When the world has dismissed the yeti as a myth, many in
Like the myth of the yeti, our country is filled with similar myths and half of our lives are immersed in it. Our oral stories are packed with legends of speaking statues, folklores injected with stories of airborne daggers and flying tigress. Many of these myths have become part of our lives, shaping our minds and the belief systems.
Some Bhutanese believe that epileptic seizure occurs only on auspicious days, such as the full moon while majority of us know that this is a myth.
So, what is myth? We know it is imagined reality or subjective truth.
If that is the case, why do people believe in it? The Bhutanese psychologist gives two reasons. For example, if we take the case of the epileptic seizure, people have been convinced through stories and their memory has recorded this subjective truth. The second likely reason is that they have drawn conclusion from their own analysis or arrived at one based on their experience allowing their minds to believe that auspicious days trigger epileptic seizure and when it does the memory will selectively store it and remember this one incident. It is normal for majority of the people to select what they like to believe in. So no matter how absurd a belief is, it is hard for anyone to convince otherwise.
Myth and memory
Memory helps reinforce myth. For example, many of us will remember eating a delicious meal as a child. To a certain extent this is a myth – it was just an experience. If you eat this same meal again, it will not be half as delicious as the one in the memory. It is hard to re-create the same pleasure.
It is also like a drug addict, who enjoyed the first rush, which has been stuck in his head forever. To re-experience the rush, he takes increasing doses only to find that it is not possible to create that first kick. He knows that he will never be able to experience the initial pleasure, yet will continue to do so with the hope of re-living that first experience. Memory lets the abuser chase the experience not realizing that the first time experience was a myth because there is nothing like that outside the memory helping reinforce myths.
Self-fulfilling prophesy
It is a common tradition for Bhutanese to perform rituals when one gets sick. Now the first question the scientific mind will ask is, “How can a monk help you get well?” But, the bigger question is if we get well then what? Psychologists call this Self-fulfilling Prophesy.
To make the point clearer, let us take another example. When we embark on a long journey, it is common tradition in
Now, the question is, “Does it works?” Well most of the time it does. We know throwing a coin to reach a destination safely is a myth so the critical mind may ask, “Then how come?”
In the words of the Bhutanese psychologist, throwing the coin gives you confidence that all will be well. This is again an example of Self-fulfilling Prophesy, which helps reinforce the belief system, and it is not necessarily based on science and data.
Origin of myths
Myths flourish in societies where literacy rate is low or in places where realities of life are difficult and imposing. For example, in mountainous country like ours, natural environment is formidable and often harsh that it makes it difficult to appreciate nature, so myths are created to give us that power to help us survive, and cope with the formidability or adversities.
Role of myths
In a mountainous country, myths play an important role in the culture. According to psychologist, it reinforces the belief system of a society, assists a community to believe in natural causes and imbibes inspiration to live meaningful lives. Myths and memory help us survive so we create them making our lives more secure, content and fulfilling.
Significance of myths
The biggest advantage of myth and memory is the way it shapes our mind and defines our lives.
For example, Bhutanese revere the 8th century mystic, Guru Padmasambhava. To many of us, although the mystique is long gone, we live our lives as if he is with us. Most of us start our days making daily offerings to him and wherever we go we see images of him and it is hard to escape his presence. Many follow his instructions and they have a direct impact on our lives.
For example, the recent act on tobacco that stirred many souls is the direct result of Guru’s teaching. He was one of the first to oppose the abuse of substances that influence the consciousness. In a block print dating back to around 800 A.D., he strongly protests against the vice of alcohol consumption and the ills of smoking. The foreign word “tobacco” is mentioned in his protest. In later times, tobacco was mixed with rhubarb leaves before smoking.
Let us take the example of Guru Rinpoche where he is put on the back of a tigress and flown to Taktshang monastery. This is an example of subjective truth or imagined reality, depending on who perceives the story.
Impossible events like this un-natural incident is what you call a miracle or in a deeper sense wisdom which is equated to something bigger than man.
World leading mythologist, Devdutt, who was recently in the country, said, “the Tigress represents nature and Guru is the wisdom. Nature willingly bows to wisdom, which is often not the case, as normally humans try and control nature.”
Important for culture
Belief system is important not only for an individual but also for the culture. If it is lost then people become shallow and society’s belief becomes hollow. This is when people start looking outside spirits and beyond themselves and the community for inspiration and excitement. The risk is that people will indulge in mind-altering substance more; we are already seeing more abuse of alcohol and drugs as people try to get that kick.
Myths help keep us under a spell and certain subjugation and confine us within some boundary.
There is no argument that myth is subjective truth or imagined reality yet our Himalayan kingdom is replete with it. With a natural environment so formidable, yet so surreal, we need myths to help us survive, face the wrath of nature more gracefully and appreciate its beauty in its full splendor.
Myths help reinforce the culture and empower individuals and instill confidence in the community to provide the sense of security and fulfillment. It is for this that we should allow yetis to prowl in our mountains, let statues to speak and believe that Guru rode on the back of a tigress. After all, what is the harm?
