Showing 26 articles
The Symbolic Dimension of Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Author: Ana Luisa LellisSeptember 8, 2023
“Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in the truth that is taught by life.” Friedrich Schiller Over two hundred years ago, the brothers Grimm published the first edition of their “Children’s and Household Tales”.Little did they know how important their work would be and for how long [...]
Tales from the Ramayana – The Abduction of Sita
Author: Miha KosirSeptember 8, 2023
In the world of literature there are a few well known epic stories in which the plot is built around the abduction of a woman. In the East one of them is the ancient Indian story of the Ramayana, and in the West, there is the ancient Greek story of the Iliad. These are not [...]
The Adventures of Pinocchio – an Alchemical Tale of Self-Transformation
Author: Agostino DominiciJanuary 26, 2023
I am sure that many people will be familiar with the Italian children’s story, The Adventures of Pinocchio, a 19th century novel written by Carlo Lorenzini (pseudonym C. Collodi), which became the most translated Italian book ever (it has been translated into as many as 260 languages worldwide!). The novel tells the story of a [...]
The Educational Value of Folk Tales
Author: Pinar AkhanApril 30, 2022
It is now a well-known fact that reading or telling stories to children starting from a young age has many developmental benefits. Just to name a few: stories can help to improve language and communication skills, develop the child’s brain with the ability to focus, help with associating and expressing their feelings, learning about the [...]
An Esoteric Interpretation of the Arabian Nights
Author: Ania HajostJanuary 7, 2021
When the breeze of a joyful dawn blew free In the silken sail of infancy, The tide of time flow’d back with me, The forward-flowing tide of time; And many a sheeny summer-morn, Adown the Tigris I was borne, By Bagdat’s shrines of fretted gold, High-walled gardens green and old; True Mussulman was I and [...]
Monkey – Journey to the West
Author: Jim PangJune 10, 2019
Those of you from a vintage era may remember the 1970’s Japanese TV show Monkey. It was the first time this Chinese novel from the Ming dynasty was brought to a mass Western audience and gathered a cult following. It provided a glimpse into a foreign land where you could enter a world of fantasy, [...]
The Kalevala
Author: Nataliya PetlevychMarch 27, 2019
A truly beautiful Finnish epic, in which words weave ancient stories of the world, its cycles of life and its heroes. Sung and passed on by word of mouth for centuries, it was recorded only in the 19th century by Elias Lönnrot. The word “Kalevala” means ‘land of heroes’, the abode of Kaleva, a mythical [...]
Gnomes in Folklore and Fairy Tales
Author: Ania HajostSeptember 14, 2018
Folklore and fairy tales are well known for describing all sort of incredible creatures: gnomes, dwarfs, mermaids, pixies, giants and speaking animals and birds. The famous alchemist Paracelsus made a classification of these mostly invisible beings and called them ‘elementals’ or ‘nature spirits’. He said that they can be found within the Earth (gnomes, fairies [...]
Cupid and Psyche
Author: Miha KosirJune 3, 2018
So much has been written about love that another article would seems to be almost unnecessary. But then again, do we really know what love is? Where does it come from, is it external or internal, do we need to awaken it or do we earn it? It has such tremendous powers that we can [...]
The Little Prince: A Journey Inwards
Author: Krutika MehtaSeptember 10, 2017
Most ancient traditions seem to share a dominant myth that revolves around a long and arduous journey with the hero facing danger or death, overcoming obstacles, before accomplishing his purposeful goal and returning home. Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, among others, viewed some of these heroes even as gods. Hercules and Arjuna are examples of [...]
Ulysses: The Mission to Return Home
Author: Sivan BarzilayApril 17, 2017
Are you familiar with those moments when it seems that life is talking to you, sending you some message, a direction? In the beginning, it might not seem very clear but with some extra observation and deeper investigation you become able to view the connection. And so, a few weeks ago, the name Ulysses came [...]
Treasures of old stories
Author: Natalya PetlevychFebruary 7, 2017
Our hectic city lifestyle seems to be far away from the world of fairy tales. However, their charm and hidden wisdom has been woven into the history of the world for such a long time that it has become part of the present and enhances it. Wherever we travel, local legends, traditions and symbols tell [...]