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myths
- narratives explaining how the world came to be in its present form
- generally deal with sacred origins that predate the beginning of human history
- express the most fundamental values
- without changing the words, the interpretation can change over generations
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legends
- narratives that are generally understood to have some basis either in historical events or events that are anticipated in the future
- creation of the narrative gives the events meaning
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master narrative
- postmodernism tern
- totalizing ideological system
- self-legitimizing
- eg. national narratives
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hegemony
- the processes by which dominant cultures maintains its dominant position
- appears natural and is therefore impossible to challenge
- society is enculturated via education, ads, parades, military force
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body politic
agencies of state institutions
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General Custer
- fakelore of martyr who sacrificed self for the cause of purifying America
- actually an idiot general who mismanaged his force and was killed by the Native Peoples challenging colonial power
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Perestroika
- overcoming of a stagnation process, mass initiative (Russia post-communism)
- time of uncertainty for older Russians who lost economic security
- russian bureaucracy used persuasive language while the people used mythic language
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Mesopotamia: The Social Body
- myth of Enki and Ninhursag
- Enki produced children with great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother
- last daughter plants his seeds in the earth and they bloom
- Enki eats the seeds and gets sick
- Ninhursag brings him back into herself and rebirths him
- *origin of the world and the life within it
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Mesopotamia: The Body Politic
- myth of Gilgamesh
- he leaves the garden to go exploring, has epic adventures, returns and becomes king
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Mesopotamia: The Individual Body
- myth of the descent of Inanna
- she descents into the underworld and then tries to return
- return is not allowed because numbers in the afterlife can only increase
- nursemaid offers to take her place, but Inanna offers husband instead
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chthonic
- underworld
- looks like ruins, home of ghosts, comfort for the should
- journey into self to find home
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primordial homes
- commonly a utopian garden
- that a garden (enclosed yard) is hidden adds an air of mystery
- involves "believing is seeing" and "levels of reality"
- eg. Eden
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gardens
- enchanted places - spirit of nature and elemental spirits
- believing is seeing, levels of reality, growth energy fields, timelessness, transformation, consistency, non-locality
- place for contemplation nod connection with the earth
- feeds and heals the body
- living being in need of nurturing
- eternal returning and cycle of life
- chthonic symbol
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sound and silence
- home is full of sound
- ears are the portals of the soul
- must listen to the sounds that harm us
- meditative rhythms are a way to connect to the soul through sound
- music can change how we feel
- silent listening is a type of active participation
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