| The Greek word for soul is psyche, which also translates as breath, the divine breath that animates all living things. Birds, as animal guides in myth, serve as a powerful connection to the soul; the very nature of a bird's movement is to swim in the divine breath, air. If, as the ancient Greeks maintain, the soul too is part of this divine breath, then it has a special relation to the winged animals that inhabit the element of air.;Mythology can be defined as a narrative that carries one back and forth between this world and a timeless otherworld, and also as a vehicle for archetypal patterns that serve as reflections of our own inner nature. These archetypal patterns provide a blueprint for each individual's journey toward apotheosis, a connection with one's own divine essence, the soul. The heroes of myth consistently experience a transcendent life-altering experience with the divine through their archetypal journeys, through the core elements of shamanism, and most importantly, through the guidance and inspiration of winged animals, including swan, turkey, vulture, and dove.;Celtic, Greek, Roman, Navajo, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, and Christian mythologies and literary traditions reveal the essential role of the winged animal helper in achieving a wholeness and harmonic balance of the individual and community. With special attention to Marie Louise von Franz's depth psychological finding that the advice of the animal helper is essential to human success, study of the shaman's role in relationship to animals in each selected culture, and analysis of the appearance of animals that provide the necessary guidance in the Call to Adventure stage of the heroes' journeys, it is clear a relationship of mutual respect and harmony between animals and humans is an essential component to a spiritually fulfilled and inspired life.;The study concludes with recent stories of winged animals and their effects on the lives and psyches of contemporary individuals. Today, as in the ancient myths, their presence, whether in our homes, backyards, or the wilderness, is a reminder that the inspiration of the animal helper is only a breath away. |
