Living Myth

Explore the vital role of elders in guiding wisdom and leadership, emphasizing their significance as cultural and spiritual guides. Discover how traditional societies revered elders for their deep insights, contrasting it with today's often undervalued authority. Delve into the concept of the 'inner elder,' highlighting the difference between mere knowledge and profound, heart-based wisdom. Listeners are encouraged to awaken their inner elder to navigate life's challenges with greater perspective and maturity.

A teacher sparks controversy by standing firm on inclusive classroom posters, championing her students' rights amidst societal pressures. The discussion dives into the conflict between institutional policies and educators' beliefs in fostering a nurturing environment. It highlights the essence of true education, advocating for creativity and individuality over conformity. Additionally, hear a touching story of a grandmother sharing magical crystals with children, emphasizing connection, kindness, and the pursuit of authentic values in our busy lives.

The discussion kicks off with the historical evolution of propaganda, tracing its origins and transformation into a tool for manipulating public opinion. It highlights the challenges of navigating truth amidst misinformation in our polarized world. Emotional and psychological effects of rapid-fire propaganda are explored, revealing its goal of sowing division. The conversation also emphasizes reconnecting with our inner nobility and wisdom to counter negativity, suggesting that these timeless truths can withstand the noise of modern narratives.

In a world swirling with chaos, the discussion highlights the importance of self-awareness and inner guidance as essential tools for resilience. Delving into the relationship between radicalization and identity, insights from Rumi illustrate personal growth amid despair. The exploration of a deep self reveals a universal connection that aids in understanding during turbulent times. The podcast also addresses the struggle between ego and essence, advocating for shedding the ego to embrace transformation and inner wisdom for meaningful growth.

This episode of focuses on the dehumanizing aspects of autocratic movements. The increasing uncertainties about the future create vacuums that would be dictators and autocrats seek to fill with big lies and fraudulent claims that are presented with a false sense of certainty. The autocratic playbook that they all inevitably follow requires that they enforce forms of economic and informational isolation and instill a siege mentality that depicts the outside world as being hostile, unfair and dangerous.   Authoritarian leaders deliberately seek to polarize people and radicalize what would otherwise be civil societies. They intentionally promote divisiveness and force people to take sides, while also demanding undivided loyalty to themselves. Autocrats cannot succeed unless others in power or seeking power assist them in creating an alternative reality. Eventually, those who enable and help justify the authoritarian regime lose their own ability to resist the inevitable descent into brutality, nihilism and violence.   When questioning the judgment or actions of a leader equates to blasphemy, when blind loyalty overrides individual ethics and collective values, and when healthcare, science and education become tools for serving the agenda of the self-proclaimed savior rather than for seeking for truth and understanding, then a society has entered a critical phase of a life threatening socio-political disease.   Autocratic leaders do not simply undermine institutions and sabotage basic freedoms, they also seek to normalize dehumanizing behaviors that make social and political violence unavoidable. If some people are denied their part in the whole of humanity, that leads to a diminishing of all the people.    Ultimately, history is written in the depths of individual human souls and the story we are in is still being written. If we allow those in power to deny a genuine sense of humanity to some, we can only continue to lose our way and further lose our souls. If we open ourselves to the understanding that we are literally all in the same story, each suffering in our own way, we may find genuine ways to help heal and protect each other and have no need and no room for would be autocrats or self-appointed kings.   Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his free online event “Radical Resilience” on Thursday, March 27. Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.    You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 650 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth.   If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.

Exploring the dual nature of the king archetype, the discussion highlights how positive leadership can be overshadowed by tyranny and hubris. Delving into figures like Donald Trump, the dark side of power is examined, revealing the reckless behaviors that arise from excessive pride. The conversation extends to historical contexts, illustrating the impact of Hubris Syndrome on leaders and society. Amidst rising autocracy, a call for clarity and connection emerges, urging a return to community engagement and understanding.

Michael Meade explores the transformative power of facing our fears and embracing darkness as a pathway to wisdom. He emphasizes the difference between simple knowledge and genuine wisdom, which fosters unity and healing. The discussion highlights how confronting sorrow can lead to deep personal growth and a nobler character. By engaging with fear and life's challenges, individuals can discover hidden resources and cultural practices that enhance fulfillment and community well-being.

The discussion opens with the metaphor of a maelstrom, symbolizing the radical changes engulfing our lives today. It explores how chaos and upheaval can threaten our stability. A survivor shares a gripping tale of enduring a deadly whirlpool, emphasizing the need for resilience. The Finnish concept of 'sisu' is introduced, highlighting inner strength and courage to push past adversity. The conversation also examines the impact of influential figures on societal dynamics, raising questions about power and public perception in times of turmoil.

In times of chaos, true healing comes from self-discovery. A Native American myth introduces a youth searching for a miraculous singing stone, symbolizing inner healing. His journey reveals that the medicine he seeks is actually within him. The balance between creativity and stability is explored, emphasizing the impact of societal alienation. Personal growth through crises is highlighted, showcasing how breakdowns can lead to profound self-awareness and collective healing. Embrace your inner essence to navigate life's transformations.

This episode looks at the misuses of power, the dangers of arch narcissism and the ways that the dream of America is now being severely tested. An old proverb states that: Power lacks morals and principles, it only has interests, and the interests of the powerful are often at odds with the genuine principles and the truth and the kind of understanding needed to create community. The troubled times in which we now all find ourselves are the crucible in which we need to learn more about psychology of power in order not to become discouraged and disempowered and fall under the rule of those who only see power as a force of dominance to be used in the pursuit of personal gain at the expense of human community.   Before he was elected the first time, Donald Trump declared that he could shoot a person on Fifth Avenue and pay no consequences even for such a violent act. That was not simply an off hand statement of personal inflation, but rather a psychological revelation of an underlying sense of being above the law and beyond being accountable for recklessness, cruelty and even violent crimes. Having been elected to a position of great power again causes him to further identify, not just with being a dictator or a king, but with being like a vengeful deity who can create and destroy at will and being god-like, he cannot be restricted, can do no wrong and cannot be held accountable.   Because arch narcissists are psychologically undeveloped, they tend to use black and white thinking and binary codes. Thus a person is either a winner or a loser, and you must either be blindly loyal or you are declared enemy and can be considered evil. In that sense, the use of political power is always personal for Donald Trump. He may use the playbook of dictators and autocrats, but he does it in a dangerously personal way, because narcissism is literally his personal signature as well as his fatal flaw.   This kind of imperial narcissism and threats of vengeance and retribution for disobeying were what the founding fathers fought against. And at this critical time when the delusional power seekers and the self-inflated oligarchs seek to replace the dream of unity through diversity with the sad old rule of "to the winners go the spoils," it becomes our calling, as those who seek freedom and justice for all that find ways to unite in diversity, reject the would be dictators and petty tyrants who carry the flag of the false self in favor of the genuine dream that is always trying to re-awaken and become more conscious in the hearts of “We, the people.” Thank you for listening to and supporting the Living Myth Podcast. You can further support this podcast in the new year by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles. Learn more and join this community of listeners at: patreon.com/livingmyth If you enjoy this podcast and find it meaningful, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and all of us at Mosaic, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our creative work.