The Myth of Culture and The Culture of Myth

As is highly evident, life is lived on the basis of the level of perception one has. What is poison to one, could prove to be the panacea, only if the vision changed. This change in vision, however, is a matter of thought and often, therefore, of much controversy.

Dr. Sheeba Rakesh

The Vedic culture (What we would only ironically call Hindu, today) has always taught the human mind to delve deeper and see more than just what meets the eye. However, the truth is, that even though already enunciated by the Vedic thought, this tendency is already divinely and inherently established in the human heart and mind, provided the “outer” semblances are aptly and wisely taken care of.

Myth and History

In any general discussion or understanding of the concepts of Myth and History, the former is called a “belief”(Which, almost never is real), while the latter is “facts”. The topic is exhaustive. However, a deeper perception on life would amply reveal that while all history may or may not be mythical, all myths are actually historical. In other words, myths are not just beliefs, they are lived histories. The Vedic culture, sufficiently tells us that this world around is  unreal, it is a dream and is in a constant state of flux. The religions we have are public myths while the dreams we have are private ones. All this collectively underlines the spiritual potential of Man as a species to be able to reach out to the “transcendent”; in other words, to transcend the limitation of Time, Space, Judgement and the world order….even though one accepts it, because again, one is, yet a part of the sociological myth at any given time.

Myth, as a “story of Gods”, in its simplest form opens up a dimension of the mystical space within and without the human mind. It connects one with the scientific and super scientific dimension of existence—all the same, making one wonder at the magic happening therein, in such a way that one becomes a friend of the order surrounding him or her, instead of becoming the master(which otherwise happens when one, “demythifies” existence).

The social function of Myth

 There is also, a social function of myth. This tells us, how we should live, where we live and then finally myths teach, throughout Time and Space, to live under any circumstances and finally, transcend Space and Time!

Therefore, any culture which de mystifies and de-mythifies, the existence of Nature or Man is a dangerous culture. It is based on “facts” minus the understanding of the Creative Principle within Humanity. This is where the danger of Individuality, Ego, Complexes and Hatred stems from. This is where, one tends to divorce the Self from Life, forgetting the concept of commingling and metaphors, symbolism and unity, thought and understanding…in essence drying up the very springs of Life within Oneself.

Establishing a New Life

Any culture that does not encourage, going beyond its own concepts, and establish a new Life, as it were, denies the conception of an “initiation” into the wisdom of Life. The power of creation is the divine spark within Man and t is the source of consecration of all the relationships around him. It is, the veritable, switch of his planes of consciousness…the realization of this power which makes him realize that the present culture is a complete myth, because it de-mythifies the existence around him.  This however, must mandatorily draw from the existing storehouse of the past and the present, so as not to create a future in void. The Culture of Myth must inevitably lead up to the Myth of Culture, because unless that happens, morals, ethics, love, life, dreams, do not stand to have an impact and we will surely be poor….dangerously poor for all that we stand to lose!