2 Comments (Have your say)

1. Ali

   Comment on February 12, 2009 at 1:36 pm

   But blogger friends are awesome.

   I read Campbell’s short book, The Power of Myth, last year, which I think was adapted from an interview or television documentary series with Bill Moyers or somebody. Some of it was very interesting, though some of it seemed a little happy-silly and dumbed down (and things like “follow your bliss” have become such catchphrases that I think they’ve been spoiled for me). This may have been the nature of the interviews, though… I’m trying to get more into the study of Celtic mythology and understanding enough to develop relationships with those deities and beings. Would you recommend Campbell as a good introduction to “mythic thinking” and such; that is, do you think reading him would be helpful in personalizing what can sometimes seem like “just really old stories”?

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2. mahud

   Comment on February 14, 2009 at 1:09 pm

   I’ve not read The Power of Myth, although I believe I’ve watched the interview with Bill Moyers, but only in the past couple of years or so. From the first time I read J.C I think it was something like 5 or 6 years afterwards I heard the phrase “Follow Your Bliss.” I agree that his books based on interviews are kind of “dumbed down.”

   Mythology and religious practise to me are not the same thing, although they do overlap. I wouldn’t want to flat out deny that Campbell’s understanding of myth isn’t much good for developing relationship with deities. However, all deities for Campbell are basically personifications for the ultimate mystery we, largely in the west, refer to as “God.” Deities and human beings who ritually enact the mysteries of the gods, are merely Masks, according to Campbell.

   The books I’d recommend by Joseph Campbell would be The Masks of God series: Primitive Mythology (1); Oriental Mythology (2); Occidental Mythology (3) and Creative Mythology (4).

   The Masks of God mostly deal with the history of myth and how many mythic ideas were diffused and transformed in different cultures throughout the world. Although, It’s worth bearing in mind that they were published in the 60’s and many of his conclusions are not supported by many specialist mythologists.

   Another Book I enjoyed by J.C was The Inner Reaches of Outer Space.

   I would recommend J.C as a good introduction to “Mythic Thinking,” especially cosmogonic myths (An alternative to understanding creation myths can be found in the works of Mircea Eliade).

   In developing a greater understanding of Celtic myth I personally think it is best to read books written by academic specialists in that field, but a good understanding of parallel myths from other cultures is definitely helpful when it come to distinguishing the difference to the gods as portrayed in myth and the gods in reality.

   I don’t have many books on the Celts. But I’ve found the following titles helpful.

   • The Celts by Nora Chadwick (with an introduction by Barry Cunliffe).
   • Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture by Bernhard Maier
   • Celtic Myths by Miranda Jane Green

   It would certainly be helpful to learn something about PIE myth, which covers Celtic, Roman, Vedic, Iranian and a whole bunch of other mythologies.

   A fantastic introduction to PIE myth would be Comparative Mythology by Jaan Puhval. He also deals with the PIE creation myth of a being or divinity (*Yemo/Yima, a name believed to have derived from ‘Twin’) who is slain by his brother and created order in the cosmos and society. Bruce Lincoln is also worth checking out regarding *Yemo (Death, War, and Sacrifice: Studies in Ideology and Practice).

   One thing Joseph Campbell has convinced me of is that myths are deeply profound and definitely more than just an out of date mode of storytelling.

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