Mythic U – Details, episodes & analysis

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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 the Garden of Eden, and conclude by encouraging listeners to embrace the transformative power of the snake in their own lives.

SHOW NOTES

Wadjet:  Cobra Goddess of Egypt 

Ningishida: Snake God of Mesopotamia

Nuwa and Fuxi: Chinese Mythology

Orinico River Petroglyphs

Great Serpent Mound in Ohio

The Solstice Snake in the Moab Desert

Nagas of Indian Mythology

Minoan "Snake Goddess"

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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 NOTES

What Isaac Asimov Can Teach Us About AI - article in The Atlantic

The Mathematical Basis of the Arts by Joseph Schillinger, 1943 - Internet Archive

Inside the First Church of Artificial Intelligence - article in Wired

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 2, Episode 9 clip - Picard and Guinan discuss disposable creatures

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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 own mythologies.

Bull Durham Criterion Collection

Brendan Hunt (Coach Bear and Ted Lasso Co-Creator/ Writer) Interview in the Observer about Ted Lasso Season 2 in which he briefly discusses Bull Durham

The Gospel of Bull Durham According to Ron Shelton

The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham by Ron Shelton

Faith, Hope and Love: Bull Durham - The Cooler movie blog

The Best Baseball Movie Ever? Bull Durham - The Atlantic

The Inner Game of Tennis: the Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihalyi Czikczentmihalyi

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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 Congress

Carl Jung and the Psychology of Dreams - Messages from the Unconscious - Academy of Ideas

Jung on Neurosis: Part I Definition and Causes - Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences

Active Imagination - Learning Mind

The Wisdom of Your Dreams book by Jeremy Taylor (this is the updated version of the book Erin’s dream group used)

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What horrors lurk in our own psyches? Each of us carries an Ego - and our Shadow. Join us as we discuss what the Shadow is, how it operates in each of us, in groups, and in society at large - from the Satanic Panic to Aliens and Darth Vader.

Embracing the Shadow: Carl Jung - Orion Philosophy

Carl Jung and the Shadow: The Ultimate Guide to the Human Dark Side - High Existence

You’re Wrong About Host Sarah Marshall interview - Time Magazine

You’re Wrong About - Satanic Panic - on Spotify

I’m Sorry - LA Times article by Kyle Zirpolo, as told to Debbie Nathan

Investigator’s Guide to Allegations of “Ritual” Child Abuse - National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, 1992 report

The Satanic Panic in the Missouri General Assembly - overview of the Satanic Panic and how it spread to the heartland of the USA

HR Giger: The Monster Maker - YouTube video overview of Giger’s work

Lovecraftian Horror - and the racism at its core - explained - Vox article

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We live in the God gap, when old mythologies are breaking down for many, and new mythologies have yet to emerge. Humans need mythology so much, though, that we'll get quite creative in making things work as mythology - even movies, tv, and book series! This episode we take a look at how participation in fandom meets the needs of some people's souls.

SNL Get a Life skit - William Shatner's famous 1986 Saturday Night Live skit of a Star Trek convention.

Spockanalia - The First Star Trek fanzine StarTrek.com - before the internet, fans shared their love and interest via self-produced magazines filled with original art and writing that ranged from wildly silly to amazingly profound.

Where No Fandom Has Gone Before: Exploring the development of fandom through Star Trek Fanzines - a deep dive into the history of fanzines. Thesis by Jacqueline Danielle Guerrier 

Joseph Campbell and the Mythology of Star Wars - Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell discuss how Star Wars fulfills the Hero's Cycle and takes us to mythological realms.

Han shot first controversy - article in The Independent explaining the Han shot first controversy that demonstrates how strongly fans feel about the material they love.

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Symbols speak straight to the unconscious part of our mind and some of the most powerful symbols we deem to be Archetypes. In this episode we explore the many definitions and uses of Archetypes, from psychology to advertising, and how they are related to the quest for wholeness.

Carl Jung’s Archetypes - a brief overview of Jung’s theory of the mind and its four core Archetypes
Archetypes in Literature - a quick overview of Archetypes in literature and how they differ from Jung’s Archetypes
‘Mean’ Joe Greene Coke commercial
J’Adore Commercial with Charlize Theron
The 12 Brand Archetypes - advice article on how to use archetypes in your company branding and advertisement with video examples 

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The renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell described 4 functions of mythology - here we describe each function and flip them to examine how mythologies meet the needs of our souls. In conversation we consider how institutional mythologies such as organized religions may or may not still be successful in meeting our soul's needs and how choreographing our own spiritualities may do a better job.

Show Notes and Links
The Hero With A Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell’s most famous work outlining the Monomyth/ Heroic Cycle
The Masks of God - Joseph Campbell’s 4-book examination of World Mythology
Dr. Fred Alan Wolf - American theoretical physicist specializing in quantum physics and the relationship between between physics and consciousness.
Why God Won’t Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief - researchers Andrew Newberg and Eugene d'Aquili offer an explanation that is at once profoundly simple and scientifically precise: The religious impulse is rooted in the biology of the brain. Newberg and d'Aquili document their pioneering explorations in the field of neurotheology, an emerging discipline dedicated to understanding the complex relationship between spirituality and the brain.
The Living Urn - Biopod cremation

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Welcome to Mythic U! In our first episode we define mythology as deeply meaningful stories and ask: what does it have to do with you? Each of us lives in a web of myths - spiritual & religious stories, family stories, national stories, historical stories. Our stories are our beliefs are our myths are our identities. Topics covered include Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth, Carl Jung, the consciousness of plants and growing up in the Bible Belt, as we explore core concepts of thinking and living mythically.

Show Notes and Links
Power of Myth - free access to the entire Power of Myth PBS series featuring Bill Moyers interviewing Joseph Campbell
Power of Myth - companion book
Tiger/Goat story - as told by Joseph Campbell
The Secret Life of Plants - drawn from remarkable research, Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird cast light on the rich psychic universe of plants.
Fantastic Fungi - website exploring the world of fungi. Scroll down for the documentary exploring how mushrooms communicate and connect.
IKAR - IKAR is working to reanimate Jewish life, to reengage text and tradition not only so that we find personal meaning and connection, but also to help us decipher what it means to be a human being in the world today.

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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 a fulfilling life.

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