Customer Reviews

The Power of Myth

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Mythology, even if not overtly religious, can be spiritual. If you've ever gazed in awe at a sunset, willfully sacrificed and suffered, or (as Campbell has done) had a conversation with a tree, then you've experienced the power of myth and the indelible hold it has on all humanity. The mythical experiences we've had in our lives are ripples in the larger cosmic pool, reflecting in all their glory our perception of infinite divinity. From time to time we stoop over the otherwise glassy waters, only to find that our presence has disturbed our own self-reflection. If we could glimpse perfectly our own image then we'd know what we really are, for the all-pervasive cosmic eye within each of us is our vision in the water. Some of us are better than others at sneaking up on the mirror of tranquility, being ever near the divine spot in our waking lives and thus learned in its subtle ways and presence. Others shift their attention to the ripples rather than the reflection, and still others are lost in the surrounding forests. When finally the beautific vision of our true nature is made manifest by our efforts, we acquire realization in the oneness of ourselves and the pool's reflection, thereby dwelling perpetually in the divine cosmic sea that is everything and nothing, one and many, named by us but ultimately unnamable, and, in its ever-present incorporeality, paradoxically invisible to nearly all creation.

What I just created is a myth, a framework of analogically constructed elements that tells us something about the truth of our own existence (granted, a full bodied mythology is embedded in a storyline). But the fact that it's a myth doesn't mean it isn't true; on the contrary, the pool of illumination is more real than ever precisely because its truth transcends the spiritually delusional nature of literal, skeptical empiricism that so often blinds us to a recognition of reality as shards of the divine. Joseph Campbell (former professor at Sarah Lawrence College), here interviewed by Bill Moyers (transcribed from the 1980's PBS documentary), pours out his lifelong wisdom on the nature of mythology and its importance in our lives. And the vast majority of world mythology we see here is religious in nature. It almost has to be because the myths are fundamentally spiritual to begin with. But this isn't really a book on religion; rather, it should be approached as an aid to scriptural interpretation. Campbell expounds on every kind of mythology, from Native America to India to Africa. And with each story, whether primeval or modern, we begin to sense that many fundamental motifs recur.

Cambpell's basic idea is that, in the words of Goethe, "everything is metaphor." This means the metaphoricalization of all religious elements, from the cross of Christianity to the notion of reincarnation in the East. But Campbell claims that this doesn't diminish faith in the least, rather it can help us to better understand our faiths and, at the same time, recognize the truth in other religions. But this presents a slight problem. When Campbell is asked if he believes in reincarnation, he simply replies "reincarnation, like heaven, is a metaphor." But ask any Hindu guru or Buddhist monk and you will get a very different answer. And these gurus and monks are the ones that have actually experienced the rapture of truth in the context of their religion, and hence the individuals I am more likely to trust as sources of wisdom. So the problem is that Campbell's ideas come off seeming like an intellectualization of religion rather than a spiritualization. Consequently, anyone willing to follow their faith according to Campbell's philosophy must, at least partially, submit their spirituality to a sort of psychological constructivism. Now I'm not arguing against metaphorical interpretation. On the contrary, the most profound meanings of scripture are hidden in analogical crevices. But there is a difference between acknowledging the metaphorical and psychological importance of religion and wholly relegating God to a "personification of a motivating power or value system." I personally view God as a sort of pantheistic, acosmically monistic incorporeality capable of outwardly finite (and hence personal) manifestations (Christ, Buddha, Krishna, etc.). I also think that the path to God is an inward path, and that God will be found and realized in the depths of our being. But this does not imply that God is merely a value system. In my opinion, much of Campbell's commentary is wise and appropriate, but he occasionally goes to far. Most of religion is man-made (inspired by God) and in these elements metaphoricalization is fitting. But the cosmic structure (as in the monistic reality) is like an hourglass: on one end is the every day world we experience, with all of its stories and metaphors, and the other half is what is needed to come to a complete knowledge of reality. But bridging the two spheres is the narrow passage to enlightenment. If one misses the passage and ends up believing that a single sphere is everything there is, then it is inevitable that the existence of the other sphere will be merely relegated to metaphor. In other words, metaphor is critically important but it is possible to end up on a slippery slope and go too wild with the idea. Metaphor must be an aid to religion, not an intellectual veiler of truth.

Overall, however, this is a very worthwhile read. Just keep in mind that Campbell is, first and foremost, a scholar. He himself notes that an individual's occupation molds that individual. Even before they open their mouths, you can always tell an engineer from a professor from a priest. This being said, you should expect from this book a useful companion in the way of scriptural and symbol interpretation, but don't expect a complete spiritual revitalization. That can only be found in your own personal experience.

I didn't know that it was going to be so clarifying for me. It opened my perspective and showed me that what I thought about some aspects of life, was not so far away of reality. Joseph Campbell is one of the heroes of this times and slowly slowly, by reading all what he wrote, I'm starting to understand the meaning of life. The book was delivered home faster than I would have imagined. Super satisfied with the purchase and the service.

I agree with the previous reviewer, read this book for yourself. It remains one of my favorite works of literature. This book will have you thinking for years on end.

RIP Joseph Campbell

Let me quote Campbell. Towards the end of the second chapter: "People ask me, 'Do you have optimism about the world?' And I say, 'Yes, it's great just the way it is. And you are not going to fix it up. Nobody has ever made it any better. It is never going to be any better. This is it, so take it or leave it. You are not going to correct or improve it." I continued reading, waiting for a valid explanation for this, but to no avail. Campbell makes you think, I'll give him that much. I suggest that you make your own verdict.

First and foremost, let me say that Joseph Campbell states in this book that he is not Catholic. You could have fooled me with the amount of times he brings up Christ in this book.

But despite that, the main thing I brought back was a sense of sadness than Daniel Quinn could never debate Mr. Campbell because he's been dead for roughly 30 years. They both seem to be looking into what is wrong with society, but from different views. Campbell states early on that there is no other life in the universe because creation of life on Earth, and humans especially, was based on so many chance factors that there is no chance at all they came together anywhere else. Quinn's reply to that would most-likely be that Campbell's view of humanity as something above and separate from nature is part of society's problems. (Other small-minded views include his descriptions of love as only being between a man and a woman, but that might be explained, though not excused, by the 1988 copyright.)

Be prepared for a great burst of American Patriotism in the last leg of that first chapter. This book was written in 1988, so maybe the assertion that the States are the perfect society is _slightly_ less laughable in that context, but not much less.

Despite my obvious bias to another's author's conclusions, taking Campbell's interview on its own brings some measure of confusion. He goes between talking about all religious tales at myth (yes, even those which are danger buttons like The Koran and The Bible), to bringing up Christ every other topic (at least), to talking about how all themes of Chirst' birth, life and resurrection were recycled from previous myths of virgin births and themes of resurrection. (He speaks of the "higher religions" in terms of the relatively newer ones, as opposed to the "aboriginal mythology: which has a deeper, longer-lived root in the human psyche. And is equally inconsistent in explaining the need of rituals to bring boys into maturity when he states with one breath the benefits and with the other the fact that everyone matures at their own pace.)

The points brought up regarding various myths are interesting to some degree (though repetitive), but I came away with the feeling that I would have been better off visiting the local library for this one instead of logging onto Amazon.

A great book which explains how myths are relevant to our personal growth and helps to explain the many stages of life humans go through. It is so interesting how myths evolved out of every culture from all parts of the world and how each explains the same trials and tribulations we must undergo as humans. Myths actually serve a purpose and offer guidance. How alike we all are. If you are looking for some explanation as to your path in life and how to live fully as a human being, this is an excellent read. If nothing else, it will give you something to think about. Peace and love to all who read this.

Campbell gets five stars for this one. In his modest, unassuming way, Campbell during Moyers' series often recited from rote memory different myths and how they apply to everyday religion and life. He had the courage to say, "I don't know" when there are so many Christians who are sure they know the answers.
As the years pass, we will come to respect the true power, love and uniqueness that emanated from this man.

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

In my college years a friend who was a philosophy major introduced me to this video series (the book is a transcript), and over a period of a couple weeks, we spent many coffee fueled nights watching all six videos, interrupted here and there by heated debates and passionate arguments. Afterwards, I felt transformed. This book only scratches the surface of mythology and Joseph Campbell's other works (of which I'm determined to read), but it was a catalyst for me.

"The Power of Myth" will have you exploring subject matter in anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, philosophy, world literature, history, psychology, religion, and wherever else "your bliss" takes you. I found this book and video series inspirational in the same way that a standard college course ought to be (JC was a professor at Sarah Lawrence College), except that it's much cheaper! Ten years later, I find myself returning to it and discovering new revelations each time.

Read, watch, listen, explore, and enjoy!

The Power of Myth is a great introduction to meaningful
literature, but please follow up on the references and read
them for yourself. I use the analogy of a movie critique where
this book will give you an outline of great literature and
you'll know lots of interesting stories but they will be
stories that were important to and interpreted by someone else.
You won't have the full experience without actually
reading them yourself!!! This analogy is not meant to be
disrespectful to Joseph Campbell or take away from the book,
he has drawn a common thread through literature across cultures
and history. Please consider this book as a possible guide through
literature and be ready to have a lot of FUN!!!

Content: J. Campbell is a comparative scholar of mythologies, so expect many comparecents between world religions. Also note that the book is written in the form of a dialogue- interview.
It is very easy and simple to follow the conversation- the language is not some convoluted elite jargon but simple human language. J. Campbell is obviously an atheist but not in a Nitzschean way. In fact he doesn't preach at all but lets you form your own conclusions about the subject. Some of his analysis of religions is very interesting and enlightening- I bet most christians never thought of the bible as a metaphor. Though, you could say that Campbell is too Platonic- there is a lot of idealism in his conception of the power of myth.
The Point of the Book: The point of this book is to illustrate how a myth is still very much relevant to today's world, in spite of common conception. He doesn't, however, suggest we go back to old beliefs, but rather that we form new ones, foot-in-foot with modern mentality and fast paced world.