The Continuing Power of Myth

This week I was listening to an NPR story about the Persian Poet, Abolqasem Ferdowsi, who wrote an epic poem called the Shahnameh (translated as "The Book of Kings"). The poem is a combination of myth and history as it describes the wars and rulers of the great Persian empire. I was impressed by the continuing knowledge of this poem in the lives of those in Iran - how the mythic stories had significance symbolically to them. I was especially impressed by how dominant this work is within their culture.

The poem begins beautifully, "In the name of God of soul and wisdom, than whom thought cannot reach higher. God of name and God of space, God [who is] sustenance-granting and our guide. The God of "universe" and of the revolving sky, the kindler of Moon, Venus, and Sun."

Other cultures have similar mythic poem and sacred texts. The Hindus have the Ramayana, the Western world has the Greek and Roman myths, the Jews and Christians have the stories and parables in the Old and New Testament. But although these stories still exist in the Western world, I wonder how many of us actually use them as a source of wisdom in our daily lives.

In the NPR story, a Tehran journalist was interviewed. He opened his copy of the Shahnameh to one of its most poignant stories. It is the tale of Rostam a warrior who kills his son thinking him to be an enemy. It is the great story of mistaken identity, miscommunication and pride. The journalist used Rostam's life as an metaphor for the lack of communication between his country and the U.S.

How often do we hear others use the characters, stories and events in our myths and sacred texts within our daily conversations? How often do we think of the sacred stories and parables within our traditions as guidance for our lives? What have we lost in our education and culture - within the world of constant entertainment? How do we communicate the wisdom of our lives to others? Do we say, "I'm struggling to discover my truth just like Daniel in the lion's den?"

Joseph Campbell in his epic PBS television series with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth, once said, "Myths are clues to the spiritual possibilities of the human life." Without these clues what have we lost? How can be best reclaim them?