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We look at the myth of Narcissus, the irresistibly beautiful young man, who, it was predicted, would have a long life only if he did not know himself. But he saw his reflection in the pond, knew himself to be beautiful, and died – or rather (since this is myth) was transformed into a flower, freely sharing his beauty with others. Self-knowledge always leads to the death of some phase in our life. Music from, as usual, Dylan and the Kinks, also visits from Leonard Cohen, the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Beach Boys (are you kidding?), Debussy and Lotti. Readings from RLS, Ovid and Walt Whitman. We invite you to attend.
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TREASURE YOURSELF
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ondrea
Well, Narcissus could treasure himself only once he could see his own beauty. He had to wander into that sacred grove, where no one had been before. Where do we find such groves in our own lives? I suppose it’s found in a part of our unconscious we’ve never been to before. He came when he was thirsty, and so we too must arrive at that holy inner grove only when we’re really thirsty.
We don’t get thirsty by just sitting around, but only by running around hunting or seeking. And then letting our feet wander where they go of their own accord.
— Just playing further with this mythic imagery. And so glad you’re joining us on our Evening under Lamplight.
love, RLA
Yet self-knowledge is also what can help you recover from narcissism. It seems there is some middle ground between knowing yourself and not knowing enough about yourself that is narcissism. Because, if you understand narcissism, and understand that you are a narcissist, and understand the trap of only staring at yourself in the pond all day … the metaphor of drowning in your own self-absorption, you can heal it. In AA you learn that the only escape from the trap of addiction is to help others. To pray “… that I may seek to understand rather than to be understood,” from the Prayer of St. Francis.
Anthea Carson
author of The Dark Lake