Mythology vs. Pathology

Interesting concept brought forth by Father Richard Rohr in his book of daily devotions for men called, "On the Threshold of Transformation". He posits on Day 14 that "when we don't mythologize, we pathologize". What he's really talking about here is the problems that occur when humans look only to themselves for answers to the unanswerable. He goes on to say that, "...We lost our ability to appreciate myth around the time of the Enlightenment. Nature, religion, mystery, and ritual all became passe..." So we as a race became "enlightened" by rationalism, science and the scientific method and in the process created a huge idol to worship. Science has given us many things such as creature comforts, improved longevity and health, longer work days, more stress, devotion to media input, etc. Rationalism has sought to understand and control everything - even the truly mysterious and uncontrollable. How many of you took the time to look up and marvel at the "super moons" during the last month? How about the beauty of Spring? The marvel of the rain or the power of the storm? Most I suspect kept your heads down, noses to the grindstone - cursing the pollen and the damp and the inconvenience. Because we really don't have any patience for inconvenience nowadays, do we?! We're so used to living in a controlled environment that any little deviation is seen as a major issue. What happened to our resilience and our ability to make do with what we have? That's our global pathology , isn't it?! Once something is amiss, we see things as wrong or absurd or broken. Nothing can move on until we've righted the wrong, corrected the absurd and fixed the broken...and then we believe we'll be happy and content...but we're not. When we lose our sense of place in the world and universe - when we become bigger than we really are, that's when the lack of mythology really shows. We lose our humility and become as gods, able to give and take with impunity. Then it's also every god for him or herself. A veritable battle of the Titans occurs and this time it's not just a religious tale - it's our post-secular worldview and our life. Recapturing a sense of the sacred is therefore tantamount to preserving us as a species for without the sacred there is no reason to fight for the world that we live in. Our pathology will then finish us off. This week, work to rediscover mythology and the sense of the sacred in your life. Look up at the Super Moon tonight until you feel small and insignificant again. Hike into the forest or wilderness far enough to lose the sounds of the world - feel the thrill of being just a little bit lost. Renew your relationship with a sacred text or ritual. In this way, you can treat your pathology and become healthier and more whole. It will take time and intention, but I know you can do it! Peace for the journey, Dan