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Original lectures given by Joe Campbell - 5 CASSETTES - 5 hours

Publisher, HighBridge Audio (November 1996)

"A wonderful life force comes through when Joe speaks." --George Lucas, 'Star Wars' author & director

From the work that brought him to national prominence to the key lectures he kept in his own study, this volume is an important piece of The Joseph Campbell Audio Collection and presents listeners with his timeless wisdom, provocative insights, and terrific stories.

CASSETTE 1: The Celebration of Life - Evidence from early shrines and cave art suggests that more than 100,000 years ago human beings were aware of a mystery reaching far beyond themselves. During the past few centuries, investigations into early mythologies and the religions that followed have revealed certain basic motifs and recurring themes. In this talk Joseph Campbell shows how these ancient myths and symbols celebrate the mysteries of life and sustain humankind to the present day.

CASSETTE 2: The Individual in Oriental Mythology - In Western mythologies, the individual personality is a permanent entity, surviving as a distinct and definable self even in the afterworld. In Oriental mythologies, there is no enduring personality, but rather a "reincarnating nomad," an entity which goes through a series of bodies, putting them on and taking them off as if they were clothes. In this lecture, Joseph Campbell illuminates this fundamental difference between Eastern and Western beliefs and explores the way in which these ideas influence us today.

CASSETTE 3: Symbolism and the Individual - Two systems are ideals--one teaching the beauty and majesty of submission to God, the other emphasizing the values of heroism and humankind--have long been at odds, especially in the Christian tradition. In this lecture, Joseph Campbell explores the concepts of Christ both as a Promethean figure and a Job figure--bringing the fire of redemption, suffering for our sins--and describes the crucifix as a synthesizing symbol, a sign of divinity and humanity alike.

CASSETTE 4: New Horizons -With the coming of the scientific revolution, the notion of "truth" was replaced by a tireless quest for knowledge. Humankind saw the protective horizon of the universe disappear, replaced by ever-changing hypotheses and indistinct horizons. In this two-part lecture, Joseph Campbell considers how science has challenged human beliefs, the perceptions of the individual, and the meanings of mythology, and then explores the impact of science on "the adventurous enterprise of today."

CASSETTE 5: The Vitality of Myth - Dreams---the initiate noise of our existence--are the place where two levels of consciousness meet: the consciousness we witness, and the consciousness of our inner being. Dreams can lead us to an awareness of the divinity within us. In this lecture, Joseph Campbell explores the significance of dreams and their relationship to myths, how certain Western beliefs have translated myths into "waking consciousness" symbols, and why Eastern teachers have proved so attractive to Westerners. He then goes on to explain how yoga can give us access to "deep sleep awake" and the visions of awareness that await us there.