Impact Books: Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
Summary
TLDRIn this special episode, the host reviews 'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell, a book that profoundly impacted their life philosophy. The book, originally an interview series, explores universal truths within mythology, emphasizing the importance of following one's bliss and the need for modern mythology and rituals. The host credits Campbell's work with shaping their marriage and Impact Theory, highlighting the book's relevance in understanding the human experience and the hero's journey.
Takeaways
- đ The book 'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell has had a profound impact on the speaker's life, shaping their philosophy and influencing various aspects such as marriage and business.
- đ Campbell emphasizes that mythology contains universal truths about the human condition, helping us make sense of life's dualities and the complexities of existence.
- đ Mythology serves as a poetic language that extends our understanding beyond the limitations of words, capturing feelings and experiences that are difficult to articulate.
- đĄ The concept of 'following your bliss' is introduced as a guide to living a life that feels most alive and passionate, suggesting that this path will open new opportunities.
- đȘ The speaker notes a modern deficiency in mythology and meaningful rituals, which are essential for navigating life's transitional moments.
- đŹ While modern stories like 'Star Wars' can serve as contemporary mythology, they lack the depth and mystery of ancient myths, making it harder for them to influence our lives deeply.
- đ The speaker suggests that in the absence of traditional rituals, modern equivalents could be the ritualized acquisition of skills and their application in service of something larger.
- đ§ââïž Campbell's quote about life's pain leading to a greater life's reply encourages embracing pain as a part of the journey to self-discovery and personal growth.
- đ€ The book challenges the audience to seek not just the meaning of life, but the experience of being truly alive, highlighting the importance of personal engagement with life.
- đ The script touches on the idea that despite cultural differences, there are fundamental human experiences that are universally understood through mythology.
- đ The speaker highly recommends reading 'The Power of Myth' to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and the human experience, suggesting that it has the potential to be life-changing.
Q & A
What is the title of the book being reviewed in the video?
-The title of the book being reviewed is 'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell.
How was 'The Power of Myth' originally recorded?
-It was originally recorded as an interview series between journalist Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, a preeminent scholar of comparative religion and mythology.
What impact did 'The Power of Myth' have on the speaker's life?
-The book had a massive impact on the speaker's life, influencing his life philosophy, marriage, and the creation of his own theory, Impact Theory.
What does the speaker credit the book for in terms of his marriage?
-The speaker credits 'The Power of Myth' with setting up his marriage on solid ground.
What is the main idea behind the book 'The Power of Myth'?
-The main idea is that mythology contains universal and elemental truths about the human experience, which help us understand and structure our lives.
What is the famous quote by Joseph Campbell that the speaker mentions?
-The famous quote is 'Follow your bliss and doors will open where there were no doors before.'
What does the speaker suggest is the modern equivalent of ritual?
-The speaker suggests that the modern equivalent of ritual is ritualized skill acquisition and the expression of those skills in service of something larger than oneself.
What is the speaker's view on the importance of mythology in contemporary society?
-The speaker believes that mythology is crucial in helping people understand the human experience, cope with pain, and find meaning in life, especially in a postmodern world where traditional myths are not widely believed.
What does the speaker suggest is the problem with modern mythology compared to ancient mythology?
-The problem with modern mythology is that people know the stories are fiction and lack the cloak of mystery that made ancient mythology compelling, thus struggling to have a significant impact on our lives.
What are the three impactful quotes chosen by the speaker from the book?
-The three quotes are: 1) 'What we're seeking is the experience of truly being alive.' 2) 'Myth is a manifestation in symbolic images of the energies of the organs of the body in conflict with each other.' 3) 'The greater life's pain, the greater life's reply.'
What does the speaker believe is the key to dealing with pain in life?
-The speaker believes that enduring pain and finding a way through it, rather than avoiding or masking it, reveals who you really are and what you're truly capable of.
What is the speaker's final recommendation to the audience regarding the book?
-The speaker strongly recommends that the audience read 'The Power of Myth' and visit impacttheory.com for more insights, emphasizing that the book can change one's life if allowed to.
Outlines
đ The Power of Myth: Life's Elemental Truths
The speaker introduces 'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell, a book that has profoundly impacted their life. Originally an interview series with Bill Moyers, the book delves into comparative religion and mythology. The speaker reflects on the book's influence on their personal philosophy and marriage, highlighting the universal truths found in mythology that help understand the human condition. Campbell's work is credited with inspiring the creation of Impact Theory and the importance of mythology in structuring our lives and thought patterns.
đ Following Your Bliss: Mythology's Role in Modern Life
The speaker discusses the concept of 'following your bliss' as a means to live authentically and passionately. They explore the idea that mythology provides a framework for understanding life's dualities and complex emotions, acting as a guide for living. The speaker also addresses the lack of modern mythology and meaningful rituals, suggesting that people must take on the responsibility of interpreting myths to navigate life's transitions. They emphasize the importance of enduring life's pain as a means to self-discovery and personal growth.
đ± Myth and Ritual: Navigating Life's Transitions
The speaker emphasizes the need for individuals to understand and apply mythology in their lives, especially in a rapidly changing world where traditional myths may not resonate. They discuss the importance of rituals in marking life's transitions and the role of modern stories in filling the void left by ancient myths. The speaker shares impactful quotes from the book, such as the pursuit of being truly alive rather than merely seeking life's meaning, and the idea that life's pain can lead to a greater understanding of oneself. They conclude by encouraging readers to engage deeply with the book to experience its transformative potential.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄImpact Books
đĄThe Power of Myth
đĄJoseph Campbell
đĄMythology
đĄElemental Truth
đĄFollow Your Bliss
đĄModern Mythology
đĄRitual
đĄHero's Journey
đĄIneffable
đĄPostmodern World
Highlights
Introduction to 'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell as a book that has greatly impacted the author's life.
The book originated from interviews between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, a scholar of comparative religion and mythology.
The author's personal connection to the book, crediting it for shaping his life philosophy and marriage.
Mythology as a universal language that helps us understand the human condition and the world.
Myths as a tool to make sense of dualities and the inexpressible aspects of life.
The idea that mythology provides a structure for our lives and thought patterns.
Joseph Campbell's famous quote 'follow your bliss' and its interpretation.
The concept of 'bliss' as doing what makes you feel most alive.
The lack of modern mythology and meaningful rituals in contemporary society.
Campbell's view on the modern world as an age without effective mythology.
The distinction between modern and ancient mythology, with Star Wars as an example of modern mythology.
The importance of interpreting and using mythology in our lives for personal growth.
The role of ritualized skill acquisition as a modern equivalent to ancient rituals.
The need for individuals to understand how to transition through life stages using mythology.
Three impactful quotes from the book that have deeply influenced the author.
The idea that seeking the experience of being alive is more fundamental than seeking life's meaning.
Mythology as a manifestation of the energies and conflicts within the body.
The notion that enduring life's pain leads to a greater response and understanding of oneself.
The author's personal testimony on how the book has shaped his belief system and life decisions.
The universality of human experience across different cultures and mythologies.
A call to action for readers to engage with the book deeply and visit impacttheory.com for more insights.
The final quote encouraging readers to find a space for creative incubation, away from worldly concerns.
Transcripts
everybody welcome to a very special
episode of impact books today we are
reviewing what is quite possibly my
favorite book of all time it's certainly
had a massive impact of my life and it's
called the power of myth by Joseph
Campbell
[Music]
we've actually originally recorded as an
interview series between journalist bill
moyers and Joseph Campbell the
preeminent scholar of comparative
religion and mythology and I've had the
great pleasure of reading both the
physical book and listening to the
original recordings and I have to say
there's really no substitute for hearing
the author's voice especially because
the book was pulled from the very
conversational interview which was
recorded not too long before Campbell's
death I read the book about 17 years ago
and it left an indelible mark on me
figuratively and quite literally and I
credit this book not only to planting
the seed in my mind that would
ultimately blossom into impact theory
but I also credit it with setting up my
marriage on solid ground in many ways
this book makes us the very foundation
of my entire life philosophy and the
reason for that is it made very clear to
me that residing within mythology and
rich more are the universal in fact the
elemental truth of the human experience
the power of myth was published by
penguin Random House boys and girls and
I owe you guys a huge debt of gratitude
for this one so thank you impact idea
number one an elemental truth well the
particulars vary from culture to culture
the underlying meaning behind mythology
points you absolutely universal things
about the human condition this help us
codify and understand the world around
us there the human minds attempt to make
sense of things like life and death the
duality of the voices in our head love
and hate pain and bliss and it's not
just the dualities but myth also help us
understand things for which we just
don't have any words they help us come
to grips with the truths that are simply
outside of the realm of language said
another way mythology helps us structure
our lives and our thought patterns the
lessons that they teach us on how to
live act and think really help us to
understand our own existence and to
paraphrase Campbell mythology is the
poetry that pushes our mind beyond what
we can represent with words and into the
world that can be known but never told
in other words they capture what you
feel but can't explain
being able to grab ahold of the
ineffable and make it concrete and
something that then you can use as a
filter for how to live your life really
is the very power of mythology and why I
am so obsessed and why I think quite
frankly that it's important at this
moment in society that we get a better
grip on mythology impactful idea in the
to follow your bliss all right this is
probably the most famous thing that
Joseph Campbell ever said and I think
that his famous quote remains incredibly
relevant today and the full quote goes
like this follow your bliss and doors
will open where there were no doors
before this is very similar to the
concepts of following your passion but I
think in slight variation in choice of
words actually carries some really
useful meaning to people and what he was
talking about when he says to follow
your bliss is to do that which makes you
feel most alive and that sense of doing
what makes you feel most alive to me is
probably the most useful definition of
passion or bliss that's available
[Music]
impactful idea number three there is a
lack of modern mythology and a serious
lack of meaningful ritual to help people
with the transitional moment in life now
when lawyers asked Joseph Campbell what
a world without mythology would look
like
Campbell tells them simply to look
around at the world that he's living in
because we are going through an age
without effective mythology and when
press however Campbell says that he
believes that Star Wars actually is
pretty relevant modern mythology but and
he points out a really critical problem
and that is that people know that the
story is fiction and without the cloak
of mystery that made ancient mythology
so compelling to people the modern
mythology is always going to struggle to
have an impact on our lives
that notion is exactly what planning to
see in my mind about impact theory
because I totally agree with Campbell
the problem isn't mythology we're really
good at creating mythology the problem
is we don't know how to interpret and
use mythology in our lives and if you
look at a sheer volume of morality based
stories pouring out of the comic book
film and TV worlds you can see that the
problem isn't just getting this the
problem is really ritualizing it using
it as a filter and understand
how to actually live our lives and
because of that people don't know how to
award the teachings and I think that the
modern equivalent of ritual is
ritualized skill acquisition and the
expression of those skills and servants
of something larger than themselves so
if you're wondering what's driving the
ideology and content creation behind
impact Theory it's this very idea we
live in a postmodern world where ancient
missing someone observed people don't
believe in them the world is changing so
fast that no myth has any hope of
becoming ritualized and when you start
thinking about needing the rituals in
order to cross into a new phase in life
or to really understand how to live
one's life we all come up wanting so
that to me is something that's really
critical right now that we all have to
take on the burden ourselves is
understanding how to cross from
childhood into adulthood or from single
life into marriage and that's why I
think people have to really refocus on
mythology and they have to understand
how to interpret it as a way to live
boiling down any book into the impactful
quotes is always part of the fun for me
but it's also really difficult
especially this book you really can't
imagine how many quotes from this book
reside in my mind how many of them have
become part of the very fabric of how I
live but here are the three that I've
chosen number one people say what we're
all seeking is a meaning for life but I
don't think that's what we're really
seeking I think what we're seeking is
the experience of truly being alive
let's go back this concept of following
your bliss of finding that thing that
really lights you on fire that makes you
feel alive that is just from a neural
chemistry standpoint exciting and that
it's such a great marker for people to
use to guide them through their lives
and really is one of the most enduring
things to come out of this book not just
for me but for the world at large when
people talk about this book that's the
quote that they cite
impact report number two myth is a
manifestation in symbolic images in
metaphorical images of the energies of
the organs of the body in conflict with
each other this organ wants this that
organ wants that the brain is one of
those organs all right to me that sums
up my entire life literally mythology is
us trying to come to terms with that
more that's going on inside of us with
the desire to be lazy and stay in bed
and yet at the same time to go and
accomplish great things and it really is
mythology that helps us make sense of
all of the conflicting ideas and desires
that we have within ourselves and it
puts it into a narrative and that
narrative makes the incredibly
complicated and complex experience of
being a human tangible and
understandable impactful quote number
three and I want you guys to really pay
attention to this one the greater life's
pain the greater life's reply I
absolutely love this quote because I
think the thing in life that people
succumb to is pain I think that's so
much of the trouble that people get into
is either trying to avoid pain or trying
to mask pain rather than dealing with it
and what I think Campbell makes
incredibly clear here is that if you can
fight through that pain if you can
endure that on the other side of that
especially when you put it into the
context of this man being just a student
of mythology that on the other side of
that hero's journey no matter how
painful it is is a response from life
about who you are and what you're truly
capable of so rather than looking for a
way out find that way through to reveal
who you really are
all right there are so many amazing
quotes and ideas in this book be sure to
go to impact Theory comm for more quotes
from this book that should be lodged
deep inside your mind the part about
reading a book quite frankly and the
book reviews that's the most important
to me how am I going to use this in my
life all right with this one if Pete
Carroll says you need a life philosophy
a belief system that informs your
everyday decisions the power of myth in
no uncertain terms help me define mine
it's touched every aspect of my life
from my marriage to my business it's
helped me identify my bliss and find the
structure I needed to grow together with
my wife over time it's informed my
writing it's given voice to the impact
that I want to have on this world it is
quite simply part of the foundation of
my entire belief system and while I
can't say that this book is the most
important book for everybody to read I
can say that it's the book that's
impacted me the most
partly because I read it at a time as
very formative in my life and partly
because it's just that bad F and I'm
really a little bit mortified by this
will convene because this book can given
so much to my life and I don't feel like
I have adequately captured how effective
it is at helping you understand life at
helping you understand pain at helping
you understand narrative in yourself and
all of the conflict you're going to go
through this book breaks it down by
looking globally at all the mythologies
and stories that we tell ourselves
across cultures and it really shows how
the human experience just isn't that
different and at a time where it seems
like people are more divided than ever
this book is something that's really
going to shown you we just aren't that
different that the experience matter
where you are no matter where you grow
up no matter the particulars of the
stories that your culture has told there
are fundamental elemental truths that
live underneath that that inform and
explain the human experience I really
hope you guys will enjoy this book as
much as I have and as always there just
are way too many concepts and things for
me to cover in this so please this is
not an appeal to you to watch this if
you like and read the book this is an
appeal for you to go and actually read
the book and go to impact theory calm
you can find more insights rants clothes
all kinds of good stuff which will
hopefully make the book come more alive
to you guys I want to leave you guys in
one last quote you must have a room or a
certain hour or so a day when you don't
know what was in the newspapers that
warned you don't know who your friends
are you don't know what anybody owes you
this is a place where you can simply
experience and bring forth what you are
and what you might
B this is the place of creative
intubation at first you might find that
nothing happens there but if you want to
hear the rest of that quote you guys are
going to have to read the book and I
hope you do this one is going to change
you if you let it all right guys this
learn weekly show so if you haven't
already be sure to subscribe and until
next time my friends be legendary
take care
[Music]
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