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Joseph Campbell - Mythos, Vol. 2: The Shaping of the Eastern Tradition (5 Video Box Set) [VHS]

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An inpiring journey through eastern perennial philosophy by the man who could turn out to be the most important thinker of the twentiest century. In the last year of his live Campbell gave one more lecture tour so that it could be filmed and reproduced. This one series of five is obviously his favourite subject. Inspiring, informative and amusing...

This is a 5 video set of Joseph Campbell lectures hosted by Susan Sarandon, that looks at the mythology of Hinduism, Buddhism, Kundalini Yoga, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Campbell shows that all these mythological images and stories are useful as long as they are recognized as images and not the reality. When one confuses the eternal and transcendent with the physical and ego-self enlightenment cannot be attained. And he refers often to Christian mythology and shows how similar it is to that of the East. The difference is Hindus don't believe there was an actual egg that broke open and 9 elephants came out (which is part of the mythology). They know it's symbolic; problem is many if not most Christians can't see their own mythology and take it literally.
He covers many profound spiritual ideas including death, the sutras, and the shakras. And the shakra at the top of the head is nirvana, when we realize we are one with the universe in the cosmic consciousness of the eternal present. So these myths are great to point the way. They are NOT what the way points to.
For as Lao Tzu says, those who speak (of what the way points to) do not know; those who know do not speak.