What Myth Means to Me…

Mythology doesn’t mean much to me, but it is a huge apart of everything. The stories my grandparents have told me over my life, well that relates to myth in a way since it is story telling. And I enjoy passing on these stories to other people.

When I can’t find answers to things, I sort of make up my own answer and reasoning. This is the basis of the creation myths. When they didn’t know something, they made up an answer for it.

My freshman year in high school I read a book called the odyssey. And it has always stuck with me since; I loved the journey and the characters in the movie. This is a great part of mythology, and a great story everyone in high school should read.

 

When I was even in grade school they would use some of the Greek gods and evil god’s stories, as ways to teach us lessons and morals about life. Like to be adventurous and to follow our dreams in life. Though I can’t remember the gods they used in these examples, I remember the stories.

I’m not really into the whole science fiction scene but I do like some folk tales and the lessons they can teach. In the end I can’t say mythology means a whole bunch to me but I can defiantly have real life experiences with it.

Where did Dia de los Muertos originate from and how is it celebrated today?

Dia de los Muertos is known as the day of the dead, and has been around for over 4000 years. Originating on the homeland of Mexico, before it was even Mexico cultures shared the same ideal about the afterlife. Many of the people believed that when you died, you weren’t gone for good but your soul “carried on to the afterworld”.

With this after life ideal they started to celebrate the dead, and honoring them. So from then on Mexico had a celebration once a year to honor their dead loved ones and honoring the lady of the dead, goddess Mictecacihuatl. The Aztecs had developed the belief that “the deceased preferred to be celebrated, rather than mourned” so they had their first celebration honoring the deceased children that had passed, lasting an entire month.

Today Dia de los Muertos is celebrated a little differently, but by many more people of different cultures. “With the spread of Mexicans into other countries… Many more are adopting the Day of the Dead”. With these cultural belief spread too many others people are now adopting more ideals to the afterlife and celebrating the lives of their loved ones. On November 1st-2nd people are found celebrating this day with a big feast of their favorite Mexican dishes, dancing and reminiscing about their loved ones.

Sources:  : http://www.celebrate-day-of-the-dead.com/dia-de-los-muertos-history.html

 

Mythological Creatures

There are many mythological creatures, mainly originating from Greece. Some include; Medusa, Cyclopes, Giants, Ash tree Nymphs, and all the gods. We find these mentioned in almost all myths, but what are they there for? I feel some of these creatures are here to represent evil, and chaos. Because a lot of these creatures cause destruction and fear to people. They’re like a symbolic creature of the bad in life. But creatures really help add to the story and make it more appealing to people.

They’re divided into two categories; one group is where people believe that these creatures did exist. The other group being the one where people do not believe these creatures existed ever, their existence is just a story. But in each country these opinions and creatures are different. A lot of people blame certain creatures and gods for the creation of earth and the way it looks. Which is what made these things so popular hundreds of years ago when they didn’t have scientific answers for their questions and they used these myths. But then people started telling these stories of them and it then spread and now these creatures aren’t kept in a country they’re known worldwide. These creatures and some of the battles they fought are used to help teach kids lessons in class, and maybe even still today. They can use them as examples and learn the morals of it, what’s good and what’s bad. So in a way these made up stories are really a great thing to come to our world. One thing I find key is that they still use the creatures in a lot of movies, books and comics. Because they can be used to symbolize the evil in the story and the chaos, like I mentioned earlier.

F E A R

For my blog topic I chose fear, one of the most known and elaborated things in the world. The word fear came from the Greek god Deimos. This to me was the real begging of the idea of fear. People took the scariness of these gods and where frightened by them. From there they made stories of the evil Greek gods. And from there it carried on and people began to find other things to be afraid of. Myth is full of fears, suspense, and panic. I feel this is what drives and makes most myths to be interesting, or long lasting. It’s almost as if people want fear, they like it in a story. Because with myth it’s usually something terrifying happening with monsters and gods. This helps drive people’s imagination which is why they may be more drawn to it and interested. Like in today’s horror movies. People enjoy those because they can sit back and be frightened but not have to worry about it. It brings real suspense to someone.

From here I feel people begin to make up their own fears. Find their own secret things to be afraid of. Some people have none, some people fear it all. I think someone people almost want to fear something. They like their own suspense in real life. In some cases this can even protect people, or help guide them in the right path. For example: if someone fears drugs, or alcohol and its affects they will never do it. Leading a clean life. A thing like this is why a little fear in everyone is good no matter what it is. It can keep you out of trouble or keep you safe. Now the question Is where did good fear originate from? That’s what I want to know.

Myth principle and how it applies to Me Response

Myth Principle
✼Myth is a unique use of language that describes the realities beyond our five senses. It fills the gap between the images of the unconscious and the language of the conscious logic.

My definition :
✼Myth helps describe things beyond our reality. It helps explains things when you don’t understand or want an answer.

✼ To me this is a almost everyday thing. And I didn’t realize myth was in my everyday life until I read this principle, it probably applies to almost everyone. When I sit and think of something I don’t understand, like why the sky is blue. I come up with my own answer, using my imagination. As weird as it is to understand, that right there is a myth. And it applies to my conscious mind trying to fill the gap between the unconscious. It’s answering a question that I don’t quite understand, explaining the meaning of things and why things are the way they are. Which is also a Principle of myth.

Article and Photo response!

             

For the Photo I feel this is a very deep quote, with a lot of meanings to it. “There is redemption through chaos”, to me this is like saying you can get what you want, but you might have to go through hell to get it. In a lot of Greek Mythology the Myth is usually a mess, and there is a lot of chaos. But in the end of every Myth something good usually happens, like it says here, “redemption”. It makes a good point by saying it is the “basis of Greek mythology”, because it truly is. Not many Myths are happy go lucky, it’s usually hell until it’s over. The way it uses the word “darkness” is key, and not many will get the meaning behind it in this photo. Darkness can mean many of things, but in this it means bad. Darkness is a place where terrible things can happen.  And in this it’s showing you have to go into the dark, encounter terrible things, and you’ll receive something great in the end.

                I really dig the idea in this article that Myth was created to give “abstract ideas” because it many ways, that’s all a Myth, really is. Crazy ideas people came up with as an answer to something. People wanted to know how the earth was created, so they came up with ideas and turned it into a story, usually an over exaggerated one. But in our day this has turned into a myth.   I also noticed how it says it is “the basis of literature” because in many ways it is. Read any classic novel or even books today. And you’ll be able to find a way that it’s tied into a myth, or brings up a myth.  The book “Sophie’s world” is a wonderful example of this.  

                Another thing that stood out to me in the article was how Christian scholars used brief summaries of myths to show a moral lesson. This is something they should still use today, at least to younger kids.  It says gods where represented with abstract qualities. Like Athena being wisdom, or Ares being courage. They can use myths like this to teach kids what wisdom or courage is, and how it can be used for the best, or in some cases the worst. So rather than myths just being a dramatized story, they can use them in many ways.