The Four Functions of Mythology

  Joseph Campbell probably the most notable figure in recent times as an authority on comparative mythology states that: " The first function of mythology is the reconciliation of consciousness with the mystery of being." now consider also what Shakespeare said in his definition of art he said "Art holds the mirror up to nature." and so when you hold the mirror up to your self... Eventually your consciousness becomes aware of what it is that supports it.    The German writer Johan Wolfgang Von Ger'ta once said that the "best thing in man" was the sense of gratitude for one's privilege of having at the very most center of our consciousness, awareness.   Going back to Joseph Campbell he states that the second function of mythology is to present a total image of the universe as consciousness is aware of it. Additionally Campbell states: "The image of the cosmos must change with the development of mind." So we must look at mythology and read it in another way, not hanging on to our literal scientific statements or rejecting the religious myth outright.   Now on to the third function as explained by Campbell. It is to : " Validate and maintain a certain moral order." and so we shape individuals in society in the way that our culture wants them to be , and in shaping the person, society, in a sense removes the person from their own nature.   Now the final stage of myth is: "To center and integrate the individual in relation to himself." The individual is the microcosm, in relation to its society, functioning as a mezzocosm [inbetween],  in relation to the macrocosm, the universe.    In conclusion Campbell states that societies have changed, but the problem of the individual in his own life course, has not Greatly Changed.   

Stilling the Mind for Success: What Meditation does

In order to meditate, you first must master the skill of being able to relax both the physical body and mental thoughts, at will.



Mental relaxation consists of three parts:
1. Control of the flow of thought for any length of time desired.
2. At will free your consciousness from awareness of your body.
3. At will resume the body consciousness, leading to the ability to remain calm at all times. This ability is known as true relaxation or living meditatively.
What causes tension to be stored in the body?

• Restless thoughts, ignorance of the meaning of past experience.

The Stages of Mental Relaxation

The first stage is a false stage of relaxation characterized by scattered attention and constant movement.  

The second stage of mental relaxation is when a person experiences relaxation once in a great while by focusing the mind through concentration.  

The third stage is achieved through practice at concentration and meditation leading to points of relaxation still environment stimuli and daily experience lead to restless 

The fourth stage is when restfulness is achieved most of the time by deep and consistent concentration and meditation.  

The fifth stage is deep meditation and can be entered into at will anytime Bliss is achieved communication with creative forces of the universe and cosmic consciousness.  

Sleep and Death

  Sleep is unconscious sensory relaxation. Sleep is an unconscious process that comes about when the body and mind unconsciously enter the rest state.    Death is unconscious sensory-motor organic relaxation. With physical death comes the cessation of life energy to be prevalent in the body.   The goal of stealing the mind in meditation is to achieve conscious sensory motor organic relaxation. This state is akin to being in a sleep-like state while remaining fully conscious and aware. This type of awareness allows the person to exist in subconscious mind with awareness and, with practice, recall of experience. This ties into myths because all myths come from a collective unconscious source. This source is very similar to the dream worlds that we enter into at night.   The medulla oblongata is able to draw upon cosmic sources of energy. The body however is limited to the physical supply of energy that is within it and within the food.   Cosmic sources of energy can come into our bodies when our desires are focused on what the soul wants.   The physical supply of energy comes from the needs of the body and are expressed by our bodily feelings of hunger, sleepiness, physical sexuality, and the needs for safety and companionship.   How we respond to the energy that flows into us matters. When energy is inside our body we focus that energy on fulfilling our needs by focusing our attention. However the soul urge, a constantly felt inner feeling, draws us to the greater purpose. This greater purpose is the reason for our lives, our physical incarnation. If we do not still the mind, the soul urge cannot be properly felt.  

Money: The root of all suffering?

  Money is a mental efficiency It is a product of the sophistication of transport of energy in the physical world.    A source of pain and suffering in the world is the consuming lust for money without the thought for the good of our neighbors power of mental efficiency divorced from compassion of the heart.  

Immortal Time and The Immortal Soul

The Souls hunger cannot be satisfied through sensory indulgence. We as humans should not be slaves to the body or thoughts of limitation. if we quiet our minds we can begin to be guided by inner awareness The purpose of existing in the physical world is for learning.

Marcus Aurelius said to: "Discard your thirst for books so you won't die in bitterness but in cheerfulness and truth, grateful to the gods from the bottom of your heart."

It is the gratitude expressed in recognition of grace that leads to immortal time.   "What do you have to fear? You are neither male nor female You are immortal You are soul."

The Story of Shuka Deva and King Janaka

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A young spiritual devotees seeks a teacher, he finds a king who he thinks is too engrossed in physical pleasures to teach him anything, he meets and meditates with the king and in a vision this king's entire kingdom and palace are consumed by fire. However The king in the story who was said to be too engrossed in the physical world does not break meditation but when the aspirants books begin to burn he breaks his meditation to save them. That's the aspirin was humbled by the king who revealed his attachment to his books.   True value, besides being a nifty name for a hardware store, is knowing the real you The you that is a soul that exists beyond the physical body who is drawn to incarnation by the soul urge to know, to produce the knowing that is the result of having sufficient experience to produce permanent understandings.   

Philosophers, Politicians, and ad campaign managers which teach and promote hate and fear surround us everyday threats of war disease poverty come from lack of mentality War comes from a lack of peace disease from a lack of health poverty from a lack of wealth but all begin with the lack of mindset mentality.

  Rise above limited physical thinking to the experience of being.

Be the servant of all.  

Life is a series of tests.

When you are tested, you learn      

Never let go of the memory of Self as Spirit!

Spirit is:

Totally free.   Weightless.   Joyful.  Trusting.  & Utterly Benevolent.  

Come back here with the experience of what it is like there,  and what it can be like here when you create it.

 

"What is divine is full of providence. Even chance is not divorced from nature, from the interweaving and unfolding of things governed by providence. everything proceeds from it and then there is necessity and the needs of the whole world, of which you are a part. whatever the nature of the whole does, and whatever serves it to maintain it, is good for every part of nature. The world is maintained by change in the elements and in the things they compose That should be enough for you; treat it as an axiom. "   Discard your thirst for books so you won't die in bitterness but in cheerfulness and truth grateful to the gods from the bottom of your heart.