I’m always amazed by time. Suddenly, before you know it, time has passed and there’s no more to spare. Between that and a couple unexpected personal events, I have been delayed in getting this announcement out to the world, but…
It’s the April RoundTable!
Coming Home: An Examination of the Initiatory Needs of Soldiers at War
For this roundtable we will be exploring the experiences of war and how it relates to the liminal period so often attributed to initiation rituals. We will also be examining how story telling relates to integrating and making coherent the paradoxes of war. This roundtable is meant primarily as a starting point for a dialogue on how our study of mythology and depth psychology can help those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. With this focus we will highlight the film “The Deer Hunter” and the Tim O’Brien novel “The Things They Carried”. They about intitiatory experiences and story-telling during the Vietnam War respectively. Author and Vietnam veteran O’Brien explains that “story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth”. If this is so mythology may be integral to helping our heroes make the transition back to civilian life.
We will be meeting at Book People at 6th and Lamar on Sunday, April 27th at 1:30 in the afternoon. Weather permitting, we will meet on their wooden deck by the parking lot. Otherwise, we’ll snag some tables in the cafe area. Please RSVP by Saturday evening, or if you have any questions or need directions.
We look forward to seeing everyone there!
Also, as a PS #1: This RoundTable is now officially chartered by the Joseph Campbell Foundation!