Episode 334 - Living in the Shadow of Doubt

On this episode, Michael Meade turns to a myth from Mesopotamia that tells how the genesis of mistakes, as well as the source of conflicts comes from the shadow of doubt felt by the primal god at the beginning of creation. Surprisingly, the origin of what troubles the world to this day comes not from an original sin by a creature, but from a seeming mistake on the part of the creator.   At this troubled time when people feel painfully polarized and come to believe that we live in different worlds, we are actually living in the same story. Creation stories typically show how division was part of the world from the very beginning. In mythic terms, the tension of opposites hints at a hidden third element that not only relieves the tension, but also renews life at a deeper level.   The effect of elemental tension is to stimulate life itself, the purpose of the opposing energies is to keep creation continuing. In following the old myth, it becomes clear that even the presence of great doubts about the future can be seen as part of the creative tension needed to regenerate life in terms of both nature and human culture.   Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 500 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners atpatreon.com/livingmyth.   If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well during this challenging and uncertain times and thank you for your support of our work.