Similarities Between Sky Woman's Descent And Prometheus

My navigation through mythology has begun to soften the walls and awaken dormant pieces of my subconscious – areas that had been too painful to confront directly. Reading each myth has been a shamanic journey that holds my hand, walking me through the Earth and into the lower levels of my awareness. Mythology gives me access to my unconscious, and descending into the unconscious has not been overwhelming to trigger my defense mechanisms. I have connected to the theme of death and rebirth, particularly in the myths of “Sky Woman’s Descent” and “Prometheus,” and I identify with the themes and narratives as they are reflected in my own life. My lived experiences challenged me to let go of past relationships and reorient myself to the world, specifically
In the Haudenosaunee myth “Sky Woman’s Descent,” Sky Woman is tricked into jumping into a hole that carries her through the earth, away from her known world to a place of suspended time and silenced memories. This downward descent from the upper worlds to lower worlds is akin to the movement from higher levels of consciousness to the lower states of sub-consciousness. Falling into the earth, Sky Woman slowed her vibration to match those of the physical earth. With literally nothing to grasp onto, she is forced to surrender into the fall. As she fell, she was reborn into a new
The speculated purpose of defense mechanisms is to protect the mind, or ego, in a situation in which the mind cannot cope. When a situation poses a threat to the mind, an individual experiences anxiety. Forgetting the past while reorienting to a new dimension is a survival mechanism. For some, however, such a new world is too threatening. Remaining in a state of forgetfulness is simply safer for some. Before Gabe passed away last October, I self-identified in world as a step-girlfriend and mom; but after the accident that part of me no longer existed in the same manner. I was no longer that identifier and I no longer held that role in my life. This experience has not been something I can think my way out of. Before significant change in my world, I was focused, goal oriented, rational thinking, and functioned within the structured order. The passing of a child is, in my lived experience, the ultimate forced submission.
Similarly, I am learning to follow Sky Woman’s lead to surrender and trust the process of the mythic journey. As with her journey, I disconnected myself from the world I once knew. Having experienced the tragic loss of my boyfriend’s son, the way I once oriented myself to the world no longer works. I now realize that I tried to engage the external world as I did before the accident, but I can no longer function like that. In fact,