Power of Myth, The - Vols. 1-6 (DVD, 2001)

I would recommend this series of interviews with Joseph Campbell to anyone that may be spiritually curious, and has the desire to expand their understanding of the dynamics of being alive. What a listener will quickly learn from Campbell is that Mythology, as it has played out around the world, is the historical development of the human psyche. Campbell weaves together an elaborate tapestry of seemingly disparate myths from different time and peoples, and extrapolates a single coherent theme of man's attempt to understand the absolute uniqueness of the human drama.

There is no argument that Joseph Campbell was a highly gifted, world renowned scholar of Mythology, but more importantly, he had the heart and aesthetic sensibilities of a poet. His passion for Mythology, together with his fearless intellect enabled him to present the world of Myth as if it were a work of art, and it was the passion of his life to show how we ourselves are a part of that work of art.

In Campbell's view, there were no differences between the conceptual paintings of Picasso, or the symbolisms found in Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake", or the cave paintings of Lascaux, or even the wild ramblings from some Sioux shaman. They each represent snapshots pulled from our collective human psyche. In fact, it was Carl Jung's research into Myth that led him to suggest the concept of a "Collective Unconscious"; an intangible realm of imagery buried in our unconscious that we all share.

What I consider the main focus of Campbell's remarks, and the questioning from Bill Moyer, is the importance for each of us to step back and see that the human psyche, or the human soul, or whatever name is assigned to it, transcends all intellectual boundaries. Religion, by its own definition, represents a boundary for which God is placed inside. Campbell makes it clear that to fully experience religion, you must read its scriptures, be that the Bible, the Koran, or the Torah, with the accent not on the denotation of the words, but on their connotation. He suggests that Holy writings must be read based not on the precise meaning of the words, but on what the words are trying to say. When that is done, contradictory facts can turn into metaphors instead, and then the metaphors (the language of myths) can open up their hidden meanings.

In the last interview in this set, "The Mask's of God", Campbell explains a mythic character that could be used as an example for the proper reading of a myth. He explains the concept behind "trickster" God's or deities found in many ancient cultures. He explains that in a number of cultures, the visual image of God is presented wearing a silly mask, or costume. The God, or God's are presented that way to teach us not to get stuck with our image of God. As Campbell describes it, the image we have of God is the final obstruction, and it's that obstruction that must be penetrated; connotation instead of denotation.

This set represents over six hours of material, and covers a very wide range of topics, from the mythology behind George Lucas' "Star Wars", to the spiritual meaning of a virgin birth, so patience is a necessity in order to get through it all, but for those who take up the challenge, the prize is a much broader understanding of what it means to be alive.

THE CHURCH DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE THIS.

"May our heterosexist, religious & materialistic friends find an open sexuality, a real god and the joys of nature".(Anon).

ABOUT THE DVD:

Following Frazer's "The Golden Bough", Campbell is a top scholar of Mythology. He shows how myths worldwide all have common threads. In this way he debunks religion, whether intended or not. Campbell once said life has no meaning, and it only becomes meaningul when one invest meaning in it. Myths can play a role in our lives, but can also be destructive when religion uses them as 'screening myths' (ie: untrue myths). Be careful of Campbell's probable heterosexist attitude, which might not be intended, however he does not touch on the great homosexual hero stories, oddly. If you want to understand Life, get this series.

OTHER DVD's OR COMPANION DVD's TO THIS DVD:

The God That Wasn't There (see how religion harms people and the environment).
Stephen Hawkings Universe (big bang and more).
The Unknown Jesus (there were many Jesus's).
The Einstein of Sex (learn about sexual behaviour).
Kinsey (learn about homosexual behaviour, and Plato's good, beauty & truth).
The Power of Myth (careful of Joseph Campbell's heterosexist interpretations).

BOOKS:

Biological Exuberance by Bruce Bahgemihl (heterosexuality not a natural norm).
Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same Sex Love by Will Roscoe.
In Quest of the Hero by Lord Raglan, Rank & Dundes (Jesus myths before Jesus).
David loved Jonathan by Tom Horner (Adam & Steve long before Eve - and more).
The Secret Gospel by Morton Smith (Jesus's male lover/s)
The Christ Myth by Arthur Drews.
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels.
Eros and the Mysteries of Love by Julius Evola.
The Man Jesus Loved by Theodore W. Jennings, Jr.
Jacob's Wound : Homoeroticism in Ancient Israel by Theodore W. Jennings, Jr.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (a must - god's hatred & world suffering).
Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra (if ever a bible of the universe it's this).
From Pre-Socratic Philosophers to Plato(first section of any philosophy book).
Homosexual Behaviour in Animals by Volker Sommer & Paul L. Vasey
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkings

The Da Vinchi Code has some helpful insights, however its heterosexist stance that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene is quite out of keeping with the homosexual hero stories and homosexual religious masters who have spanned history and prehistory. If anything, Jesus had a male lover, which is well-explained in several of the books above.


SO YOU'RE HOOKED ?

If you want to know more about debunking religion, heterosexism and greed (which serve as handmaidens to each other), or about Homosexuality and how it relates to Spirituality and Plato's 'Good, Beauty & Truth', then read my other Reviews & Guides on these Subjects, and see book list above.

Tidbit: One of the closest similarities to Jesus and the "Youth" is that of Hercules and his male lover, Hylas, with parallels like the river, a cave, nakedness, man lying upon man, wearing a loin cloth, asking the older one for love, etc.

KEY WORDS FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL HEROES & RELIGIOUS MASTERS TRADITION:

Hercules, Orpheus, Appolonius, Hadrian & Antinous, Mithras, Osiris, Dionysus, Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Savior/Saviour Gods, Mystery Schools, Resurrection Myths, Sacred Sex, Carpocrates, Gymno Gymnos, Gnostic Gospels, Mythology, Shamans, Ancient Heroes, Homosexual Heroes, Greek Heroes.

How do you argue with genius. Well done and his views are a true pleasure to listen to. I wish had his mind and his life's experience. Mr. Moyer always knows what to ask to get to the heart of the matter. I will watch more for sure.

I saw this series a few years ago on PBS TV, and I was devoted to watching all episodes. Dr. Campbell was a wonderful, thoughtful teacher. I would so have loved to have been in a class he taught. However, this series is just great, for I can watch it again and again to capture anew the enjoyment of exploring the power of myths, storytelling, good teaching, and an entertaining and educational experience, all rolled into one!

Tremendous chronicle of the myths and beliefs of all culutures throughout the world from the beginning of recorded history. Joseph Campbell was one of the most interesting, eloquent, and knowledgeable speakers on this subject to ever have existed. Very inspirational and enlightening.

All chapters of DVD were equally fascinating. The Power of Myth, if watched correctly is a wonderful tool or guide that contains an abundance of information. Regardless of ones religios disposition or lack thereof, this series will answer a great deal of questions, and still leaving you with even more. If you question the world around you, watch this series or read the manuscript. They both are handy. Joseph Cambell is such an amazingly intelligent and articulate person with a massive vocabulary so watch; you will have to read / watch two ore three times.

This is a must see for all seeking spiritual enlightenment. Joseph Campbell makes clear the history of the scriptural stories most consider unique. It DOES NOT dispel a belief in God, but offers appropriate context.

Absolutely a classic....a must see for a spiritual searcher....(as far as must,always and never can go in the search for "spiritual truth")........but I digress...Joseph Campbell at his best.Benefit profoundly from a mans life long distillation of religious and mystical teachings.I recommend this often to close friends who hit the ceiling in there spiritual lives. as a foot note when Moyers went to PBS for funding they refused him instead funding some socialist agenda filled programing,while later on it became PBS's all time leading "production". Not that Moyers is a conservative (SOCIALIST) but in this he takes a far far far back seat to Cambell's soul searching commentary,Campbell with the utmost respect to all faiths ties them all together as mans common journey to find meaning to life ,without removing ( infact clarifying) the divine..WOW .....Time well spent.

Excellent. Watched this video in graduate school and had to get a copy of it for myself. Powerful, insightful documentary about the psychological and religious themes of society. Highly recommended.

Illuminating and transforming! This series will change perceptions and educate us as to how great the similarities are between cultures.

seen power of myth years ago on pbs but did not see all the episodes,delivery time was every bit of four weeks,there was one bad spot on disc 2 that lasted a few seconds,otherwise i was satisified

The scope of the Power of Myth is quite impressive, few works fit so well in so many fields. Campbell in this interview/lecture crosses the fields of religion, philosophy, psychology, art and literature with such ease while giving his insight on his own personal journey for truth. Campbell who passed away shortly before this was aired on PBS covers his life's entire work and legacy. It's easy to see why he inspired so many artists Star Wars' George Lucas being among them.

I am greatly interested in different cultures - how they are formed, their spirituality, etc. Having checked a number of Joseph Campbell's videos out at our local library, I wanted to purchase these dvds and learn what other information Campbell had on the subject of myths. So I am very happy to have my own Campbell series.

Brilliant work. The more religious you are no matter what your faith the more you need to see this.

A master work.

Ever since I view a video of Joseph Campbell in an Collage Philosophy Class, I have enjoyed his interesting lectures on History and Religion. This will make a great addition to my Joseph Campbell book collection.

I would recommend this DVD set before I'd recommend any other DVD, book or material that I can think of. It changed my life. There are a lot of inspirational speakers out there, but no subject is quite as rich and as deeply gripping as mythology. And, no one understood mythology better than Campbell. "Follow your bless" was his advice on living, his simple wisdom for mankind. Through myth, we better understand ourselves, the obstacles we face and their value, our place in the world, and the significance of art and ritual.

Campbell knew the myth like the back of his hand. And equally impressive, he had a rare gift for explaining a complex subject to a general audience in a way that anyone could understand and appreciate. Campbell was more than a scholar, he was a great teacher and a lover of the human experience.

I enjoy studying Anthropology on a casual basis and I found this DVD to be an excellent, informative, enjoyable lesson on various cultures. A very good introduction to Joseph Campbell, who he is and what he shares. A little too light on actual information on mythology but overall a good view.

Great price - perfect description of the product. Loved the DVD which was so much more expensive elsewhere.

This dvd retail is upwards of $60, so I was very happy to find it for much less. I received it promptly, and all in tact.

The Power of Myth (Joseph Campbell) is one of the most important documents ever made to explain why we need, seek and respond to mythology. It was produced by PBS and it provides research demonstrating the relationships between all cultures and time periods. Joseph Campbell has been a major influence on all venues of the arts since the 1940's, The myths help one through all of life's stages. I bought it to play to my college classes.

An excellent review of how different cultures, religion and personal psychology affect how we move through are life's journey. Inspirational. Life changing. A must see for those seeking understanding of their personal journey.

joe campbell is able to capture the essence of myth and present it in a interesting fashion. I teach school and the kids are especially captivated by the Star Wars links.

I had this series on video tape. It's like having an 8 track. Wanted DVDs but didn't want to spend a lot. This purchase was perfect for me. Thanks.

Joseph Campell is a master storyteller and a master student of humanity. This set of interviews lays it all out. I bought a second copy because I wore out my first. If you are curious about humanity, the cross pollinization of cuture and religion, the ancient versus the modern, well then check it out. It is dense, rich with knowledge and insight. It starts for Campbell with Native American stories, then to mythologies of the world and Jungian analysis and on to the essences of god and cosmos. These conversations led me into deeper and richer adventures in humanity. Don't miss this boat, bon voyage...