The Myth of the Soul

Myth under girds the soul story, the soul energy. The soul could not exist without myth, for myth makes the soul possible, its reason for being. Without myth there is no soul, for the soul by its very nature is communal not personal, and myth is the essential element is the communal. Jung taught us this: that there is a universality to myth, with basic elements common to the mythology of humanity. We all have the same basic myths, evident in our dreams, our ritual ceremonies and celebrations.

Mao taught us the class nature of mythology, as in propaganda, literature and art, it reflects class values. You love certain art and disdain other art because of your bourgeoisie education or miseducation. The grass roots appreciate certain art because it speaks to their reality and possibility, especially when it promotes radical consciousness.

Diop has taught of Northern and Southern Cradle myths, and how they differ. Diop said in the Northern Cradle or Europe they kill rather than welcome the stranger, while in the Southern Cradle or Africa they welcome the stranger, and this is true in Asia and the Americas as well, “Su casa is mi casa.” In the Arabic, “Ahlan wa sahlan”—welcome into my home and may you walk on level ground is the common greeting beyond As-Salaam Alaikum.

But in Europe the stranger was first killed then questions asked. Was he an enemy or friend, oh, sorry if he was a friend. In the Destruction of African Civilization, Chancellor Williams tells us our lack of xenophobia caused our destruction six thousand years ago. Yet to have killed the stranger first would have violated our basic mythology, our cultural prerogative. I saorw my grandmother feed strangers who knocked on her door in the projects in search of food, even white people. And all that I remember about Granny is her spirituality not her religiosity, for she was not a church going woman but she was a spiritual woman. She told my brother Ollie he would spend his life in the pen--and she told him this when we were small children. She was right. He has probably spent at least fifty of his sixty-five years in prisons and jails.

The Myth of the Soul is extracted from Marvin X's work in progress, Radical Mythology, 2009.