Throughout I will also draw from old stories and mythology to create a linkage between personal stories and larger themes. Often when we think of myths, we think of stories or beliefs that are not true. Myths are stories that may not be literally true, but symbolically they teach us great truths. This is why they have flourished throughout all cultures at all times. They place us on a strand of an ancient web and help to remind us that our lives are deeper, broader, and bigger than we might realize.
Myths speak a symbolic language and make use of metaphor.
Metaphors serve as a lens to highlight certain features or make a particular point. So I would like to lead you into this book with a story. One morning the teacher announced to his disciples that they would walk to the top of the mountain. The disciples were surprised because even those who had been with him for years thought the teacher was oblivious to the mountain whose crest looked serenely down on their town. By midday it became apparent that the teacher had lost direction.