Shows
Mythic UMyth and Modernism: Where'd Comparative Mythology Come from Anyway?We'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join hosts Karen Foglesong and Erin Branham as we discuss the origins of the field of comparative mythology, from Frazier's Golden Bough to post-modernist critiques of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. We explore how modernist and post-modernist ideas have impacted the study of the world's religions, mythologies and philosophies and what it means for spiritual seekers in the West today as we try to avoid the colonialist mistakes of the past.We want to hear from you! Please rate and review us...2025-07-0751 minMythic USnakes and SerpentsWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join hosts Karen Foglesong and Erin Branham as we discuss the mythological significance of snakes, and their dual symbolism of life and death. We explore various cultural perspectives, including Chinese mythology where snakes represent power and transformation, and Hindu mythology where snakes are both protective and deceptive. The conversation also delves into the historical and symbolic use of snakes in medicine, such as the Caduceus and the rod of Asclepius. We highlight the snake's role in ancient myths, from the Minoan Snake Goddess to...2025-05-1953 minMythic UArtificial Intelligence and the SoulWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Artificial Intelligence is everywhere now, available for your use and possibly coming for your job! Karen and Erin discuss the hefty moral implications of AI for humans - and for the artificial intelligence itself. The discussion ranges from AI art in competitions to the Church of AI to (of course) Star Trek, the Borg, and Commander Data (with a little Star Wars thrown in for good measure).SHOW NOTESWhat Isaac Asimov Can Teach Us About AI...2025-04-1547 minMythic UStories & Recovery: An Interview with Shannon GauldingWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Erin Branham and Karen Foglesong interview Shannon Gaulding, a film and television producer, about her personal mythology. Shannon discusses the importance of self-created stories in defining one's identity and the role of mythology in entertainment. She shares her journey from a chaotic family background to finding self-love and spiritual growth through the 12-step program. Shannon emphasizes the need for self-awareness, acceptance, and action in shaping one's life narrative. She also highlights the significance of community and spiritual practices in overcoming personal challenges and creating...2025-02-1247 minMythic UConspiracy Theories as Mythic StoriesWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Welcome to a discussion about the nature of conspiracy theories, looking at their symbolic and mythic roots. What are conspiracy theories and why do people believe them? What do conspiracy theories have to do with personal mythology? The conversation delves into the motivations behind belief in conspiracy theories, and the history of conspiracy theories. The discussion also touches on the psychological impact of conspiracy theories and the importance of self-awareness and understanding one's personal stories.SHOW NOTESThe Search f...2025-01-0343 minMythic UDivining Yourself: Divination and Personal MytholgyWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join us as we discuss divination and its role in illuminating life's hidden significance and personal challenges. We explore divination's historical context, noting its ancient origins and modern relevance. Then we go deep on astrology, Myers-Briggs, and tarot, highlighting their Jungian origins and how they use symbolic archetypes. We also touch on modern augury, sharing personal experiences with animal omens and radio songs as divinatory tools. Does divination tell the future? Probably not - but does it tell us a lot about ourselves? Definitely!2024-11-171h 03Mythic USocial Myths: Progress & the Golden AgeWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join us as we discuss a couple of fundamental social myths of Western culture: the ideas of progress and the Golden Age. We take a look at the historical sources of these myths and how they ripple through our culture today. We explore the complexities of time and progress, looking to challenge the linear mythology that underpins Western culture and offer insights from various cultures and perspectives to broaden our understanding.SHOW NOTESWikipedia references if you want to know more:2024-09-1649 minMythic UAffectionate Anarchy: The Mythology of the MuppetsWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join us for a fun romp through the Magic Store and the works of the genius artist of play, Jim Henson. Puppets were dismissed as mere children's entertainment until Jim Henson took the art form to unforeseen levels with the affectionate anarchy of the Muppets. We explore Henson's philosophy of difference, creativity and play!SHOW NOTESThe Henson CompanyJim Henson: Idea Man now on Disney +How Muppets Creator Jim Henson Changed Puppetry - NPR articleThe World...2024-08-0250 minMythic UDeep Dive: Demeter and DionysusWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.We take a deep dive into the fluidity of myth across place and time using Demeter and Dionysus as examples. While lesser known in our age, these two powerful gods once had thousands upon thousands of worshippers across the ancient Mediterranean. We explore their varied cults and the diverse versions of their myths.We want to hear from you! Please rate and review us wherever you find this podcast. Join our Patreon: patreon.com/yourmythicu2024-04-1946 minMythic UThe Greek & Roman PantheonWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join us for a deep dive into the Greek and Roman pantheons. We look at the Classical Gods as archetypes and discuss how they have come down to us as literature versus how they were worshipped and thought about in the ancient world.SHOW NOTESTheoi.com - excellent resource on the original written and visual works of the Greek PantheonU Penn comparison of Greek and Roman gods chart2024-03-141h 03Mythic UThe Mythology of YouWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Whether you know it or not, you already have a personal mythology. It is made up of stories - stories of your place of birth, your family, your religion or spirituality (or lack thereof), your own lived experiences. Examining these tales can teach you a lot about yourself - and give you the agency to realign your stories to more fully reflect the you that you want to be.Human Beings are Wired for Story: Here's Why - ForbesThe Neuropsychological...2023-12-1857 minMythic UModern Mythic Tales: Bull DurhamWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Join us for our first Modern Mythic Tales, where we look at contemporary works of art for their mythic and symbolic meaning. Today's Modern Mythic Tale is Bull Durham, a movie about America's other favorite pastime (SEX!). Released in 1988 and enjoying its 35th anniversary this year, Bull Durham was voted the best sports movie of all time by Sports Illustrated - but like most sports movies, it's about life more than it's about baseball, specifically a life where the main characters have constructed their...2023-11-1144 minMythic UDreamsWe'd love to hear from you. Click here to send us a text.Dreams speak in the language of mythology - symbols. Join us to learn how your dreams are your unconscious mind speaking to your conscious mind, how to interpret dreams in the Jungian fashion to illuminate the most powerful symbols in your own psyche.The Red Book of Carl C. Jung: It’s Origins and Influences - Library of CongressCarl Jung and the Psychology of Dreams - Messages from the Unconscious - Academy of...2023-10-0441 min