Welcome. Whatever transpired, I’m glad that you found your way here.
My conscious mythic journey– my journey into mythic consciousness– began thirty some years ago. I was a young woman, struggling to understand my life and my place in the world.
I was confused about pretty much everything but this was clear: I wanted to find my own path and spend my time doing things that supported my values. I wanted to be creatively engaged with others. I wanted to explore the mysteries of my being, life, psyche, and the cosmos.
As the mystic Kabir said, “If you don’t break your ropes while you’re alive, do you think ghosts will do it after?” (here’s the whole poem)
I started making art. Art initiated a profound conversation with a previously unknown aspect of myself and changed my inner life. This led to study and experimentation in a range of fields, a re-invention of self, and ongoing discovery of better ways of living.
What I discovered in my personal study was so rich and intriguing that I went to Pacifica Graduate Institute for a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology.
My dissertation is an archetypal exploration of The Law of Attraction in American self-help culture. (Click here to read the abstract). The influence of myth, especially unrecognized myths, on our concepts of self and civilization continues to be central to my work.
You have to find the right answers for you.
At the beginning of my personal quest, I came across a comment by C.G. Jung that has guided me ever since. In Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung writes, “I have frequently seen people become neurotic when they content themselves with inadequate or wrong answers to the questions of life.”
In my experience, Jung was right. And you have to dig deep, with curiosity and compassion and humor, to unpack the conditioning and experiment, think, and experience for yourself.
People are often curious about my beliefs. I left the Christian church many years ago because the definition of “God” was too limited. But “spiritual” is too vague, abstract, and removed from our material world and every day practice. My religion is openness to the myriad forms of Mystery, communion, relatedness, love for it all. My ongoing study of myth, art, and other practices help me plumb the heart of religious impulse and live my understanding.
You have something to offer the world. Doing your work is important.
The ability to offer yourself adequate answers to the questions of life is essential to creativity, liberation, and self-realization. It’s also the key to genuine service and community.
I started my professional life as a community organizer, fundraiser, and manager of a not-for-profit public interest organization, working for consumer and environmental protections. This experience taught me the shared nature of our problems and our dreams for the future.
Lasting healing and change– personal or collective– is not possible until we engage with the myths that shape our lives.
We need the wisdom and wonder contained in the old stories that we call myths. We need this information about the diverse ways human beings have lived and what our ancestors knew about life and this world, our planet Earth.
And crucially, we need to learn to see through the invisible “myths” of our cultural narratives and concepts that perpetuate discord and suffering. Our times implore us to live with greater consciousness, imagination, and love.
As conscious myth-makers and storytellers, we can meet current challenges and live the best possibilities. We can live in better stories.
I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to share my experience and expertise with fellow seekers, artists, creative thinkers, and those who want to live with truth, beauty, freedom, and soul. I hope you find something of value here at Mythic Mojo. Thanks for stopping by.
Keep the mystery in your life alive.
“I have been fortunate to have a few amazing teachers and guides, and you are one of the best. Your work, and your generous sharing of your work, has been so incredibly helpful to me! There is something magical about your work that is beyond the intellectual understanding of the stories you tell. You are truly a gift. Thank you!”
Lauren Vuylsteke, London
“Catherine has such a wise, dynamic relationship with mythology, which is wonderfully infectious and enriching. I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in several of Catherine’s immersive group programs. Each time, I’ve emerged with a rich treasure chest of inspiration to breathe into my own creative life. If you find the opportunity to work with her in any capacity, I highly recommend it!“
Rohini Walker, Writer, Joshua Tree CA
“From my first Story Oracle session with Catherine, to her wonderful Myth Matters podcast to a profound and timely experience in the Fairy Glen, I have been so grateful to be connected to the threads of Catherine’s wisdom and the soothing power of her voice (literally and figuratively.) Her “Story work” gift has helped facilitate many of the recent changes in my life and I am comforted in knowing that I can come home to myself via this wonderful practice time and again.”
Denise Ulett, San Jose. CA
