Myth was regarded as primary; it was concerned with what was thought to be timeless and constant in our existence. Myth looked back to the origins of life, to the foundations of culture, and to the deepest levels of the human mind. Myth was not concerned with practical matters, but with meaning. Unless we find some significance in our lives, we mortal men and women fall very easily into despair. The mythos of a society provided people with a context that made sense of their day-to-day lives; it directed their attention to the eternal and the universal.
Karen ArmstrongI like silence; I'm a gregarious loner and without the solitude, I lose my gregariousness.
Karen ArmstrongWhatever conclusions we reach about the reality of God, the history of this idea must tell us something important about the human mind and the nature of our aspiration.
Karen ArmstrongCompassion is not feeling sorry for others. It's not soft. It requires an intellectual effort.
Karen Armstrong