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Mythology is Not Set in Stone

Posted on February 8, 2023

It must be emphasized that mythology is not set in stone. Each myth, endlessly retold and re-experienced, has countless variations. The name of a god will change from one story to the next, a twist in a tale will be explained in different ways by neighboring groups.

Part of our mortal dilemma is “How do we know what myths are true?” The answer is simple: a myth remains true if it provokes the initial reaction within its readers even through layers of acquired interpretations. Those ancient, imaginary pathways are true if they continue to serve the needs that provoked the original Urge. The Truth is found where we find a way to be at One with ourselves and the cosmos. Experience proves this, when our inner Truths can perceive even without us realizing it. We find this Truth even under increasingly thick layers of exaggeration, misrepresentation, and distortion.

How do we recognize these? Failure only brings more pain and trouble. As the Sacred Time rites teach us: the Truth is in our hearts. If we are touched by a thing, whether it is a story, a person’s action, or even some distant event, then it holds meaning, and therefore, Truth, for us. It is our responsibility, then, to pursue this, that we may do our part to preserve the cosmos and live once again among the gods.

There is IMO a very strong tie between mythology and your experiences as a role-player. As a role-player, we can witness myths and even potentially participate in them, a far better way to experience them than reading them in a book or dissecting them in threads.

We are trained to look at myths as texts, to be argued about, dissected, interpreted and reinterpreted. Although that can be useful, it is the weakest way of experiencing them. Take these stories and experience them through play! Fill your lungs with Orlanth’s breath, call forth a challenge against the world, and strive for adventure! And that experience is going to be filled with inner Truth the written text lacks.

Through creative play, we can experience “Truths” that we do not personally accept as True. Which is a remarkable thing.

The Monomyth is quite simply a composite of Gloranthan mythology arranged to tell a complete myth out of all myths. It is true because it works and shows the beauty of the whole. Because it is true, it reveals connections, associations, and ideas that the individual myths, because of their narrow scope, hide. On the other hand, the Monomyth often smooths over necessary inconsistencies, and the more refined it becomes, the more flawed it gets. However, its structure and framework is proven correct, and proved a useful tool for gaining deep inner Truths.

Jeff Richard

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