We each have an inner myth guiding our lives. That myth guides us without us knowing it. It grows out of all the things we’ve learned, the things we’ve failed at, out of our insecurities, out of the triumphs we experienced. It is also affected by the spiritual current that underlies our lives — the mythical journey that is seeking to manifest in our outer life if we’ll only pay attention to it. It is the seed that is wanting to grow into a tree, the call waiting to be answered, but risky. That path is risky. What if you fail?

My life is a story of the self-realization of the unconscious. Everything in the unconscious seeks outward manifestation, and the personality too desires to evolve out of its unconscious conditions and experience itself as a whole. I cannot employ the language of science to trace this process of growth in myself, for I cannot experience myself as a scientific problem.

     What we are to our inward system, and what man appears to be sub specie aeternitatis, can only be expressed by way of myth. Myth is more individual and expresses life more precisely than does science. Science works with concepts of averages which are far too general to do justice to the subjective variety of an individual life.

     Thus, it is that I have now undertaken, in my eighty-third year, to tell my personal myth. I can only make direct statements, only “tell stories.” Whether or not the stories are “true” is not the problem. The only question is whether I tell my fable, my truth.
- Carl Jung, from the Prologue to Memories, Dreams, Reflections.

Philemon and other figures of my fantasies brought home to me the crucial insight that there are things in the psyche which I do not produce, but which produce themselves and have their own life. Philemon represented a force which was not myself. In my fantasies I held conversations with him, and he said things which I had not consciously thought. For I observed clearly that it was he who spoke, not I. . . Psychologically, Philemon represented superior insight. He was a mysterious figure to me. At times he seemed to me quite real, as if he were a living personality. I went walking up and down the garden with him, and to me he was what the Indians call a guru.
- Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections

Journaling questions:

What is the inner myth guiding your life, unknown to you? What mysterious figure, what spirit entity of wisdom and kindness, might you invite to accompany you, guide you, on your journey?

A Wonderful Offer From A Heron Dance Reader

A subscriber has offered to match all new contributions to support Heron Dance up to a maximum of $500. This applies to increased monthly contributions as well. You can make a new contribution, or change your current support level, here.

Here’s a note from her:

Hello. My name is Rachael. I am older than dirt, and just about as attractive. I am grateful, though, for these years, and one thing I have learned is that often the best way to make something wonderful better is to share it. I look forward to Rod’s daily posts the way I look forward to getting together with my closest friends.  In some ways, it is like seeing a thrilling movie or going to a memorable concert  — together is better, even when it is what we now call “virtual.” 

A little story: When I was a child, my father and I had a very close relationship. He was a traveling salesman, so home only on the weekends. When I misbehaved, my mother’s most severe punishment was “I am going to tell your father.” Of course I usually misbehaved on Tuesday, and had all week to worry. On Friday I would run home from school and sit on the front porch to make sure I got to him first to give him my version of the misdemeanor. Every time his response was the same: “You agree that you did that and you understand why it was wrong? If so, you’ve learned your lesson. Remember it.” Throughout my childhood, if he saw me crying, he would put my head on his chest and cover the outside ear with his warm hand. Walking with you and Jim yesterday reminded me of how that felt. 

• * (Jim is the subscriber I’ve been staying with for a couple of days in Pfafftown, North Carolina)