By Béa Aaronson PhD.
How did it all begin? The universe? The stars? The planets? Our Earth? Plants, animals, us?
In this presentation, I shall tell you many stories, all ever so magnificent, imaginative, and symbolic, of how humans have created their own way to try to understand who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. Well, where we are going is another story all together!
This coming Wednesday, April 13, we are going to unravel the mystery of life through numerous creation myths, which are in fact cosmogonies telling the story of the earliest beginnings of our present world, in our galaxy, in a time BEFORE TIME BEGAN!
First developed in oral traditions then written down, creation myths are found throughout human culture. Although not necessarily historically accurate, all creation myths, one way or another, respond to the environment in which they were created: desert, sea, rivers, mountains, forests, caves, plains, cold-hot weather, animals, and so forth.
Quite an ominous journey, one which will impel us to reflect on a period when our earliest ancestors were searching for answers about themselves, the world in which they lived, and about everything they could not explain. Eventually, their ideas were expressed in myths and legends. By studying them, we can reveal the common roots of our humanity.
There will be tons of images, art, and photographs to illustrate each story. Obviously, even in two parts, there is no way I could possibly encompass and honor all creation myths. So I had to choose.
In this first part, we shall see how the Ancient Egyptians, the Sumerians, Greek Antiquity, Zoroatrianism, the Judeo-Christian-Muslim beliefs including the Jewish Kabbalah, the Chinese, the Japanese, and the Vietnamese have imagined the mystery of creation.
Something beyond astonishment will reawaken your perception, as creation myths from all around the world share some stunning similarities in the making of planet Earth and its inhabitants. For example, the primal chaos, darkness, the primordial sea, cosmic or non-cosmic eggs, a primordial couple, and of course the CLAY THING, and THE FLOOD! Be ready to be startled and amazed!
There will be a second presentation sharing other creation myths from other parts of the world, on Wednesday April 27.
Talk
“Creation Myths”
Wed, Apr 13, 5pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Relox 50A, Centro
300 pesos
