In the Amazon Basin, in the interior of Brazil, systems of ritual and belief have existed for thousands of years unknown to most Brazilians. When the Villas-Bôas brothers established contact with the people of the Xingú less than 100 years ago, they became advocates for the indigenous people to the Brazilian government and society for the culture's preservation. We look at the stories shared with the brothers, exploring the relationship of life, death, and ritual in a drastically changing world....
Jun 14, 2025•17 min
Aboriginal Australian cultures existed separate from the rest of the world for thousands of years. Their stories tell of verifiable events from millennia ago; they also tell of a time outside of time, called the Dreaming. Stories from the Dreaming, also called Dreamtime, are deeply connected to the earth, and tell of our connections to it as well. The stories presented here give perspectives from cultures radically different from most others, providing insight into that which is uniquely and uni...
Mar 20, 2025•18 min
In this podcast conversation we are joined by New Orleans native and historical cemetery/spooky tour guide Christian as we explore traditions of life and death in America's most haunted city. We explore how the blend of European, Native American, and West African cultures in New Orleans led to unique expressions of spirituality such as Voodoo and what popular culture gets wrong about it; scandals and respect in New Orleans cemeteries; and traditional ways of living in a city shaped by centuries ...
Jan 20, 2025•54 min
The Frog Princess is a classic fairy tale that is present in many storytelling traditions, especially concentrated in the Slavic cultures of Eastern Europe. Ugliness and beauty mix in a striking tale that leads to the renewal of a kingdom, a marriage, and the hero himself. As we will see in a Russian version, the story of the Frog Princess is packed with symbolism which ties the strange world of fairy tales to our own lives. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated...
Jan 20, 2025•16 min
This podcast conversation goes in-depth on the Oracle at Delphi and her influence on Western culture and Christian theology. We explore historical figures like Socrates, Xenophon, Alexander the Great, Saint Paul, and Julian the Apostate to follow the links in the chain of Western philosophy back to the Prophetess of Apollo, and the appearance of her and Pagan gods in the Bible. Many thanks to Matt Benjamin of 60 Second Philosophy for joining! Matt’s expertise on Socrates, philosophy, and theolog...
Oct 15, 2024•55 min
The ancient Irish site of Newgrange is a neolithic tomb and a mythic womb. featuring at the heart of stories which have been told for thousands of years. These two stories of Newgrange, also called Brú na Bóinne, and its inhabitants, the Tuatha Dé Danann or old gods the Dagda, Boanne, Aengus, and Cáer, demonstrate the ancient Irish view of nature as cyclical, and offer us a glimpse at something more, in the times when we are closest to the mysterious Celtic Otherworld. Mythos & Logos are two...
Jul 14, 2024•11 min
We interact with objects in our surroundings every day; but it's not every day that you see an umbrella sprouting legs, instruments playing themselves, or theatrical masks transform into many-faced monsters. These are examples of tsukumogami, Japanese mythical creatures that are objects come alive. In some sources they are friendly, in others they march in the infamous Night Parade of 100 Demons, and in one text they even serve as vehicle for a Buddhist teaching of enlightenment. Join as we expl...
Jun 16, 2024•14 min
The Sun is a major figure in Cherokee mythology; the world depends upon her light and warmth, but is at the mercy of her brutal heat when she is slighted by her brother, the Moon. In this story, recorded from the Eastern Band of Cherokee in the late 19th century, a plan to stop the Sun from burning the world leads to the death of her daughter, and a plan to bring her back from the Ghost Country. Common characters to Native American mythology including the Great Horned Serpent appear in a tale wi...
Apr 06, 2024•11 min
Pleased to host Matt Benjamin, friend of the channel, YouTube host, and author of the new novel We Are Icarus on the podcast to discuss his new novel in an authentic, unsponsored conversation. Matt’s novel explores timeless philosophy through a futuristic sci-fi dystopia setting. Join us as we discuss the timeless power of story, explore Ancient Greek philosophy and mythology, explore the creative process for an author in 2024, and talk about mythic heroes from ancient legends through profession...
Mar 15, 2024•44 min
A philosopher has the unique challenge of expressing that which is beyond us through the limitations of language. For many, this is done through a series of logical arguments; for the Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi 莊子 the Way of Nature, called Tao 道 is best approached in another way, through the powerful, poetic language of metaphor. Zhuangzi sets the tone through the marvelous image of the mythological Peng 大鵬 bird which rises beyond the limits of our understanding. Yet, we will see, even the loft...
Mar 15, 2024•12 min
In the ancient days of Greek and Roman mythology, the story was told of Phaeton, the son of the sun god Helios (often equivocated with Apollo) who asked his father to command the chariot of the sun on its journey across the sky. The power of the god was too much for this mortal, and his bold attempt to wield it nearly destroyed all of creation. Today we wield many of the same powers once attributed to the gods, and we must listen to ancient wisdom to avoid repeating Phaeton's disastrous mistake....
Jan 08, 2024•13 min
This powerful story from the Kirikir?i:s, most commonly known as the Wichita & Affiliated Tribes (historic inhabitants of North Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas) is one that is very important today. We explore the Wichita cyclical understanding of history, from the cosmic and mythological scale to the personal, through two fascinating women and the always impressive Thunderbird. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning.” Support the channel b...
Dec 05, 2023•16 min
The story of Lycaon (also spelled Lykaion, Lykaon) has been told by many dating back to Ancient Greece, where it was attested in works like Pausanias' Description of Greece, Apollodorus' Library, and Hyginus' Astronomica, and across centuries and civilizations through works like Ovid's masterpiece Metamorphoses. Lycaon's attempt to deceive the gods leads to a terrifying transformation, which many have described as the oldest depiction of a werewolf, wolf-man, or lycanthrope. The story of Lycaon,...
Oct 29, 2023•15 min
Spiritual seekers from across religious traditions have had profound experiences within the natural world. Comparing the role of nature in selected Jewish, Christian, and Muslim teachings demonstrates the harmonious role that nature serves in the Abrahamic religions. Jesus' parables of the sower and the fig trees in the Gospels show how we can be inspired by the natural world to change ourselves; te Jewish principle of bal tashchit demonstrates how nature informs ethics; and the Quran's invitati...
Oct 09, 2023•20 min
Hans Christian Andersen's original telling of The Little Mermaid is probably very different from the one you know. The mermaid's transformation is far less pleasant, there is no mention of true love's kiss, and what is she doing with that knife? A close reading and a look into the life of Hans Christian Andersen, a liminal figure caught between two societies, shows a powerful message that applies to each of us. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story &am...
Aug 06, 2023•19 min
Exploring Jātaka tales, stories of the past lives of the Buddha, allows us to better understand the world of folktales, history of the early Buddhist community, and the journey of the soul in reincarnation across the cosmos toward enlightenment. We will explore nine of the 547 Jātakas: Sammodamana, Suvannahamsa, Nigrodhamiga, Mandhatu, Vedabbha, Mahajanaka, Sama, Muga-Pakkha, and Vessantara. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning.” Support...
Jul 02, 2023•18 min
Many people have encountered Ireland over the millennia. The Emerald Isle has hosted scholars and poets, as well as fierce warriors and mighty High Kings. All have been touched by the land differently, and no one has left the same. We see this in the oldest stories of the old Celtic gods, the Tuatha Dé Danann, including figures such as the Dagda, the Morrigan, and Lugh, and their battle against the Fomoire, the fierce anti-gods including Elatha, Bres, and Balor, the giant champion with a destruc...
Jul 02, 2023•17 min
An in-depth podcast conversation exploring philosophy, mythology, rhetoric, justice, the Ancient Greek afterlife, and more! Plato's Gorgias is not one of his most famous dialogues, but is one of the most mysterious and thought-provoking, as Socrates discusses virtue with some of Classical Athens' most prolific thinkers. The dialogue ends with a fantastic account of the last judgement, in which Socrates ponders the nature of the eternal soul. So, naturally, it took a philosopher and a mythographe...
Mar 09, 2023•48 min
The Japanese Ministry of Forestry promotes mindful time in nature, called forest bathing, citing health benefits for those in urban environments to spend time in the natural world. This video explores the deep reverence for nature at the heart of Japanese culture, through the lens of Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion, and traditional folk tales. I spend some time in nature to try forest bathing for myself, and share the experience, results, and connections to traditional Japanese culture. Myth...
Mar 09, 2023•11 min
It is said that when you hear a story about Coyote, it is really a story about yourself. Coyote stories are found in traditional folklore across North America, with the trickster figure one of the most recurring characters in Native American mythology. The three legends which we will share today show a variety of themes in Coyote myths, and how similar the spirit animal is to us, living in the space between the animal and the divine. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly t...
Feb 02, 2023•14 min
Even listening can be an act of great compassion. Thank you. Called the Buddha of Compassion, the Goddess of Mercy, the One Who Hears the Suffering of the World, and many other names, Avalokiteśvara is one of the most widely revered Buddhist figures. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning.” Support the channel by subscribing, liking, and commenting to join the conversation! Patreon: https://patreon.com/mythosandlogos The purpose of this ch...
Nov 27, 2022•17 min
Virgil's Aeneid is the Ancient Roman epic penned as a sequel to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, that tells the story of the Trojan War and its aftermath from a hero on the Trojan side, Aeneas. The epic poem has dramatic scenes, personal and cosmic in scale. Following Aeneas from Troy's fall, the end of the world as he knew it, through his struggles to rebuild, and glimpses into the glorious future to come. All of this is due to a careful relationship between the past and future, and knowing what is w...
Sep 11, 2022•20 min
Homer's Odyssey is a massively influential poem from Ancient Greece filled with epic battles, fantastic monsters, gods, spirits, and a journey around the known world and into the underworld. Through three episodes, Odysseus' encounter with the cyclops Polyphemus, his descent into the Hades where he meets his family, comrades, and the ancient hero Heracles, and his return to Ithaca and retaking of his home with his son Telemachus, we will explore the character of Odysseus, the symbolism around hi...
Jul 31, 2022•21 min
Homer's Iliad is the oldest work of European literature and forms the foundation of the Western canon. Not only does this ancient epic tell the story of the Trojan War, it contains profound emotional truths that have been understood from ancient times through the Renaissance and is harmonious with classical teachings of self discipline and the psychology of Carl Jung. Understanding the Greek Gods through an archetypal lens reveals an ancient roadmap for self improvement and overcoming anger and ...
Jul 31, 2022•18 min
Ambiment - The Ambient by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under Creative Commons
May 29, 2022•1 min
The marriage of the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati is a beautiful story of union, with symbolism that applies from the highest cosmic levels to the inner workings of our consciousness. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning.” Support the channel by subscribing, liking, and commenting to join the conversation! Patreon: https://patreon.com/mythosandlogos The purpose of this channel is to share the important stories at the foundation of human c...
May 08, 2022•19 min•Ep. 30
Myths and legends can often seem strange to us. But behind shapeshifters, ancient curses, and magic spells are surprisingly practical, down-to-earth meanings. One of the best ways to see this is to look at the influences of ancient stories that carry through into modern works. One Old Norse story, The Saga of the Volsungs, features themes of power, corruption, and transformation using a symbolic language that will be well familiar to fans of works like JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Mythos &am...
Mar 23, 2022•17 min•Ep. 26
The Divine Comedy is one of the most influential works in history, shaping much of modern Italian language and culture, and serving as the inspiration for countless other works. This is because Dante Alighieri's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven mirrors an internal journey that is taken by all. This look at all three books of the Divine Comedy, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, will explore the psychological and spiritual symbolism in the structure of this masterpiece of the Renaissan...
Mar 20, 2022•25 min•Ep. 29
People from all around the world go through rites of passage. Some are once-in-a-lifetime events, others happen regularly. These are the moments that form the chapters of our lives, when everything forward is different. In many Native American cultures, the most important rite of passage is a spiritual journey known as a Vision Quest. By listening to traditional Native American stories of Vision Quests, we can better understand history, living cultures, and our own journey in life. Mythos & ...
Feb 06, 2022•16 min
Pride appears across Biblical stories as one of the most dangerous sins; even angels are not immune. Likewise in our world pride can lead us into a tunnel vision, blind to others. One morning in Medieval Italy, a young man named Francis would take an act of humility that would change himself, his community, and his culture forever. This change lives in each of us; beautifully, mystically illustrated by one monk's vision of a fallen angel's empty throne, and the humble sinner who sits in its plac...
Jan 09, 2022•16 min•Ep. 27
