March Wrap-up: Myth, March Madness, Lent

Happy Spring Equinox!

Spring is here! Who’s not happy about that? Perhaps it was the turmoil of floods, blizzards, and earthquakes (oh my!) that had everyone restless and ready for some sunshine and play in the outdoors. Well, maybe that was just me. A good many bodies and eyes were glued to the TV watching the NCAA playoffs. Is it over yet? Aside from the disruption in some regularly scheduled programs, and the passionate status updates when brackets imploded from the various upsets, I didn’t partake in that excitement.


Myself, I was engrossed in introspective and reflective journey of Lent, namely how a casual commitment to abstain from desserts and sugary treats opened up an intricate negotiation of lifestyle changes. All that while balancing the external journey of discovery with a vicarious pilgrimage through Don Paulo Coelho’s so titled book. Both endeavors have been quite enriching as I continue to assimilate some of discoveries over the remaining days of Lent, and perhaps beyond. That leaves us free to discuss the unexplored aspect of our mixed bag of topics for this month--myth.


We engaged some interest in rediscovering myth and even invited the discovery of the great story of our present time. Generally, we defined the kind of myth we are referring to as the allegorical stories involving heroic human qualities or awesome display of supernatural forces that convey a teaching or lesson applicable to the human condition. For example, some of the interesting facts shared about St. Patrick’s life seem imbued with the quality of myth. St. Patrick’s identification with Ireland sounds like one of the ways we are initiated into mystery, he was literally swept up into a life changing event. This is perhaps the least desirable way to be initiated into a transcendent life, but it happens often in the great stories. The rest of the his story, how he transcended, the mystical experiences, prescient dreams, and how he used a commonly known aspect of life in Ireland, the shamrock, to explain the holy trinity all congeal into a story that becomes larger than the ordinary life of Maewyn Succat (St. Patrick).


While we suggested taking a look at the mythical underpinnings of current cinematic releases, the completion of The Pilgrimage (Paulo Coelho) struck the right note for this week’s discussion. Granted many readers have already discovered Don Coelho’s great stories, and his latest book is pending release, but some of us might have to wait until 2011 to discover it’s secrets. Nevertheless, the available Coelho collection has the key elements of what we need today. First, the language, cadence, and literary devices the author uses to weave the twists and turns of the transformational journeys of its protagonists, himself included, is nothing short of spellbinding from start to finish. As well, the hero lives, at least in the tales I’ve read so far, which is good for today. While the lesson of having a willingness to give one’s life for something profoundly meaningful or heroic is admirable, most people simply need some inspiration to make every day life more satisfying. That is one of the more common uses of storytelling through the ages--a way to convey a deeper, transcendent meaning of the mundane events and complex attitudes of life. In some ways, mythology is an early forms of psychology, spirituality, and influence.


Carl Jung, one of the most prominent contributors to modern psychology, did us a world of service by looking beyond the psycho-sexual emergence of the science. By recognizing the anthropological and universal relevance (archetypes) in the legends and myths of world culture we are given a chance to sneak past the rigidity of rational thinking into the creative and meaningful landscape of the psyche or soul. Likewise, much of the enchantment of Don Coelho’s ability to mesmerize s with his delightful journeys has to do with the ability to expertly weave and superimpose the engagement, frustration, and redemption of his characters with cultural anecdotes and legends of historical relevance of their locale. Don Coelho’s magic, fortunately for us, is that he discovered and developed his gift for seeing the things we might miss in our daily grind, and gently penetrating our preoccupied minds to deliver a poignant lesson with all the gentleness and caring of a favorite relative or family friend.

The four books selected by Don Coelho for a real life quest, The Challenge, each answer a fundamental dilemma that the central character seeks to resolve. You find these characters in the midst of very mundane circumstances before they are swept up on a tortuous quest, over time and space, or in the inner space of character. Throughout their pursuit you, the reader, are engaged with the author’s penetrating insights peppered into the narration. It may be these surprising perspectives which draws the popularity of author. In Brida, we witness a young woman seeking guidance or reassurance in choosing a direction in life. She finds what she needs as she resolves the questions of her past. Again, in The Devil and Miss Prym we find another young woman living in quiet desperation of a staid country life until a mysterious traveler presents her with a Mephistophelean scheme. The battle of good and evil that unfolds is almost elegant in its tragedy. Certainty gives way to frustration, frustration to certainty which gives way to unexpected tragedy for the young woman in By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept as she is swept along an impromptu adventure with a childhood friend. Her heartbreak was perhaps the most cruel tristesse I’ve ever witnessed as she succumbed to the seduction of her friend’s proposal and apparent celebrity, then have her nascent fancy perplexedly dashed coldly by his apparent self-absorbed thoughtlessness.

This devilish figure is shown in its dual form in The Pilgrimage, first as a sinister force that literally dogged and intermittently attacked the author in a personal account of his walk along the pilgrim route of San Tiago. As well, it is represented as the intriguing, not to be completely trusted esoteric confidante known as the messenger. We traverse the mountains and valleys of the Road to Santiago with the author and his flesh and blood guide in a fascinating tale that exemplifies the process that turns knowledge into revelation, wisdom and insight. In all the books the quest-ion of our protagonist eventually resolves itself, sometimes through personal insight, sometimes with a little divine intervention, but always with a wise companion adept at recognizing the inner struggle, and providing the right guidance in the way it can be received.

Though I’ve presented the books in reverse order as I happened to have read them, The Pilgrimage is actually the first and more intimate publication by Don Coelho. Brida and Miss Prym made for lush, quick reads, then the increasing complexity from Piedra to The Pilgrimage became a more thoughtful, analytical pace, perhaps showing the struggles of the emergent style. The books featuring the female protagonists largely concern the authors captivation with the divine feminine in Wiccan culture (Brida) and the Catholic icon the Virgin Mary (Piedra). The Devil and Miss Prym and The Pilgrimage both have a more masculine drive.


The important thing to note, though, is that beyond the fascinating imagery and anthropological anecdotes these are timeless classics for discovery by readers of all ages. Ultimately, Don Coelho chides us into thinking, what are we making our individual and collective reality to mean? Our history serves us not as models of superlative perfection, but as reminders and inspiration for how to be present to what life is calling forth from each of us right now. Are you willing to take that journey?