

For me what has become more important is existential truth. At the root, as Ken Wilbsr says, we have to look beyond the myths and seek direct experience. He was talking about our experience of the divine, but I am sure he would agree that it also applies to all our personal relationships.

Out of that comes a kind of discovery and freedom that the myth tries to capture or explain, but cannot substitute. It is that direct experience that gives me the courage, the chutzpah, to the look life in the eye and take it as it comes.