Mythologium 2023 welcomes Dr. Tracy Marrs

Dr. Marrs’s presentation is called “Reclaiming Medusa: A Look at Otherness in Storytelling”

Reading Greek mythology, we are given the perspective of the gods or mortals that worship them. Chimera, Medusa, Cerberus, the Minotaur – all of these creatures share a common trait – they are “monsters,” and they share a common fate – they are killed by heroes proving themselves to please the gods. The Greeks told the stories honestly, they did not want to insult or displease the gods; it would not occur to them to write the story from the perspective of the Minotaur as it knows it is being hunted by a hero trying to prove himself. His crime was being born different.

Perspective is everything in a story, the words we use to describe our characters create empathy or hatred in the heart of the reader. As an educator, I have watched our nation’s focus on inclusiveness change dramatically in just under twenty years of teaching and even more since I was an elementary student. Where we once understood that history is written by the winners, we now know the importance of including the story of the others, even the “villain.” The more we can understand the villain, the victim, the hero, and the bystander; the more we can understand ourselves, our motives, and strive to be better to others.

In mythology, it is hard to find a perspective as overlooked as the story of the monsters. We have encountered figurative monsters in our lives and some of us have been monsters in our own stories. Working with Medusa and her family has opened my eyes to how much changing the storyteller transforms my understanding of myself and humanity in general. Ladon is not just a serpent, he is Medusa’s tender nephew, her sister’s son. Each being has their own story and perspective.

Changing the roles in the story, making Medusa my hero, has empowered me to change my own story. Before I started working with the gorgon, I thought of the monsters in the myths like the common Greek citizen thought of them – as creatures to be disposed of because they were dangerous. This mindset seems to have carried over into Western civilization’s treatment of “the other” – whether it was another race, another species, or even our own environment. By reclaiming our monsters can we also learn to reclaim some balance – if not in nature, at least in our hearts?

About Dr. Marrs

Professionally, Dr. Tracy Marrs is an educator, a teller of stories, and an inspirer of creativity. Some teachers are known for their great knowledge in their field, others may be known for their ability to manage even the toughest classes; Dr. Tracy is known for loving her students and making them feel seen, heard, and respected. In addition to working in the K12 classroom, she often shares her depth of knowledge and skills in literature with community members by weaving literature and archetypal stories with art and creativity. She excels at distilling esoteric concepts and stories into modern-day understanding and integration. Dr. Marrs has hosted many gatherings for adults in her community interested in art, mythology, and psychology. Her work at the local schools has led her to community-wide creative workshops at the community center and at the schools in her neighboring community. She recently spoke at “The Creative Psyche and Arts-Based Research” Conference in London on the connection between art and critical thinking. She loves her family, her life in the mountains, and their menagerie of animals. She is planning to continue to bring critical thinking, culture, and her unique love of learning to the members of her community and beyond. In her “spare time,” Dr. Marrs has been researching and writing a book based on Medusa and her family. The work was the inspiration for the presentation for our wonderful Mythologuim this year.

Mythologium 2022 welcomes the sponsored panel, Myth and the Spirit of Empathy

This panel is sponsored by iRewild. Thank you, iRewild!

In this panel, Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal, Dr. Catherine Svehla, and Dr. Annalisa Derr address the question, how do myths and mythic images depict empathy as a critical ingredient for restoring a deeper relationship with the soul of the world?

Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal will present on “Heart Story Medicine: Indigenous Wisdom for the Modern World”

Are you connected to the stories of the lands you live upon? Young and Saver note that once we lose our ability to construct narrative, we lose ourselves. According to the World Health Organization, loneliness and depression are epidemics today. People do not feel connected to themselves, others, or the natural world. We have to care about something to feel empathy, and to care we have to connect. Our ancestors were deeply connected to place and people. The foundation for this connection is in the old stories, the land-connected stories of the places we live. Stories enchant the world, and an enchanted world is a world in which we are connected to everything around us. Indigenous people have long known that stories carry medicine. Stories contain wisdom, resources, and archetypal energies. This workshop will focus on the Chippewa story of Skywoman, the manitou who created the North American continent. This is the story I worked with as part of my Capstone project at the Applied Compassion Training program at Stanford. This journey began with asking, Who are the ancient female peace keepers? My capstone was aimed at highlighting and revitalizing indigenous female heart medicine contained in traditional stories from around the world. My premise was that when indigenous women’s voices are seen as fiercely and gently compassionate, strength is reclaimed and useful archetypes are made visible once more. Come learn what an ancient manitou from this continent has to teach us about how to live well.

About Renda

Renda Dionne Madrigal, Ph.D., Registered Drama Therapist, Narradrama Trainer, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, was featured on the cover of the February 2018 edition of Mindful Magazine and will be featured as a 2022 Powerful Woman of Mindfulness (August edition). She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, TA/Advisor for the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Mindfulness Awareness Research Center Teacher Training Program, UCLA Certified Mindfulness Facilitator, certified with the International Mindfulness Teachers Association and Stanford Certified Applied Compassion Educator/Consultant.  She is also faculty at the Drama Therapy Institute of Los Angeles and California Indian Nations College, President of Mindful Practice Inc. and works with story medicine (embodied mindfulness, narrative and drama/creative arts). 

Dr. Dionne Madrigal specializes in embodied mindfulness-based practices and has been a Licensed Clinical Psychologist for over twenty years. She combines mindfulness, somatic (body-based) therapies, and story in much of the work she does. She is Turtle Mountain Chippewa. Her heritage informs her work. She is involved in healing theater and has appeared in Indigenous plays written by her daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys writing fiction featuring Indigenous female protagonists who save the world. Her book The Mindful Family Guidebook is available through Parallax Press and Penguin Random House and was listed as a Best Book of Mindfulness 2021 by Mindful Magazine. She is currently working on her next book, Story Medicine. 

Dr. Catherine Svehla will present on “More Than a Metaphor: ‘The Queen Bee'”

The importance of empathy for members of the more-than-human world is a common theme in fairy tales. In the fairy tale of "The Queen Bee," for example, the youngest brother is ridiculed for a sensitivity that is later rewarded. Stories like this one affirm the value of kindness and reciprocity that extend beyond human society. This is a valuable message and yet there is more to be found in such stories. Curiosity about the lives of our fellow beings in the material world can lead to insights that challenge cultural constructs and deepen awareness of the link between self and Other. This type of investigation makes a broader understanding of relationship and empathy possible. 

About Catherine

Catherine Svehla is an independent scholar, storyteller, and teacher with a PhD in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She creates thought-provoking story circles, workshops, and other tools to help people use a mythic and archetypal lens to transform their lives. Catherine is the host of the Myth Matters podcast, an exploration of myth in contemporary life and a member of Joseph Campbell Foundation’s MythMaker℠ Podcast Network. A recognized innovator in the field of mythological studies, Catherine received a New Mythos grant from OPUS Archives and is a member of the Joseph Campbell Foundation Editorial Advisory Group. Learn more at http://www.mythicmojo.com.

Dr. Annalisa Derr will present on “Ecological Empathy: Grief in the Age of the Anthropocene”

Grief is a universal human experience. In many myths, even the gods and goddesses grieve. Not only do they teach us how to grieve, but some of these myths teach that celestial grief can itself cause catastrophic consequences in response to both human and divine folly and ignorance. In the age of the Anthropocene where human impact on climate change is ever more apparent, what can these myths teach us about grief that extends beyond our human-to-human bonds? 

In this presentation, I will describe my personal experience with inter-species grief after a tragic encounter with a deceased bald eagle. Examining myths from the Ancient Greek, Hindu, and Mesopotamian traditions, I will also include how I believe mythic expressions of grief can model an ecological empathy for non-human animal life and death. 

About Annalisa

Annalisa Derr, PhD completed her doctorate in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. The title of her dissertation is Resacralizing Female Blood: Overcoming 'the Myth of Menstrual Danger.' Seeking an embodied approach to her research inquiry, Annalisa developed a site-specific, menstrual art performance series, “She Bleeds the World into Existence.” She also founded Journey to the Goddess TV—an online platform featuring interviews with scholars, artists, activists, and religious practitioners that explores the significance of goddess archetypes for modern women. Annalisa has been a professional actress for over 30 years with a BA in Theater Arts and specialized training in masked and physical theater from internationally renowned  teachers in Italy, India, and New York. She is also a Mary Magdalene devotee, an Italophile, and an aspiring Flamenco dancer. You can visit her website at www.journeytothegoddess.voyage.

This panel is sponsored by iRewild

iRewild is a global institute for thought leaders who are working to bring the human soul back into a conscious relationship with nature.