Myth, Metaphor & Story
Myth, Metaphor, and Story
The use of myth, metaphor and story are powerful means of re-establishing communication with lost and forgotten parts of the Soul. The writings of Plato are an excellent example of how this works, so let’s explore a few :
The Cave ( Republic )
In Plato’s most well-known metaphor, we are shown prisoners sitting in a cave, forced to look at shadows on the wall before them. Because they cannot turn to see the Sun outside the cave, they are unaware of the source of the light, and unaware of the figures casting the shadows. They take the shadows to be reality.
Occasionally, a prisoner wins release from the cave, and discovers the brilliantly illuminated world outside. The contrast between the two experiences is profound.
Cavalcade of the Gods ( Phaedrus )
In this story, we see a cavalcade of gods circling high above the Earth, enjoying a perspective vaster than our own. They pause at the Vault of Heaven to gaze down upon the Earth below, and off into the Empyrean Vasts above them. They enjoy a vision of the Truth available to few humans.
However, each human has an innate affinity to a particular one of the gods, and attempts to mimic their motion, and enjoy their perspective. This echoes the Michael Teachings on the subject of Essence Roles –– which establishes that each of us is attuned to one of the seven planetary energies, and expresses it through our being in each of our Earthly lives. (More on this in Chapter 4: The Michael Teachings.)
Charioteer and Two Horses ( Phaedrus )
In this metaphor, related to the Cavalcade of the Gods, we see that each human, trying to emulate the gods, drives a chariot pulled by two horses. One horse has an inclination to climb to the heights, while the other is inclined to plunge towards the Earth. It requires constant attention of the driver to balance the two tendencies, making it difficult to maintain the trajectory of the gods.
Myth of Er ( Phaedo )
In this myth, we see not only the disposition of various Souls in the afterlife, according to the quality of their lives, but we watch them preparing for rebirth. They assemble at the river, choose different lots that determine their next life circumstances, then drink from the river of Forgetfulness before taking birth.
Plato says that all learning is Recollection, so he tries to help us remember our Soul experiences from before we were born.
Hypnotherapy
In Western Psychology, the use of myth, metaphor, and story is part of the province of hypnotherapy. Through the skillful use of suggestion, a practitioner may feed the intuition of the client by suggesting new possibilities, insights, and courses of action.
The advantage of the Mediation Corps is that –– like the gods –– they see the entire territory of our psyche: past, present, and future. Thus, they are able to float healing suggestions –– from just beyond the range of our perception –– that we are able to grasp with our intuition.