PanGaia #32
Myth & Legend
(paper)

PanGaia #32 - The Power of Myth & Legend

Storytelling makes the world go ’round: stories tell us who we are, what we believe, where we belong, and why the world works the way it does. Over time, the best stories grow, change, and take on a life of their own. We give them special names to define that they are more important -- more real, in spite of their obvious metaphorical or transpersonal quality -- than the ordinary tales.

We call them "myths" and "legends" and this issue of PanGaia is dedicated to celebrating them, in many forms and formats.

Patience Gent takes us on a tour of the world’s aquatic mysteries with her article, "Mermaids: Spirits or Goddesses?" while in "Urban Legends," Rachelle Wren investigates how modern folktales fit into the genre of legends we like to tell each other. If you are a fan of the cult classic the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” you’ll love "Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul." We continue with two Pagan short stories: "Pandora," by Jamie Freeman, gives her touching rendition to the Greek myth, while Janine Goss brings us a more contemporary tale in "Hot Flash."

In our oft-topic features we take a nature walk in "There Should Have Been Ravens," celebrate the magick of (literal) dark plants with "A Black Garden," and celebrate the Pagan value of "Solidarity." Not to mention the mysteries of berry-picking; a Toe-to-Toe debate on gender essentialism in Pagan ritual and culture; Gaian gardening; the movie (a cult horror classic with Pagan undertones) "Drawing Down the Moon," a family ritual for Lammas; a Red Ritual for celebrating girl's menarche; thinking like a wolf (or an owl); the Goddess in Las Vegas and much more. 80 pages, originally published in summer 2002.