In season 3 of the Mystic Loom Podcast, we visit Brazil for a look at some of its indigenous stories as told by the various tribes of the Amazon.

In this episode we look at the Makurap myth, “The Flying Head” and use it to get a deeper insight into the plight of women in indigenous Brazilian society as well as looking at the role of “the sacred feminine” in the indigenous Brazilian cosmovision. We then branch out into the wider world and look at how this story intersects with other famous accounts of “headless women” such as the Greek tale of the Medusa whose decapitated head had the power to turn men to stone. 

We use the stories of these two headless women to help us unpack the archetype of the “scorned feminine,” one of the many manifestations of the “Dark Feminine” and look at how cultural portrayals of this sacred dimension of femininity impacts women’s spiritual development as well as their place in society.

We conclude the episode by looking at a woman’s “birth dream” and discuss how we can use ancient dream incubation techniques to help us solve the issues that plague us in our waking life.

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If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

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A NOTE ON THE FOLKTALE

"THE FLYING HEAD" from the 2002 publication "BARBECUED HUSBANDS AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE AMAZON" by Betty Mindlin.

Abridged and re-written by Dina Luna.

EPISODE MUSIC
 
"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

Stock Media provided by Stock19/ Pond5

Paschi - Peace In Earth - Ayahuasca Song, (Special Edition) Music by Pond5

Today, we will take a look at “The Frog Maiden,” a Burmese “Cinderella” story and use it to discover old animist beliefs that once flourished in Myanmar (Burma). We dive deep into the world of Burmese mythology and trace the evolution of Burmese rain-spirits and thunder-gods, following them all the way back to their humble origins as tribal frog totems. 

We look at tribal customs surrounding “frog drums,” a shamanic instrument used in parts of Myanmar to help communicate with rain spirits. These drums link the frog to both the myths and rituals of some of the oldest inhabitants of Myanmar and give us good insight into the symbolism of the frog as seen through a pan-Burmese lens.

We connect this to current practices related to Thingyan (Burmese New Year) which, to this day, is a time of year still steeped in old traditions such as water-throwing celebrations and hair-washing rituals. We link this to the cultural and spiritual significance of hair in Myanmar as well as in other parts of the world and look briefly at an old mythological Burmese ogress who entices a frog to help delouse her hair. We tie this into other mythological deities such as the Inuit goddess, Sedna, whose hair is connected to her shamanic and spiritual purpose as a " bringer of abundance."

We end the episode by looking at pre-cognitive dreams including how to identify them and how to work with them on a practical level.

This concludes our foray into the “collective unconscious” of Myanmar.

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

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A NOTE ON THE FOLKTALE

"THE FROG MAIDEN" from the 1948 publication "Burmese Folk-Tales" by Maung Htin Aung.

Abridged and re-written by Dina Luna.


EPISODE MUSIC
 
"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

Stock Media provided by Stock19/ Pond5

Law Of Relaxing Music by Pond5

In this episode we look at the whimsical and melancholic tale, “Raincloud the Crocodile” and use it to explore various beliefs about karma and reincarnation in Myanmar (Burma). 

We also look at old indigenous folk religions that link crocodiles to "the cult of the ancestors”and to the formation of Burmese shamanism, which still continues to influence modern Burmese identity up to this day. 

By unraveling the strands which connect ancient Burmese spirituality with tribal notions of "animal ancestry,” we explore how these concepts tie into cosmic themes such as time and memory, which are encoded into the spiritual anatomy of the human body by way of the chakras (subtle energy centres). 

By delving deeply into the rich and varied symbolism of the crocodile, one of the first creatures in the world to be deified by ancient man, we discover how this mighty creature is linked to the activity of the sacral chakra via the subterranean movement of our samskaras, which form every mental impression, story, dream and memory of a past that stretches further back in history than our own individual timeline, showing us that our ancestors are contemporaneous with us because they live in a realm that  influences every aspect of our lives, including the visceral reality of our physical bodies.

We conclude the episode by looking at the themes of déja-vu and reincarnation in dreams and how to identify if you’ve had a “past life dream.”

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

https://ko-fi.com/themysticloom

PERSONAL WEBSITE

www.themysticloom.com

A NOTE ON THE FOLKTALE

"RAINCLOUD THE CROCODILE" from the 1948 publication "Burmese Folk-Tales" by Maung Htin Aung.

Abridged and re-written by Dina Luna.

EPISODE MUSIC
 
"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

Stock Media provided by Stock19/ Pond5

Law Of Relaxing Music by Pond5

Paschi - Peace In Earth - Ayahuasca Song, (Special Edition) Music by Pond5

In this episode, we look at the Myanmar fairytale The Diminutive Flute Player  and  see what it has to say about the role of women in modern Burmese society, tying this into past and present issues surrounding masculine-feminine power dynamics and how this echoes the cosmic dance of Shakti (feminine power) and Shiva (the light of masculine consciousness). 

In addition to this, we discuss the significance of stories featuring miniature humans and explore various esoteric and folkloric concepts that link these diminutive beings to the Hindu belief in the Ātman, or, soul. We also take a deep dive into what these miniature beings mean on both a psychological and symbolic level and tie this back into Burmese and global folklore, thereby bridging the gap between mythology and depth psychology.

We conclude the episode by analysing the dream of a subscriber and what it means to dream of music all the while giving listeners step-by-step instructions on how to use a simple, three-step process which will enable them to successfully analyse their own dreams. 

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

https://ko-fi.com/themysticloom

INFORMATION ON THE FOLKTALE

"THE DIMINUTIVE FLUTE PLAYER" from the 1948 publication "Burmese Folk-Tales" by Maung Htin Aung.  Abridged by Dina Luna.

Visit www.themysticloom.com for more information.

EPISODE MUSIC

"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

Stock Media provided by Stock19 / Pond5

Law Of Relaxing Music by Pond5

This episode kicks off Season 2 and the start of our journey through the collective unconscious of Myanmar (Burma).

We start off by looking at the fairytale The Snake Prince and then discuss the significance of the snake in Myanmar culture using different time periods as a lens to help us gain deeper insight into the “collective soul” of the nation. By looking at what the snake has represented in the past, present and future of Myanmar, we are able to weave together various strands of the nation’s folklore, history and ancient shamanic rituals to paint a vivid picture of its people and their deep connection to different manifestations of the Divine Feminine.

We conclude the episode by analysing a snake dream of a subscriber that helps us broaden our understanding of the archetype of the Snake, which we do by using different cultural representations of the creature to help amplify and illuminate its hidden meaning and its links to magic, medicine and shamanism.

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

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"THE SNAKE PRINCE" from the 1948 publication "Burmese Folk-Tales" by Maung Htin Aung. Abridged by Dina Luna.

PERSONAL WEBSITE

Visit www.themysticloom.com for more information.

EPISODE MUSIC

"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

Stock Media provided by Stock19 / Pond5

In this episode, we look at the Trini fairytale Sweet Misery and discuss the symbol of the monkey in both a mythical and indigenous context while relating it back to the collective unconscious of Trinidad and Tobago.

We use the symbolism of the monkey to look at the themes of ownership, autonomy and exploitation that are touched upon in this tale, exploring them through both a Trinidadian and a global lens.

Before concluding the episode with one of our listener’s dreams, we discuss the importance of finding the courage to take fate into our own hands while, paradoxically, submitting to the divine will of the Universe. This episode concludes our journey through the collective unconscious of Trinidad & Tobago.

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS:

If you are interested in having one of your dreams analysed in a future episode, please consider becoming a subscriber. You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the link below.

 
 https://ko-fi.com/themysticloom 

PERSONAL WEBSITE

www.themysticloom.com

EPISODE MUSIC

"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio
 
 "Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad" by Pond5
 
 Stock Media provided by Borth_Music / Pond5
 
 Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad - P5 Music by Pond5 

In this episode, we look at the Trinidadian “origin story” How the Agouti Lost his Tail, which is about one of the most notorious animal-tricksters in the indigenous storytelling traditions of the Americas.

We look at the unique anatomy of the agouti, tying it into the geography of the region and the fragile sense of identity that often comes with being a “hybrid human.” We relate this back to indigenous concepts of the trickster archetype and look at how the figure of the trickster has expressed itself in Trini society throughout history.

The trickster, with its strong links to indigenous Caribbean shamanism, also highlights global themes of individualism vs collectivism which we touch upon in this episode.

We conclude our session by looking at a subscriber’s dream and tying it into themes of approval and belonging versus the anxiety, fragmentation and social alienation that often comes with being a misfit or social outcast.

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

https://ko-fi.com/themysticloom

PERSONAL WEBSITE

http://www.themysticloom.com

EPISODE MUSIC

"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio
 
"Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad" by Pond5
 
Stock Media provided by Borth_Music / Pond5
 
Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad - P5 Music by Pond5

In episode two of the Mystic Loom Podcast, we look at the Trinidadian fairytale Young and Old Nelson and explore what it has to say about the ancient theme of rivalry between fathers and sons, discussing its implications in both mythic and mundane life in Trinidad and Tobago.

We also investigate how rivalry influences issues such as personal authority in the context of colonial rule and look at the lessons we can learn from mythology’s – and history’s – “Terrible Fathers.”

By unpacking the “Terrible Father” archetype, we tie it into issues such as identity, freedom and sovereignty while unpacking the mythical symbolism of the bull, with its strong links to ancient African shamanism and Trini folk-games such as kalinda stick-fighting, which have both foreshadowed the worrying rise in Trinidad's violent gang culture. 

The episode ends by interpreting the dream of one of our listeners, whose themes overlap with the ancient, mythic themes touched upon in this installment of the podcast.

KO-FI MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS:

https://ko-fi.com/themysticloom

PERSONAL WEBSITE

www.themysticloom.com

EPISODE MUSIC

"Row Row Row Your Boat" By SoundRoseStudio

"Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad" by Pond5

Stock Media provided by Borth_Music / Pond5

Calypso Steel Drum Trinidad - P5 Music by Pond5