Mythology and Folklore Blog

 Be a Mirror I thioght this article had some really great practical ways we can give better feedback. Be specific, focus on what the reader is doing, focus on the process, make sure it can transfer, and take yourself out of the feedback. I love how this is constantly highlighting impartiality and objective criticism. I often fear criticism because I feel like its a personal attack. if you don't like my writing its because you don't like me. But, through getting in the mind of a good feedback giver I can see that is not the case at all. Highly recommend this one! Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" I know im guilty of doing this all the time! I never saw it as a bad thing though. I figured everyone needs positive feedback right? Wrong. It turns out this can be really influential. If we are always telling people they did great, they will never improve or change. We can't be afraid to point out ways others can be improving. I actually believe now, that if you rea...

 The Beggar King Story source: Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa (1919). Original Source Plot: Proud King Hagag sat and listened to his priest read a passage about how riches don't last forever.  He grew mad at this and asked who wrote those words.  When the priest told him it was from the book the king took the book and ripped out those pages.  Then the king went hunting a deer that eventually got caught in some tree branches.  The deer freed itself and the king continues after it on foot. He turned a corner and didn't see a deer but a young man in deer skin panting. He said he is a genie that lured the king there.  The genie disguised himself as the king and met the other men. The king cried and was met by a woodcutter.  HE tried to tell the woodcutter he was the king but instead the woodcutter laughed and made him work. The king lost all wealth and was essentially a begger.  Months later the 'king' had a feast for all the beggar...

The Fall of Satan Remastered. Story source: The Legends of the Jews  by Louis Ginzberg (1909).      Satan stood at the front of every line. He was the first to fall in praise and the first to offer up a sacrifice. He was by all accounts God's most loyal servant. Oh, how he loved God with everything he had, and it was precisely that love that dictated he could never bow to such a lowly creation.      When Satan saw all God had created, he was ecstatic. It was so wonderful and good! The day was joyous and filled with excitement. It was then that God demanded Satan and all of his compatriots to bow to this creation. Satan became confused “LORD LORD” he cried, “how could tho demand we pay tribute to such a thing? For it is you and you alone we praise!”.      The LORD looked down with pity. How was it that his most precious angel could understand so little? Adam was not something created apart from God, Adam was God. Made from God, and thus a...

Suicide and Salvation Source: [ LIBRIVOX: 1 - LIBRIVOX: 2 ] This was my favorite story from the B section of Adam and Eve.  Adam begins outside of the garden wishing for death.  He then threw himnslef down in misery and fell "like a corpse" Then came the WORD of God that rose him up. **words have power.** Adam begged God to remove them from the presence of the serpent. Here I believe the serpent represents temptation. God actually does it?? **God removed them from temptation... yet we live tempted all day every day?** Even after all this, Adam killed himself again. **Why would he kill himself at this point?** Eve then killed herself so she woudent have to live without Adam. God raised him from death by talking to him. He says that as long as Adam resides in gods will he will be safe from all the suffering.  Thoughts:     First of all, I found this a very relatable passage. The bible doesn't openly speak a lot on the topic of suicide and that has lead to a lot o...

 The Fall of Satan     This was my favorite story of this unit. Adam was extraordinarily blessed, arousing jealousy from the angels.  The angels tried to kill him.  Satan was particularly jealous. **it specifically mentions that Adam has a soul. This suggests that the other angels do not.** Satan refused to bow down to Adam as commanded.  God then offered a challenge. If satan could name all the animals according to what God had for them, then Adam would bow to Satan. However, if only Adam could name them according to what God had for them, Satan would be forced to bow.  **This implies that Adam did not create the names himself but just articulated the names God already had.** Satan failed the challenge and Adam did not.  Satan cried out and refused to bow leading to God casting him out. Thoughts     Initially, I was confused. It seemed that Adam was special because he was made in the image of God. Does this suggest that angels are not c...