Mythologium 2022 welcomes Dr. Sunil R. Parab

Sunil’s talk is called “Myth and Ecological Consciousness with Reference to Indian Mythology and Rituals”

Ecological consciousness has always been a core topic in Indian mythology. Indian mythology can be broadly classified into Vedic and Puranic myth. Vedic myth worships various elements of nature as the deities, so the ancient seers of the Vedic era recognize ecological consciousness through mythical symbols, characters, and stories.

In Puranic mythology, we do not see ecological consciousness worshipped directly, but we do see ecological continuity from Vedic myth in the form of symbols and rituals. As proposed by Frazer, the myths serve as charters for the rituals. As proposed by Joseph Campbell, participating in a ritual enables us to participate in the myth. Thus, Indian mythology as whole serves as a foundation for rituals that help us maintain relationships between humans and the environment. This presentation surveys the theme through symbolism and rituals and questions its continuity for the current Indian population’s struggles with urbanization, migration, globalization, and changes in political leadership.

About Sunil

Dr. Sunil R. Parab is Associate Professor at the Doon Institute of Medical Sciences in Dehradun, and a consultant at the Sindhu Veda Research Institute in Sindhudurga. He is a post-graduate practitioner of Ayurveda with an executive degree in healthcare management. He has studied manuscriptology and comparative mythology at the University of Mumbai and is currently studying for a Masters in Indology from Tilak Maharashtra University in Pune. He is a member of the International Association of Comparative Mythology and has been presenting his research in Indian mythology over the past seven years through national and international platforms. He also teaches Ayurveda, Indian philosophy, and Indian mythology through online courses.

To hear Sunil’s talk and many others, join us at the Mythologium!

The Mythologium is a conference and retreat for mythologists and friends of myth, held July 29 – 31 via Zoom in the Pacific time zone.

Mythologium 2020 welcomes Gelareh Khoie

Gelareh’s talk is called, “A Preliminary Mythology of Disco”

My talk is about the dance music genre known as disco. I will discuss the enduring influence of this movement on popular culture in terms of the mythology and archetypal underpinnings tying it to universal religious expressions such as the sphere of illumination and the liberation of consciousness through ritual, dance, music, and symbolic engagement. In particular, I will discuss the presence in my life of an archetypal image I call the Disco Prophet—a feminine dance, love, and music guru who comes from a magical and mythological world of synthesizers, neon tights, and glitter. Her image is the mirror ball and her land is the mythical dance floor beyond logic, deep in the religious precincts of soul. I will use images, prayer, music, dance, and a mirror ball to re-enact an experience of this mythical world.

About Gelareh

Gelareh Khoie is an Iranian-American artist, writer, scholar, and DJ. She holds a BFA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and two MA’s in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Gelareh is currently enrolled in the Jungian and Archetypal Studies program at PGI, working towards her Ph.D.