Home Forums Blogs Articles Photos Videos Contact FAQ

Myth, Mythology

Myth, Mythology: Spiritual - Theosophy Dictionary on Myth, Mythology

Myth, Mythology [from Greek mythos a secret word, secret speech]

An occult tale or mystic legend; the modern use varies from an allegorical story to pure fiction. Myths are after all ancient history and are built on facts or on a substratum of fact, as has proved true in the case of Troy and Crete.

A symbolic record of archaic truths, universally prevalent among mankind, as in such stories as that of the Ark, which are almost universally discoverable and identical not in detail but in essential underlying features among the most widely sundered peoples. Myths contain the universal keys which can be applied to anything, and preserve undying and essential truths, so that variations of external form are unimportant. Such truths, being preserved in the racial memory of mankind, can always be kept essentially true to standard; and thus this means of handing-on can correct itself.

Early races of mankind were taught directly by their divine instructors; and in later times, when this mode of teaching was no longer available, the instructions were committed to the racial memory in the guise of allegories: this is the origin of the world's myths. The labors of Hercules, paralleled in the mythologies of some other lands, preserve an epitome of the history of evolution in twelve chapters; tales of heroes seeking to win damsels and having to slay dragons, preserve the drama of the soul in its quest for truth; and so on.

(See also: Myth, Mythology, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Myth, Mythology Dictionary, Spirituality, Spiritual, Information about Myth, Mythology Principles, Myth, Mythology Facts about Myth, Mythology Fact Basics Myth, Mythology Defined, Define Facts, Definitions, What is Myth, Mythology Principle, Definition Myth, Mythology Overview, Introduction to Myth, Mythology Information on Meaning of Myth, Mythology Religion, Religions, Religious, , hindu, Hinduism, veda, Vedas, India, Indian, Theosophy Dictionary - M, Theosophy Encyclopaedia - M, Theosophy Glossary - M, Theosophy Terminology - M, Theosophy Terms - M, Mysticism Dictionary - M, Mysticism Encyclopaedia - M, Mysticism Glossary - M, Mysticism Terminology - M, Mysticism Terms - M, Occultism Dictionary - M, Occultism Encyclopaedia - M, Occultism Glossary - M, Occultism Terminology - M, Occultism Terms - M, Occult Dictionary - M, Occult Encyclopaedia - M, Occult Glossary - M, Occultism Terminology - M, Occult Terms - M,

Myth, Mythology: Spiritual - Theosophy Dictionary on Myth, Mythology

Myth, Mythology [from Greek mythos a secret word, secret speech]

For articles related to Myth, Mythology , see: Myth, Mythology , Occultism, Occultism Dictionary, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul.

Definition of Myth, Mythology is extracted from the home page of The Theosophical Society, International Headquarters, Pasadena, California. A Society founded in 1875 in an effort to promote the expressed awareness of the Oneness of Life.

"The Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary is presented to the public as a work in progress. The manuscript, produced originally in the 1930s and '40s, is currently being revised and expanded by the Editorial Committee. Theosophical University Press is presenting this working version online because, even in its present unfinished form, we feel that the contents will be of value to students of theosophical literature, particularly of the works of H. P. Blavatsky. "

Please visit http://www.theosociety.org for more information.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

BCW - H. P. Blavatsky: Collected Writings, BG - Bhagavad-Gita, BP - Bhagavata Purana, cf - confer, ChU - Chandogya Upanishad , Dial, Dialogues - The Dialogues of G. de Purucker, ed. A. L. Conger, Echoes - Echoes from the Orient, by William Q. Judge (comp. Dara Eklund), Myth, Mythology , ET - The Esoteric Tradition, by G. de Purucker, FSO - Fountain-Source of Occultism, by G. de Purucker, Fund - Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy, by G. de Purucker, IU - Isis Unveiled, by H. P. Blavatsky, MB - Mahabharata , MIE - Man in Evolution, by G. de Purucker, Myth, Mythology , ML - The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, ed. A. Trevor Barker, OG - Occult Glossary, by G. de Purucker, Rev - Revelations, RV - Rig Veda , SD - The Secret Doctrine, by H. P. Blavatsky, SOPh - Studies in Occult Philosophy, by G. de Purucker, TBL - Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge (Secret Doctrine Commentary), by H. P. Blavatsky, TG - Theosophical Glossary, by H. P. Blavatsky, Myth, Mythology , Theos - The Theosophist (magazine), VP - Vishnu Purana , VS - The Voice of the Silence, by H. P. Blavatsky, WG - Working Glossary, by William Q. Judge, ZA - Zend-Avesta