Showing posts with label folklore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folklore. Show all posts

The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore (Celtic, Irish) Review

The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore (Celtic, Irish)
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The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore (Celtic, Irish) ReviewIn Celtic Twilight, originally published in 1902, Yeats recites several accounts of encounters with the faerie folk and with the people of Ireland of the time which gives us insight into Irish folklore, myth and legend.
Yeats associates poetry with religious ideas and sentiment. And, I believe that he saw himself as writing for Ireland, but a shadowy Ireland of Celtic mysteries and legends, not the Ireland of the modern day. By modern day, of course, I relate this to the modern day of Yeats in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

In the introduction to Celtic Twilight Yeats states; "I have therefore written down accurately and candidly much that I have heard and seen, and, except by way of commentary, nothing that I have merely imagined. I have, however, been at no pains to separate my own beliefs from those of the peasantry, but have rather let my men and women, dhouls and faeries, go their way unoffended or defended by any argument of mine."
I got the strong impression from reading Celtic Twilight that Yeats actually believed in the existence of the faeries. Not just as some myth or legend, but as actual beings that exist in this world, though perhaps unseen by the common man. He wrote each story as if it was something that actually happened, having been related to him by the storyteller, or perhaps that which he had seen for himself in some past time, now recalled as he set pen to paper.
There is a depth to Yeats' writing that lies just below the surface, something that's perceived more than seen. The idea that perhaps magic and the faerie folk are alive in the world of today, but unseen, or perhaps only seen from time to time as a fleeting shadow until one knows just where to look.
It is interesting to note that Yeats was heavily involved in occult studies and practices as part of the Madame Helene Blavatsky's,Theosophical Society and later, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and finally in 1912 the Ordo Templi Orientis.
This would have certainly influenced his outlook on life and his belief in, and dare we say ability to see the unseen things of this world.
I too ask myself from time to time; just what unseen things exist in this world. Perhaps Yeats has seen that which other men can only hope for, or that which they turn away from in dread given the course of their spirits.

Yeats also makes a profound observation: "The things a man has heard and seen are threads of life, and if he pull them carefully from the confused distaff of memory, any who will can weave them into whatever garments of belief please them best."
I found Yeats' observation of particular interest, especially when it comes to theological or philosophical thought. If it is those things that we hear and see in life that forms the fabric of our beliefs, then surely we must take care that that which we see and hear forms strong enough threads so that the fabric we weave is not shoddy.
Yeats' works help us build those strong threads in our lives. For, he certainly influenced the world at large with his writings. In 1923 Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and in 1934 he shared the Gothenburg Prize for Poetry with Rudyard Kipling.The Celtic Twilight: Faerie and Folklore (Celtic, Irish) Overview

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The Tale of The Firebird Review

The Tale of The Firebird
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The Tale of The Firebird ReviewThe artwork is fantastic, evocative, and gorgeous, combining a gold palette and northern winter-evening moonlit scenes, and featuring intricate folk art border illustrations. The tale is in some ways charming, including a sympathetic wolf, though there is no emotional or character development (It's more of a quick, amalgamated introduction to Russian fairytales), and it offers no lessons you'd want to impart to a child, other than: Go have adventures with a magical wolf at your back! (Also lurking in the story may be a morality tale for those in a position to run an imperialist power: Don't be afraid to buck cautious counsel and be acquisitive with regard to allies' possessions, but follow counsel when it comes to preparing for war. I sincerely doubt this is a useful lesson for your typical middle/working class kid, what with her/his lack of imperial power.) Plot synopsis: A magical, powerful wolf takes a few days out of his or her life to really help the fortunate youngest prince undertake successive adventures, culminating in the prince gaining all sorts of booty: a lovely mate, a golden-maned horse, a magical sword, kingdoms, adulation, and a spectacular peacock in a golden cage.The Tale of The Firebird Overview

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50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior Review

50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior
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50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior ReviewAfter reading the editorial reviews on this book, I decided to purchase a copy. It is a treasure trove of examples of behavior and myths that we believe to be true - but are actually false. Written by psychologists and based on science, this book describes the most common myths that people hold about a variety of human experiences. For example, does handwriting reveal your personality? Does playing Mozart to infants boost their intelligence? Do opposites attract? Is the polygraph really an accurate means of detecting dishonesty? If you think the answer to any of these questions, is "yes," you need to read this book. I couldn't put it down as I went from myth to myth learning about the facts based on science versus the myths we have believed for decades. I agree with the reviewer who says that this is a much-needed mythbuster for consumers. Easy-to-read and fascinating facts! I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended, a must-have mythbuster!50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior Overview

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How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will) Review

How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will)
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How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will) ReviewI first saw garden gnomes in the early 70's while stationed in Germany. Even the most staid and restrained German garden seemed to have at least one and usually scores of them. Personally I've never had any problems with gnomes. I was taught to deal with different cultures with kindness, curiosity and willingness to learn about and from them. So, it comes as a shock to know that someone - Chuck Sambuchino fears and says there will definitely be an attack.
My motto has always been better safe than sorry, always be prepared, never run out of toilet paper during a blizzard, etc. If you want to be ready then this would be a good book. There is some good advice anyway: secure your chimney caps, keep floors clear, do not set landmines on your lawn.
One word of advice that is not mentioned in this manual, my German landlady told me gnomes that carry red mushrooms with white spots were good luck. I do notice none of Sambuchino's gnomes have these good luck mushrooms, so maybe that is what the trouble is. Who knows, but this would make a nice giggle for anyone owning a garden gnome and you never know when survival manuals might come in handy??How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will) Overview

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Women Who Run with the Wolves Review

Women Who Run with the Wolves
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Women Who Run with the Wolves ReviewReading the other customer reviews, I find it very interesting to see how different they are, and how different many of them are from my experience.
I was surprised to read the review on this page by the woman who believes we ought to read Jung first (or instead). My experience is the opposite; when I've picked up Jung's original works I've found them tough to follow, but this book I found very accessible and useful. I don't think the comparison between the Bible and a tv evangelist is at all fair. It's more like the difference between Strunk & White and the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED is wonderful, but Strunk & White is the one that is most likely to help you become a better writer.
Although I think of myself as a creative person, I tend to downplay that part of myself and to lead with my left brain, as it were. Reading this book I felt like I was being given a path to my inner wellspring. I felt that I had at last found water for a thirst I hadn't quite been able to identify until now.
This book is about one's inner life. It is not a how-to book, it's not political (except in the sense that the personal is political), and I didn't feel that it over-emphasized "what's wrong with you," as another reader put it. It does continually nudge one to think about what might be wrong: many many women are cut off from their own preferences, their own inner selves, because they feel pressured to conform with societal norms. Many societal norms are, in my opinion, quite damaging and inappropriate. It is very easy in American society to get the impression that women should be seen and not heard. Women are still encouraged to focus on how we look, to be compliant, to act ladylike and be nice even when we are being denigrated, and to stand by our man no matter what. We are encouraged to help others at the expense of our own happiness, and many many of us fall into this trap without even realizing it. We think it is normal to put ourselves last, and we lose touch with the shames and the fears that keep us from being happy, wiping the subject of happiness off the table with a dismissive hand as something that is too indulgent or not important.
This book helped me realize the ways in which I stand in my own way, and it gave me courage and inspiration.
The author is not only a Jungian analyst, but a storyteller. She is steeped in the traditions of storytelling from both the Latin and the Hungarian sides of her family, and I very much enjoyed the ways in which she uses this legacy of the storyteller as healer to make her points. I never thought of storytelling in this way before, but reading this book I found it to be true. (I feel that her stories have helped heal me.) I am a storyteller myself, of a sort, so for me the book was a kind of homecoming. If you have ever wondered why fairy tales seem so cruel and peculiar, you will find the answers in this book. Fairy tales have been mangled in the translation, but this author shows you where they came from and what they are really about.
While I am a huge believer in free-market capitalism, growth, business, and civilization (as opposed to back-to-nature Green-ery), I have tremendous concerns about the increasingly violent and impersonal nature of our society. This book shows you how to cultivate a healing, loving attitude toward the world without becoming a doormat--quite the contrary, it shows how love can give you more strength and power than you'll ever find in a boardroom.
Another review on this page criticized the book for not putting these issues into a broader context of one's life. It took twenty years for this author to distill her wisdom of storytelling and her knowledge of Jungian archetypes into this lovely, readable book. For me, that's quite an accomplishment. I'm more than willing to take it the rest of the way myself.Women Who Run with the Wolves Overview

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