Mythologium 2023 welcomes Maryam Sayyad, Ph.D.

Dr. Sayyad’s presentation is called “Looking Through the Auroral Green Eyes of the Heart: Khidr as Angel of Liberation”

Khidr announces his presence in the color green, the fountain of youth, revivification, psychedelic plants, and gnosis. His name first appeared in the Islamic tradition when Koranic commentators used it to identify the mysterious guide of Moses in Sura 18. At this point, he joined a growing cast of Abrahamic characters advocating doom for all but those who testify that there is no god but God. Later, however, Sufi mystics would spirit him away to the Mazdaist myths of Iran where with the magical aid of comparative mythology, they would construct a bridge from exoteric Islam to Iranian myth across which Khidr dovetailed that inner authority whose abode is in the heart and whose guidance frees us from coercive external authority. In other words, they employed comparative mythology, Khidr, and the heart as tools for liberation.

My presentation traces their mythological footsteps. This is my heart-led contribution to the Woman-Life-Freedom revolution in Iran…and everywhere.

About Dr. Sayyad

Maryam Sayyad is a mythologist and designer who emigrated from Tehran, Iran and lives in Los Angeles. She is a writer, lecturer, and myth/story consultant and serves as Director of Art and Education for Cross Cultural Expressions (CCE). She has taught courses and lectured in myth, psyche, philosophy, and writing at Ubiquity, Studio School, and CCE and has served as consultant and co-writer on several myth-based film and animation projects. She recently curated a conference on Iranian mythology title: Unveiling the Mythos of Iran: Liberating Our Stories, Liberating Ourselves.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Vanessa Valdez

Vanessa’s presentation is called “The Changing Myth of Jesus and Mary Magdalene”

The focus will be on the myth story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. What stories do they share? What were their dark night of the soul experiences, both as partners and in their individuation? These questions challenge us to rethink our understanding of these two mythical characters, their relationship and their teachings with potential to restore humanity from separation to unity. Perhaps, their partnership and sense of equality could serve as an illustration for harmony between men & women in today’s world.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Sheila Spremulli, B.A.

Sheila’s presentation is called “Prenatal Theseus & the TRANSITus LAB

Encoded in the 11-circuit Medieval labyrinth is the deep Origin Story we all share, embryogenesis and birth. At the heart of that biomyth is Theseus; the “ecological self in, and of nature, from the very beginning of ourselves” (Arne Naess). At the intersection of womb/world ecology, Birth Psychology, and contemplative Labyrinth Activism, is a laser-cut Birth Psychology teaching tool I call the TRANSITUS LAB which holds womblife wisdom lessons only known to initiates. As we transition through the initiatory threshold of our very early life, we are imprinted with a cellular memory of how to navigate uncertainty and change. Itʼs the embr-ecological self in each of us who remembers the New Story Thomas Berry said we had yet to learn. Embodying the wisdom lessons of womblife from a deep-time perspective of the ecological self puts you on the Transitus Path.

About Sheila

Sheila is an APPPAH certified Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology Educator who uses her deconstructed 11-circuit labyrinths in the ecospiritual work she calls CHARTres 4 PEACE Contemplative LAByrinth prActivism™ which adapts the wayfinding wisdom of embryogenesis and birth to navigate uncertainty.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Dr. Andrea M. Slominski

Dr. Slominski’s presentation is called “Myth Illuminates the Heart of Humanity, and it is Eternally, Blessedly Feminine.”

Myth illuminates the heart of humanity. The heart is the noble seat of love, compassion, empathy, intuition, creativity, feeling, relationship, and nurturance. These are attributes of the archetypal feminine. The heart is held, nurtured, opened, protected, led, expanded, and emboldened by the eternal sacred feminine.

All of humanity, and many other beings on this planet, were born through an embodiment of the feminine, the mother. This is our first relationship. This is our first narrative, our first story.

As life progresses, we can turn to the stories of the goddesses to understand our expanding narratives and be reconciled to our hearts. Many of the goddesses’ stories exemplify all the pain and glory that a human heart can experience. These metaphoric narratives invite us to embrace the shadow and the light of love, the full and the empty heart. They call us to compassion and empathy for ourselves and each other. They invite us to embrace each other as we go through our personal experiences of life’s universal rites of passage. This is the relational energy of the heart, and it is eternally, blessedly feminine.

About Dr. Slominski

Andrea M. Slominski, Ph.D., is a women’s midlife coach, speaker, and author. In her Ph.D. research and study, she explored the new life stage for women that emerged over the past 120 years. She names this new life stage from ages 45-70—Regency—and identifies it as women’s new power years.

Her coaching addresses the deep work of Meaning, Purpose, and Belonging, which can shift during midlife. Women’s midlife includes the pre-programmed physical, psychological, and spiritual transformation of women’s lives.

Her work is rooted in the principles of depth and archetypal psychology. She leads Regent women to reclaim their passions, develop their purpose, and rediscover their “True North.” She inspires her clients to live their most authentic lives in service of the greater good.

She has shared her passion for mentoring midlife women at conferences, workshops, summits, and corporate events. She has published articles and given papers and addresses at international academic and cultural conferences.

Since starting her practice in 2015, Dr. A. has supported over three-thousand women through her coaching, mentorship, online gatherings, journals, and Covid-19 support programs.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Dr. Sunil Parab

Dr. Parab’s presentation is called “Stories of Love & Lust in Indian Mythology”

Love and Lust are two closely associated emotions of heart. Even today it is very difficult for an individual to rightly classify his / her emotion either as Love or Lust. This quest of understanding and differentiating Love from Lust and to put it in social context of morality has continued for thousands of years. How then has India being one of the most ancient civilizations and a rich storehouse of literature stay aloof from this quest? Also, what can be a better way to narrate these complicated human emotions with social moral context other than the mythical stories? Thus we find the stories of Love and Lust in Indian Mythology from Vedic Literature to Puranic Literature. Though these are human emotions; Gods also get entangled in them and thus face the consequences. This narration is so humane to understand that since even Gods can get entangled in Love and Lust; so can humans, and since even Gods have to face the consequences, so do humans.

About Dr. Parab

Dr. Sunil Parab is an Ayurveda Doctor and an Indologist by qualification. He is working as Associate Professor in Doon Institute of Medical Sciences; Dehradun. His research in Indology mainly revolves around Comparative Mythology and Folklore in regions of Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. He is associated with Sindhu Veda Research Institute as Indology Academician and Researcher. His expertise is in Classical Texts of Ayurveda, Sanskrit Language, Indian Mythology, Indian Philosophy and Indian Folk Deities.

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 2023 welcomes Latonia “Hummingbird” Dixon

Latonia’s presentation is called “African Goddess Osun: The Heart of the Community”

In the African Ifa tradition, the orisa Osun, the Spirit of the River, represents all the facets of a loving heart. Her symbol is the heart, and she also represents the essence of fresh water, which makes all life possible. Osun’s divine feminine power encompasses the entire community: spouses, families, villages, nations. Her powers guide and govern what we call the social contract, the kinds of interactions that bring relationships and communities together. Osun is the living heart of her people. I will discuss how her sacred odus’ [stories] include lessons for gratitude, mutual understanding, selfless aid, courage, forgiveness, and balance. Feminist theorists have long taught that we must restore the divine feminine to the governance of our communities, so actions are based on love, compassion, and empathy. Osun offers all of us her guidance.

About Latonia

Latonia “Hummingbird” Dixon is a visionary, poet, artist, spiritual teacher, a retired registered nurse, and a United States Army veteran. She is also a doctoral candidate in Pacifica’s mythological studies with an emphasis in depth psychology. Latonia continues to think from the heart and speak from the soul.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Dr. Karin Zirk

Dr. Zirk’s presentation is called “The Forest as Cultural Heart of Estonians”

In Estonian folklore, the forest forms an integral cultural theme that serves as an anchor for “Estonianness,” culture creation, and nation building as outlined by Atko Remmel and Tõnno Jonuks. However, due to historical and linguistic challenges, Estonian folklore has been underrepresented in mythology studies in the USA.

As the Estonian ecosystems are naturally forested, the lives of Estonians and the forest have been intertwined since time immemorial and thus the folktales reflect these complex social-environmental realities. This initial conversation between depth psychological approaches to mythology and Estonian forest folktales serves to illustrate the evolving reimagining of these relationships.

James Hillman argues for the importance of the heart’s imagination as beholding to the imagination that beholds us. In the folktales, those who enter the ensouled forest by seeing with their heart are rewarded, but those who enter with an anaesthetized heart suffer. Mary Watkins argues that the image seen by the heart leads to new potentialities, to which humans can experience emotional responses that can lead to love-based action.

Exploring three forest fairy tales collected during the nineteenth century, the forest reacts differently to human hunters as portrayed in “The Lucky Hunter” and “The Forest Elder.” In “Why Aspen Leaves Flutter” tension between human and forest consciousness unravel life between a mother and daughter.

Using the heart’s imaginal response to fairytales, Estonians are envisioning a cultural and physical forest by instantiating the mythic past in the Väike Väerada or Little Nature Energy Trail.

About Dr. Zirk

Karin Zirk, Ph.D. is a mythologist, writer and environmental activist who is currently living in Estonia. When she is not studying the Estonian language, she researches Estonian mythology from a social and cultural perspective. Her creative writing has been published in various small publications and she has presented her research at the American Academy of Regional annual and regional conferences as well as at the Mythologium. Her novel, Falling From The Moon (http://FallingFromTheMoon.com) the story of a wanderer finding her path and discovering her tribe, is an important piece of ethnofiction. Connect with her online on Instagram @mythcamper, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-zirk-phd/, and her website https://KarinZirk.com/.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Carole Wallencheck

Carole’s presentation is called “Valentines and Inner Shrines: The Visual and Linguistic Mythology of the Heart”

As we set out on a quest to encounter and explore the heart’s musicality and muscularity, as well as its appearance in myths old and new, we will discover that the heart has a mythos all its own. Although the anatomical organ is hidden away, it nevertheless shines forth like the gods of old in their glory. From ancient Egyptian amulets to medieval manuscripts, from iconic paintings to the ubiquitous love emoji, recurring images of the heart are always on display. Our everyday conversations are replete with words and phrases that act as oracles for the heart’s deeper mysteries. We’ll follow the pathways, clues, and guideposts of signs and symbols, and like many of our heroes and wanderers, from Odysseus to Mulan to Bilbo, we’ll return home, which (as we know) is where the heart is.

About Carole

Carole Wallencheck is a Certified Life-cycle Celebrant® (Celebrant Foundation and Institute), a Certified Group Eco-Therapy Guide (Lake Erie Institute), and a Poetry as Healer Guide (Institute for Poetic Medicine). Often seen exploring the museums, wooded parks, and cemeteries of Northeast Ohio, watching the waves of Lake Erie, or with a gothic novel in one hand and a cup of English Breakfast tea in the other (and possibly a chocolate croissant at her side), Carole has been called “a great heart detector,” “our resident soul poet,” “The Heart-keeper,” and “deliciously mischievous.” She sees the Pattern beneath, behind, and beyond the pattern, and always, always, seeks the Source, the Story, the Soul.

Mythologium 2023 welcomes Dr. Nicola Tannion

Dr. Tannion’s presentation is called “Mystical Poets: Heart as an Ear to The Divine”

The human heart is an extraordinary organ of perception. Various mythic traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, recognize the heart as an essential and mighty portal for the Divine. Each tradition has individuals within its realm who intimately understand the power of connecting with the Divine through the heart. Mystical poets have an ear to the Divine and are able to hear the sweet whispers of the unseen worlds and translate them into words that emanate from the mystical poets pen or lips. The poet captures and translates the essence of the mystical for all humans to use as a key for opening their own heart and connection.

From the 13th century Persian poet, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balhī (Rumi) through to the modern American mystical poet Chelan Harkin, the heart as a bridge to the divine is apparent. This presentation is grounded in scientific research, depth psychology, and mythology, demonstrating that the heart is an intelligent organ of perception. The Mystical Poet uses their heart’s power to transmit an unseen (Archetypal) Truth for healing, self, and planet.

About Dr. Tannion

Nicky Tannion holds a PhD in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, CA (2017). As writer, spiritual teacher, and bridge-builder she is adept at creating an awareness of the connections between different cultures and worlds, ideas, and communities.

Nicky has presented national and international conferences, is an engaging facilitator and speaker and author of a weekly blog, Piercing the Veil, aimed at shifting individual and collective consciousness. She is currently working on her memoir.

To hear Dr. Tannion’s talk and many others, join us at the Mythologium!

The Mythologium is a conference for mythologists and friends of myth. This year’s Mythologium will be held July 28-30 in-person and online in the Pacific time zone.