Attend a Bard School

Background

In times past one of the primary skills of the Poet (Bard) was to memorise the mythic tales – it was ‘Five Times Fifty Primary Stories and Twice Fifty Secondary Stories’ (Book of Leinster). These feats of memorisation were more central in a culture that has no recourse to writing. The oral telling to ‘King an Chiefs’ at important assemblies, weddings, feasts and on the evening of battle ‘were the times of the tellings’. This is about building on this rich tradition of a profession that was once the most respected in the Country.

Focus

Today the focus of a Bard School is both similar and different. A depth of familiarity with the mythic tales is still of central importance. However, what is now more relevant is the application of the myths in practical ways in the world. The Bard School believes in the myth because of the enduring timeless relevance of the stories. Essentially these myths are about modernity.

What the Bard School also does is to draw on relevant modern insights and scholarship in diverse areas:

• Interpreting story: folklore, mythology, semiotics and formalism
• Interpreting culture: film, TV and advertising
• Group and individual psychology
• Neuroscience and behavioural economics
• Disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, biology, and systems theory.

However, this programme is less focused on theory and more on relevant applications in the world. This is about the development of practitioners. The profession is that of the Mythographer – one that is able to see the mythic roots beneath the surface of all the stories, news, entertainment, cultural criticism, able to see the underlying forces (currents) that shape modern life and then find ways to apply the insights to affect positive change.

Course Content

Bard Mythologies and the Bard School is about becoming a ‘Mythographer’, someone who has what is called ‘Silver Branch Perception’ through an immersion in Myth, Archetype, Folklore, Symbol and Myth.

What this develops is Cultural Fitness which means being competent to see the cultures we live in, adapt and transform these cultures through Story and World Making.

By this modern day experience of the ancient stories we acquire the deep forgotten Bardic Wisdom, which is about Perception, seeing beneath the surface. Inspiration being inspired by great archetypes and stories and Action, which are trying things out, making things happen, and finally Learning from this journey means we see even deeper and we continue refreshed.

We develop the Myths we want to live by. We become our own ‘World Maker’.

Bard Mythologies adds to this ancient wisdom ways of ‘Making Networks Work’, insights on ‘De-Centralised Thinking’, developments from neuroscience that confirm what the Bards always knew and also the ability to analyse Film, TV, and all the rest of the stuff of Culture.

And so by an extended Immersion in the mythic stories, by learning from others in the group and trying things out, we become our own storyteller.

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