The Crow's Nest is anew weekly series with Ian MacKenzie and special guests. Each episode will riff on the latest current events and themes from a mythopoetic lens.  Become a Founding Member of The School of Mythopoetics http://schoolfomythopoetics.com

Topics: The school shooting in Texas, mythologies of masculinity, and how to create healthy cultural ecosystems.   The Crow's Nest is anew weekly series with Ian MacKenzie and special guests. Each episode will riff on the latest current events and themes from a mythopoetic lens.   Become a Founding Member of The School of Mythopoetics http://schoolfomythopoetics.com

In myth, the Underworld is a place of testing and initiation, but hopefully not a final destination. Within many stories the descent is the second element of a three-stage process, leading to a final grounding that is both redemptive and a gift to others. Martin Shaw is suggesting in the West we have often made the Underworld so comfortable, so subtle, and in some cases so chronic, we’ve become a two-stage, not three-stage culture. Without quite knowing it, the Underworld has become home. In this state we experience the liminoid not the liminal, the rupture but not the rapture. Nothing grows, except cynicism. Come and join Martin as he speaks old-world stories and ideas into the malaise of our times.

The reign of the Hero has come to an end. As humanity faces increasing crisis and collapse, we come to a threshold where the archetype of the Hero can no longer be our saviour. We have entered a liminal time – a space between stories – and so we must bend and instead look to, and learn from, the boundary-crossing, shape-shifting Trickster. Join Ben Murphy and John Wolfstone as they explore the significance of this cultural transition and how it applies to each of our lives.

A camel driver leading his camels through a village. On his way to Baghdad, he is gripped with jealousy when he encounters a walled orchard. What transpires changes the lives of those affected forever. Based on one of the Hadiths from the Q’uran, one of Europe’s leading storytellers Jan Blake shares a tale which explores the question of mercy, justice and redemption. After the story, Jan will unpack the tale with the audience and practice applying mythopoetics to your own life.

In this discussion, John Wolfstone, co-founder of The School of Mythopoetics, delves into the significance of rites of passage in modern life. He discusses how traditional rites foster personal and community growth, especially for young men. The conversation highlights the importance of acknowledging ancestral wisdom and integrating it into contemporary practices. Wolfstone emphasizes the necessity of engaging with both the light and dark aspects of spirituality, urging listeners to reclaim their unique journeys and the transformative power of shared grief.