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Cimitero di Staglieno: The Beauty of Life Captured for the Dead
By Kori Fitch (Tuscon, AZ)
Some would say the place of the dead could never render any beauty. This might be true unless one travelled to Northern Italy. The Cimitero di Staglieno is a cemetery in Genoa, Italy. It is a place where art captures the essence of the human spirit and beauty. When one walks through such rare creations they realize the marriage of life and death. The medium is the stone carvings where some artist poured his inspiration into an inanimate element. What is born is a life-like mourning monument honoring the dead. What happens though is much more significant for without this art and the awe it inspires, we are no different than our fellow animals that may or may not mourn the dead and then forget.
Humans are separated from the rest of the animal kingdom because we erect art to honor the dead, to feed our spirit and to go beyond instinct into the unknown mystery. It is essential that we walk into the land of the dead and do not forget. The artist is an essential element to our humanity for he or she is our guide to becoming more and not letting death conquer us. For if there is some artwork that points to a human life after our death and it inspires someone we have embraced creation not death. Read More...
A play of symbols and events and stimuli
By Anurag Sharma (New Delhi, India)
Like with several others it started with a book. Someone gifted me 'The Power of Myth'. Then I read everything I could lay my hands on, that Joe had written or edited. It had been quite a dark first half of life till then, where the only sin in Joe's book, that of inadvertence was being committed perpetually.
I then came to astrology having got passing references that Jung was greatly influences by astrological symbols.
It was quite an archetypal sequence of events, matching the Monomyth in many respects.
Now, I practice law and consult in astrology and have a relatively full life, where my work and I speak to each other. It fills me with bliss because I can clearly see it as being destined, with my awareness of astrology and horoscopes. There is a play of symbols and events and stimuli are at times read in the manner myth and folklore would have us.
My writing are up at http://www.
Transcendent and Eternal
By Christina (Vancouver, WA)
I follow my bliss in my immanent life by following the intuitive promptings of my soul and the wholesome passions to joyful being and authentic natural living.
I follow my bliss on the spiritual path to uncover that which my intellect and personality cannot know, a deeper aspect of my nature that is transcendental and eternal. Cultivating the awareness of this aspect of myself through mindfulness practices of qigong and meditation I know that there is a deep inner peace, a calm stillness beyond the sufferings of existence.
In both cases my yearning to understand the mysteries of the universe and Self have been a motive force along the journey. My personal mythology expressed through dreams and reflected in the stories, art and archeology around the world have been the light guiding me to further explore and uncover that which is hidden in the shadows.
So it is that we can each apply Joseph Campbell's teachings in our own unique way for the greater good of self, community and the world.
Enantiodromia
By Darren Campo (New York, NY)
I found that great reference while reading, "Pathways to Bliss." The works of Joseph Campbell set me on an adventure when I first saw his Power of Myth interviews with Bill Moyers. It was then that I started writing my first novel, "Alex Detail's Revolution." Well, just as he said, doors opened where I never expected them to. But it wasn't until recently, while reading "Pathways to Bliss" that I realized the main character in my novel was experiencing enantiodromia... a good starting point for any adventure.
I keep a stack of "Pathways to Bliss" in my office and hand them out often. And I hope my book, which is being published this September, can help keep transmitting the message of the myth.
It started with Bill Moyer and Joseph Campbell PBS interviews. . .
By Arthur Schneider
It seems that I’m still on the road and perhaps may always be. However, each time I “coalesce” (after a period of time) seems that I am less stressful and find myself a bit more re-assurance (after a period of time) of my understanding/acceptance of my role and in the endeavor.
Following one’s bliss has been an insightful, yet tumultuous journey that has provided me with insight into the “free-will” vs. “fatalism” continuum.
No complaints, just continued questioning. . .
On Approach to Bliss
By Peter Caputo (Edmonton, AB, Canada)
On Approach to Bliss - a long, hard, but beautiful journey. I first discovered Joseph Campbell during the Bill Moyers interviews back in the late 80's. I was only 16 years old but I had my epiphany as to what I wanted to do in Life.
One year prior, in 1986, I flew to Italy for the first time with my brother John, to visit the homeland of my family in the southern region of Calabria. I had never flown before in an airplane nor been overseas. I was very excited. After taking off from Edmonton, we needed to stop in Toronto to board a Boeing 747 with Alitalia Airlines, Italy's flag carrier on our flight to Rome. Read More...
Changing from the inside out
By Mary Garrett (Ft. Bragg, NC)
Joseph Campbell's work has been a huge influence in my life. It was "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" that really started it all for me. At the time I read this book, I weighed over 212 pounds and new I was nearing a fork in the road (no pun intended). I realized that there were many things in my life calling me to turn my health around and I could no longer ignore it. It took me two years but I eventually lost 100 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 4. Read More...
Bucky and Bliss
By Michael A. Grand (Boynton Beach, FA)
I discovered Joseph Campbell in 1989 during a PBS Series on The Power of Myth. It caught me and held me in awe as I researched and devoured his literary work. I can now see every movie, book or actual life event as an Adventure with all of the characters that are Ogres and Helpers found in the stages of The Hero With A Thousand Faces. Read More...
The City was Electric
By Dennis Neal Vaughn (San Francisco)
There were many ways that I could have begun. There were many points along the way that would have worked. I chose to begin with a blank page, as fresh a start as I could possibly make. My own proverbial clean slate as they say.
So, I sorted through and packed up my meager belongings into 5 bags. I had sold everything off or gave away all that which did not fit into one of my five assorted cases. None of the luggage matched at all which was ironically appropriate for my circumstances and me. Read More...
Doing a 360
By Rev Nancy Ash (New Mexico)
By Kori Fitch (Tuscon, AZ)
Some would say the place of the dead could never render any beauty. This might be true unless one travelled to Northern Italy. The Cimitero di Staglieno is a cemetery in Genoa, Italy. It is a place where art captures the essence of the human spirit and beauty. When one walks through such rare creations they realize the marriage of life and death. The medium is the stone carvings where some artist poured his inspiration into an inanimate element. What is born is a life-like mourning monument honoring the dead. What happens though is much more significant for without this art and the awe it inspires, we are no different than our fellow animals that may or may not mourn the dead and then forget.
Humans are separated from the rest of the animal kingdom because we erect art to honor the dead, to feed our spirit and to go beyond instinct into the unknown mystery. It is essential that we walk into the land of the dead and do not forget. The artist is an essential element to our humanity for he or she is our guide to becoming more and not letting death conquer us. For if there is some artwork that points to a human life after our death and it inspires someone we have embraced creation not death. Read More...
A play of symbols and events and stimuli
By Anurag Sharma (New Delhi, India)
Like with several others it started with a book. Someone gifted me 'The Power of Myth'. Then I read everything I could lay my hands on, that Joe had written or edited. It had been quite a dark first half of life till then, where the only sin in Joe's book, that of inadvertence was being committed perpetually.
I then came to astrology having got passing references that Jung was greatly influences by astrological symbols.
It was quite an archetypal sequence of events, matching the Monomyth in many respects.
Now, I practice law and consult in astrology and have a relatively full life, where my work and I speak to each other. It fills me with bliss because I can clearly see it as being destined, with my awareness of astrology and horoscopes. There is a play of symbols and events and stimuli are at times read in the manner myth and folklore would have us.
My writing are up at http://www.
Transcendent and Eternal
By Christina (Vancouver, WA)
I follow my bliss in my immanent life by following the intuitive promptings of my soul and the wholesome passions to joyful being and authentic natural living.
I follow my bliss on the spiritual path to uncover that which my intellect and personality cannot know, a deeper aspect of my nature that is transcendental and eternal. Cultivating the awareness of this aspect of myself through mindfulness practices of qigong and meditation I know that there is a deep inner peace, a calm stillness beyond the sufferings of existence.
In both cases my yearning to understand the mysteries of the universe and Self have been a motive force along the journey. My personal mythology expressed through dreams and reflected in the stories, art and archeology around the world have been the light guiding me to further explore and uncover that which is hidden in the shadows.
So it is that we can each apply Joseph Campbell's teachings in our own unique way for the greater good of self, community and the world.
Enantiodromia
By Darren Campo (New York, NY)
I found that great reference while reading, "Pathways to Bliss." The works of Joseph Campbell set me on an adventure when I first saw his Power of Myth interviews with Bill Moyers. It was then that I started writing my first novel, "Alex Detail's Revolution." Well, just as he said, doors opened where I never expected them to. But it wasn't until recently, while reading "Pathways to Bliss" that I realized the main character in my novel was experiencing enantiodromia... a good starting point for any adventure.
I keep a stack of "Pathways to Bliss" in my office and hand them out often. And I hope my book, which is being published this September, can help keep transmitting the message of the myth.
It started with Bill Moyer and Joseph Campbell PBS interviews. . .
By Arthur Schneider
It seems that I’m still on the road and perhaps may always be. However, each time I “coalesce” (after a period of time) seems that I am less stressful and find myself a bit more re-assurance (after a period of time) of my understanding/acceptance of my role and in the endeavor.
Following one’s bliss has been an insightful, yet tumultuous journey that has provided me with insight into the “free-will” vs. “fatalism” continuum.
No complaints, just continued questioning. . .
On Approach to Bliss
By Peter Caputo (Edmonton, AB, Canada)
On Approach to Bliss - a long, hard, but beautiful journey. I first discovered Joseph Campbell during the Bill Moyers interviews back in the late 80's. I was only 16 years old but I had my epiphany as to what I wanted to do in Life.
One year prior, in 1986, I flew to Italy for the first time with my brother John, to visit the homeland of my family in the southern region of Calabria. I had never flown before in an airplane nor been overseas. I was very excited. After taking off from Edmonton, we needed to stop in Toronto to board a Boeing 747 with Alitalia Airlines, Italy's flag carrier on our flight to Rome. Read More...
Changing from the inside out
By Mary Garrett (Ft. Bragg, NC)
Joseph Campbell's work has been a huge influence in my life. It was "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" that really started it all for me. At the time I read this book, I weighed over 212 pounds and new I was nearing a fork in the road (no pun intended). I realized that there were many things in my life calling me to turn my health around and I could no longer ignore it. It took me two years but I eventually lost 100 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 4. Read More...
Bucky and Bliss
By Michael A. Grand (Boynton Beach, FA)
I discovered Joseph Campbell in 1989 during a PBS Series on The Power of Myth. It caught me and held me in awe as I researched and devoured his literary work. I can now see every movie, book or actual life event as an Adventure with all of the characters that are Ogres and Helpers found in the stages of The Hero With A Thousand Faces. Read More...
The City was Electric
By Dennis Neal Vaughn (San Francisco)
There were many ways that I could have begun. There were many points along the way that would have worked. I chose to begin with a blank page, as fresh a start as I could possibly make. My own proverbial clean slate as they say.
So, I sorted through and packed up my meager belongings into 5 bags. I had sold everything off or gave away all that which did not fit into one of my five assorted cases. None of the luggage matched at all which was ironically appropriate for my circumstances and me. Read More...
Doing a 360
By Rev Nancy Ash (New Mexico)
I cut my spiritual teeth on Joseph Campbell when I met him at age seventeen. My yoga teacher brought me to an AHP conference (Association for Humanistic Psychology) back in the early 70’s, saying, "I want you to learn from the greatest minds of our time." Dr. Jean Houston gave the powerful keynote speech, and I was thrilled to meet her later that weekend since my teacher was a close student of hers.
"Learn from Campbell -- he's one of the best," my teacher said.
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