I’d love a workshop that shares a ‘methodology’ of how I might identify and listen in to mythic figures that may hold/offer influence /guidance over my inner and outer worlds and how to feed the Goddess/Gods. This really feels like real kind of mythic medicine - Thank YOU
Also how to live a mythic life/ live more mythically
And magic and myth - I feel when I am with a myth [I’m very new at this] there is some magic present - something that excites my mind?
On your note about myth and magic, anytime an archetype is powerfully activated in our life, it tends to bring a sense of the transcendent. This can feel deeply magical and otherworldly. It can happen when we work with mythology, a divination system, alchemy, or even in a situation of life (like falling intensely in love). I touch on this point briefly ~5 min mark of this mini lesson on tarot reversals: https://alyssapolizzi.substack.com/p/reversals-in-tarot
Many thanks for another timely and absorbing post. The deity I encountered after processing the questions you helpfully provided was Hecate. The unexpected retirement (symbolsied as a car breakdown) positions me at a crossroads. And as she is a psychopomp who can take one down into the scary descent to the underworld, I can see her as part of the current therapy experience. I turned to Edinger's Eternal Drama and was surprised not to find her indexed.
Thanks so much. Having the ideas grounded in your own dreams and life events is so helpful. It brings the discussion alive and helps the reader see how the methodology can work in very practical terms.
Unfortunately Edinger’s book doesn’t cover all of the major Greek gods and stories. Anything about her mythology or symbolism that you feel interested to go deeper on?
Glad you enjoyed the post and found the technique helpful. Perhaps will explore it this month or next in a workshop!
I'm interested that she turns up at the crossroads, how she is present at major life turns., and how the crossroads also has a path that goes downwards, into the earth. She doesn't feel like a Hades figure, more guide than abductor, but neither does she feel comfortable. I do not have any clear sense of her. Being far more familiar with biblical tales than Greek mythology, I find it easier to slip into a story like 1 Sam 28 with its remarkable character, the medium of Endor. Perhaps the latter is a Hecate figure, I'd have to think about it.
I also find looking into the typical symbols of an archetype/god to be quite useful as well. The Book of Symbols, A Dictionary of Symbols by J.E. Cirlot, etc are nice resources for digging into images that surround these figures. With Hecate, that might be crossroads, dogs, torch, keys, the moon, etc.
You're biblical reference is interesting! In Greek myth, mediums/sorceress types often have a connection back to Hecate or similar magical figures. So I do think you can explore the medium of Endor as a kind of analog.
Thanks so much for this post! I sometimes wonder whether calling the archetypes “gods” might create a very particular relationship to them. If psyche is nature, especially in an ecocidal world, might the archetypes be something akin to the wounded animals seeking a place to be free to be wild, to eat and play and kill and mate and move, all aligned to their instinctual natures? There is a lower/higher ranking when it comes to animals and gods, below and above, and perhaps animals and gods are the same, albeit expressed in different language, but I wonder what changes with different terms... 🤔
Love this framing. I find certain mythic systems allow the gods to be wild in their pure instinctual form, free to follow the essence of their nature, rather than adhering to a rigid, societally appropriate way of being. Not with all gods, pantheons, saints or deities. But pieces of these sacred beings find their way into psychic expression. I think contemplating this reframe is really compelling, thanks for sharing.
This is incredible. All the gods are still with us; just like at Eleusis there are more pharmacological ways to interface with hypersensory information. But sometimes all it takes is a nice walk through the park, flowing with the best things and blurring the dream with the real, reading the mind of God...
The Dao is with you, I know it is! You're awesome:)
Exactly, to find the gods, we only need to look inwardly to the innate forces within us. Or, as you say, in the beauty and awe of nature, the rhythm of life, etc.
I absolutely love your work and that you brought in the myths and gods into inner alchemy. It is something I have been working with for years yet were not able to put it into a clear methodology. After a methodology for ritual workshop with Amanda Yates Garcia I was able to create a specific clarity ritual to emerge from the waters, similar to those you describe, with the lady of the lake as a guiding figure, handing over the sword of sovereignty. Now thanks to your post and hopefully upcoming workshop I have a map and inspiration for personal practice before the methodology of ritual is needed. The starting point, the reason, the core exploration, as well as devotion or collaboration with an archetype.
I would love to translate this work to the Celtic mythology and Arthurian legends and archetypes, if it’s not the stories you are specialising in, I’d love to offer you my assistance and helping hand from the Avalonian corner of the world :)
That's lovely, Laura. The lady of the lake is such a mythically potent figure with so many dynamic variations. Wonderful to see how this offering and the one from Amanda blended together so nicely.
What's great about this approach is it allows each individual to relate to their inner world via the mythological system that is most resonant to them. Whether Norse, Arthurian, Greek, Egyptian, etc - each can meet an inner deity that is alive within their psyche.
I've done some study with Arthurian myth, mostly the classic stories, and have taught on the Grail Legend. I may offer a workshop in the future on those topics :)
This would be fantastic! My studies led me from the medieval grail legends to the welsh and Irish myths and how the Arthurian archetypes changed particularly the female ones: from sovereignty goddesses to abducted queens and evil sorceress. Fascinating
Hi Alyssa, so I had a look through my books and the one I would recommend which goes specifically into the topic without branching too far out yet provides solid overview is King Arthur and the goddess of the land by Caitlin Matthews
Thank you Alyssa, I loved this ‘post/work’.
I’d love a workshop that shares a ‘methodology’ of how I might identify and listen in to mythic figures that may hold/offer influence /guidance over my inner and outer worlds and how to feed the Goddess/Gods. This really feels like real kind of mythic medicine - Thank YOU
Also how to live a mythic life/ live more mythically
And magic and myth - I feel when I am with a myth [I’m very new at this] there is some magic present - something that excites my mind?
Thanks for your feedback!
On your note about myth and magic, anytime an archetype is powerfully activated in our life, it tends to bring a sense of the transcendent. This can feel deeply magical and otherworldly. It can happen when we work with mythology, a divination system, alchemy, or even in a situation of life (like falling intensely in love). I touch on this point briefly ~5 min mark of this mini lesson on tarot reversals: https://alyssapolizzi.substack.com/p/reversals-in-tarot
I love that sentence about living more mythically
Me too! I'll think about incorporating that into the class, it's a really wonderful idea to contemplate.
The class was FANTASTIC - Thank YOU so much! I can't wait to work with YOU
You're welcome! Looking forward to a session together :)
Many thanks for another timely and absorbing post. The deity I encountered after processing the questions you helpfully provided was Hecate. The unexpected retirement (symbolsied as a car breakdown) positions me at a crossroads. And as she is a psychopomp who can take one down into the scary descent to the underworld, I can see her as part of the current therapy experience. I turned to Edinger's Eternal Drama and was surprised not to find her indexed.
Thanks so much. Having the ideas grounded in your own dreams and life events is so helpful. It brings the discussion alive and helps the reader see how the methodology can work in very practical terms.
Unfortunately Edinger’s book doesn’t cover all of the major Greek gods and stories. Anything about her mythology or symbolism that you feel interested to go deeper on?
Glad you enjoyed the post and found the technique helpful. Perhaps will explore it this month or next in a workshop!
I'm interested that she turns up at the crossroads, how she is present at major life turns., and how the crossroads also has a path that goes downwards, into the earth. She doesn't feel like a Hades figure, more guide than abductor, but neither does she feel comfortable. I do not have any clear sense of her. Being far more familiar with biblical tales than Greek mythology, I find it easier to slip into a story like 1 Sam 28 with its remarkable character, the medium of Endor. Perhaps the latter is a Hecate figure, I'd have to think about it.
Not sure if you've read the Wikipedia page for Hecate, but I do think it offers great general info (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate).
I also find looking into the typical symbols of an archetype/god to be quite useful as well. The Book of Symbols, A Dictionary of Symbols by J.E. Cirlot, etc are nice resources for digging into images that surround these figures. With Hecate, that might be crossroads, dogs, torch, keys, the moon, etc.
You're biblical reference is interesting! In Greek myth, mediums/sorceress types often have a connection back to Hecate or similar magical figures. So I do think you can explore the medium of Endor as a kind of analog.
Thanks so much for this post! I sometimes wonder whether calling the archetypes “gods” might create a very particular relationship to them. If psyche is nature, especially in an ecocidal world, might the archetypes be something akin to the wounded animals seeking a place to be free to be wild, to eat and play and kill and mate and move, all aligned to their instinctual natures? There is a lower/higher ranking when it comes to animals and gods, below and above, and perhaps animals and gods are the same, albeit expressed in different language, but I wonder what changes with different terms... 🤔
Love this framing. I find certain mythic systems allow the gods to be wild in their pure instinctual form, free to follow the essence of their nature, rather than adhering to a rigid, societally appropriate way of being. Not with all gods, pantheons, saints or deities. But pieces of these sacred beings find their way into psychic expression. I think contemplating this reframe is really compelling, thanks for sharing.
This is incredible. All the gods are still with us; just like at Eleusis there are more pharmacological ways to interface with hypersensory information. But sometimes all it takes is a nice walk through the park, flowing with the best things and blurring the dream with the real, reading the mind of God...
The Dao is with you, I know it is! You're awesome:)
Exactly, to find the gods, we only need to look inwardly to the innate forces within us. Or, as you say, in the beauty and awe of nature, the rhythm of life, etc.
Thanks for reading!
I absolutely love your work and that you brought in the myths and gods into inner alchemy. It is something I have been working with for years yet were not able to put it into a clear methodology. After a methodology for ritual workshop with Amanda Yates Garcia I was able to create a specific clarity ritual to emerge from the waters, similar to those you describe, with the lady of the lake as a guiding figure, handing over the sword of sovereignty. Now thanks to your post and hopefully upcoming workshop I have a map and inspiration for personal practice before the methodology of ritual is needed. The starting point, the reason, the core exploration, as well as devotion or collaboration with an archetype.
I would love to translate this work to the Celtic mythology and Arthurian legends and archetypes, if it’s not the stories you are specialising in, I’d love to offer you my assistance and helping hand from the Avalonian corner of the world :)
That's lovely, Laura. The lady of the lake is such a mythically potent figure with so many dynamic variations. Wonderful to see how this offering and the one from Amanda blended together so nicely.
What's great about this approach is it allows each individual to relate to their inner world via the mythological system that is most resonant to them. Whether Norse, Arthurian, Greek, Egyptian, etc - each can meet an inner deity that is alive within their psyche.
I've done some study with Arthurian myth, mostly the classic stories, and have taught on the Grail Legend. I may offer a workshop in the future on those topics :)
This would be fantastic! My studies led me from the medieval grail legends to the welsh and Irish myths and how the Arthurian archetypes changed particularly the female ones: from sovereignty goddesses to abducted queens and evil sorceress. Fascinating
Ohh, any books you recommend on the topics?
My whole storage unit full of:) I will go through my main go tos that I use for my courses and send you some I would recommend as foundation!
Thank you, appreciate it!
Hi Alyssa, so I had a look through my books and the one I would recommend which goes specifically into the topic without branching too far out yet provides solid overview is King Arthur and the goddess of the land by Caitlin Matthews