|
The distinction is in the waking up. Psychotherapy is involved with the outcomes discovered from the process, while MythoTherapy is involved with
the awakening in the TEMPLE. The MythoTherapeutic experience involves awakening in the presence of the divine. It is not a metaphor, it is a reality of experience. The important thing is not whether healing takes place,
but is in the act of awakening within the divine, or "Walking In Mystery, Dancing In Wonder." The awakening is the essential thing.There is a story about the Buddha: Three men encountered him shortly after his
experience under the Banyan tree. Upon seeing the Buddha, the first one asked, "Are you a god?" The Buddha replied, "No, I am not a god." The second inquired, "Are you an avatar?" Again the Buddha replied, "No, I am not
an avatar." The third then asserted, "You must be a bodhisattva." As before, the Buddha replied, "No, I am not a bodhisattva." "Well, then what are you?" the three asked in unison. "I am awake" replied the Buddha.
So, what is this awakening involved in MythoTherapy? The awakening is four simple things:
1) To become aware that I am living a myth. 2) To become aware of the myth I am living. 3) To become aware of the myth I choose to live.
4) To become aware of living the myth I choose.
There are two processes involved in MythoTherapy, both developed by me. They are:
PSYCHOMYTHICS OPTIMYTHICS
PsychoMythics is largely experiential and involves three primary areas of exploration:
OptiMythics is involved with a rather extensive conceptual infrastructure that involves four primary areas of exploration:
HumanSynergetics MythoSynergetics PsychoSynergetics SpiritualSynergetics
If you wish to become fully cognizant of the dramatic differences between MythoTherapy and psycho therapy, I invite you to spend some time contemplating the various PsychoGraphic Maps describing the conceptual
infrastructure of OptiMythics. When I was attending Pacifica Graduate Institute, I became aware of some fundamental differences between psychology and mythology. Pacifica is fundamentally a Psychology school, with a
program in Mythological Studies, not a Mythological Studies program with an emphasis in depth psychology. A considerable portion of the faculty and students cannot conceive of mythology as anything more than a useful
tool for psychologists. Even though mythology has been an active part of the lives of billions of people for thousands of years, the recent phenomena of psycho therapy takes precedence over mythology. Such things cannot
be real. In 1995, I was diagnosed with major heart disease. In addition to significant blockage of my coronary arteries, I was informed that I had two aneurisms on my aorta. My wife and brother were shown the
pictures. The doctors felt it was inadvisable at that time to do angio-plasty on my heart because of the stress it could produce on my aorta. They were concerned that the aneurisms would burst, so they took a very
cautious approach to my treatment. Nine years later, after another heart catheterization, it was discovered that there were no aneurisms. They were simply gone, which my cardiologist assured me could not happen. I did
not pray or seek healing for my condition, yet through a terrifying process of learning to walk in mystery and dance in wonder, I am not surprised at the disappearance of the aneurisms. When we are awake to the divine
around us, we realize that with God, all things are possible. For me, MythoTherapy is more that psychosomatic healing or helpful metaphors. I invite you to explore and consider the power of MythoTherapy in your own life.
|
