Blog Archives

How Fairy Tales Helped Me Cope with Devastating Loss

4/30/2017

"Once Upon A Time," by Henry Meynell Rheam, 1908

Fairy tales have been written off as simple stories for children. And, while children do become absorbed in the tales of the land of Faerie, these stories have layers of deep meaning that are applicable to people of all ages. We tend to think of "mythology" as somehow a higher status of literature than fairy tales. Maybe that's due to the conception of their antiquity, and the complex worlds with pantheons that represent a cast of characters whose exploits we can follow.

But, what we don't realize is that fairy tales exist within the lexicon of myth. Many fairy tales have origins that extend back into the murky haze of pre-history. Others build off of patterns and influences from those very ancient tales, and still others were formed during eras when indigenous spirituality was suppressed by the authorities, and so elements of the old religion were preserved in coded form.

By peeling back the layers, we can find deep spiritual insight and guidance in fairy tales that can give us comfort, direction, hope, and other psychological-emotional support.

Popular Religion in Conversion Era Britain: Religio-Cultural Shifts and the Elfin Casualties

4/28/2017

Fairies by Arthur Rackham

Most of us who have more than a cursory knowledge of folklore understand that the popular notion of a “fairy” today is completely different than in earlier eras, and that the fae were often considered very dangerous, and even as evil beings by Church authorities.

What many people don't know, however, was that communing with fairies was an act that could get you accused of witchcraft during the witch trial era.

Emma Wilby is the scholar of choice for this topic, and her work was cited in my article "When Witches Communed with Fairies." Research for that article urged me to delve deeper into the subject of "Popular Religion" to discover how old beliefs mingled with new, and how the beliefs and practices of the common folk differed from the beliefs sanctioned by the Church.

Folklore and the Preservation of Cultural Heritage

4/27/2017

The Mystic Wood by John William Waterhouse

Folklore as a discipline is often misunderstood and undervalued by many with limited exposure to the field. The term folklore elicits the notion of fairytales and children’s stories, of fairy godmothers and talking animals. While this is certainly one component of folk and fairy tales, there is much, much more to be found both within the stories and the wider field.

The Spring Goddess Archetype and Our Collective Unconscious

4/25/2017

Jung's Collective Unconscious

Carl Jung believed that there was a pool of knowledge or understandings that we as humans access on a subconscious level. He called it the "Collective Unconscious."

The theory holds that certain archetypes are remembered in the deep recesses of our mind. Jung's theory holds that our conscious mind is influenced by our subconscious whether or not we are aware of it.

In fact, sometimes the issues we experience consciously are influenced by our unconscious.

Therefore, developing a deep understanding of the cultural archetypes common to our ancient cultures and unlocking the hazy memories we have inherited can help bridge the unconscious with the conscious and lead to a more holistic view of the self and the wider world.

Slavic Myth in Modern Pop Culture

4/23/2017

Slavic mythological art by Victor Korolkova.

The Slavic people possess an ancient culture filled with beautiful clothing, traditional dances, ethnic cuisine, and their own tradition of mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. Despite their rich canon of myth, Slavic mythology gets much less attention than other European groups.

I have long felt that Celtic and Germanic myth has taken a backseat to the Greco-Roman pantheon in the Western consciousness. But those groups have seen resurgence in interest in recent years. Slavic mythology has also experienced growing interest, however much of it has been cut off from the English speaking world in a way that Celtic and Germanic myth has not.

So, I am thrilled to see Slavic cultural tradition finally making a splash in the modern pop culture scene which in turn makes the rounds in the English speaking media.

Poland's Witchy Whisperers: Living European Folk Tradition

4/20/2017

Myth & Culture Together Live on in Folk Custom

"The Princess in the Forest" by John Bauer

When people think of mythology, they tend to think of the great gods and epic heroes whose exploits passed on into myth and legend. However, scholars such as Jacqueline Simpson, renowned folklorist, have pointed out that ancient indigenous beliefs lingered on in folklore and traditions in Europe which often have roots connecting back to mythological figures and beliefs.

The phenomenon of indigenous beliefs lingering on with the common people after the population has been converted to a new religion is known as “folk religion.” We see it plainly today in Central and South America. The most well known custom that merges indigenous belief with Christianity is the Mexican Day of the Dead. There are other examples in other parts of the world where ancient animist and shamanic beliefs have carried on under the newer religions of Buddhism and Islam.

Wyrd Wanderings, Dreams of Destiny, Cultural Unconscious

4/19/2017

Intellectual Journeys to Intuitive Travels

When I first started writing, I considered myself more of a researcher who seeks out scholarly material, gives it some thought and analysis, and then presents my findings. And in general, that is still what I do.

I look deeply into a topic, and reference numerous sources to find solid historical background for it. Or, in the case of fairy tales, I apply years of background knowledge about history, culture, mythology, and historical belief to my interpretation.

But, I'll tell you something. Years of intellectually minded research into the spiritual beliefs of your ancestors will lead you into mystical realms whether you intend it to or not.

And you can't help but eventually begin weaving the spiritual elements you've studied into your own personal worldview.

Art by Jennie Harbour

Shamanic Meanderings: Discovering Our Lost Folkways

4/18/2017

Searching for the European Shaman

Here's a little something I learned while searching for the European Shaman :-)

First some background. Europe's shamanic tradition, in my opinion, mostly evolved into other forms before it was lost, and this makes it a bit obscure... To the degree that some scholars have insisted that Europe was never a shamanic culture. I disagree, and I explain in detail in the fully researched article on this subject.

Not to mention that this statement does not apply to all European cultures, as we know that shamanic practices continued strongly among the Saami of Lapland, the Magyars of Hungary, and among pockets of ethnic minority groups in rural areas of the Slavic lands, such as the Mari of Russia.

A Turtle's Tale, and Mythology for Life

4/17/2017

First of all, I would like to introduce this new blog. I have long needed a place to collect thoughts that revolve around my accumulated knowledge of European folklore, myth, and legend, and how it corresponds with an organic spirituality and life in general. I will collect some of my postings from other venues and relocate them here, and then use this one going forward.

I go out meandering in a nearby nature park frequently. It allows me to ponder my thoughts, sort of meditate and gestate over things I've been reading and thinking, and often new insights come to mind triggered by what my canine companion and I encounter in nature.

Sometimes connections are made, or new revelations are revealed. It can also be quite inspirational. This is where much of my poetry comes to me as well.

Today our adventure with a turtle caused me to dwell deeply on aspects of fairy tales and our own journeys in life.

Eastern Painted Turtle, photo by Carolyn Emerick