Orpheus and Gelert: A Dual Analysis of Unspeakable Loss and the Search for Meaning and Hope

Explore how experiences of loss can teach us how to navigate the underworld – where we can find life again if we can bear the risk of getting lost ourselves. Myths and legends that talk about loss illustrate how the promise of new life is always present, but only if we are willing to consciously enter the underworld – to willingly explore the sometimes dangerous depths of our grief. In this seminar, we will analyze how the Greek myth of Orpheus and the Welsh tale of Llywelyn the Great’s faithful hound, Gelert, both address the unspeakable pain that follows experiences of loss and teach us ways of navigating the underworld – where we can find life again if we can bear the risk of getting lost ourselves. A short active imagination exercise will help us uncover the images of loss and rebirth that we are currently living.