“Sacrifice and Bliss.” Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth. Host
Billy Moyers. 1988. DVD. Mystic Fire Video, 2001.
Sacrifice and Bliss is a segment from a series of interviews between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell that aired on PBS in 1988, entitled Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth. I purchased this DVD after watching segments from other episodes in my Humanities, World Religions, and Greek Mythology classes. I found Joseph Campbell to be a both interesting and educating.
It’s difficult to summarize a video like Sacrifice and Bliss, as it is a series of questions and profound statements. Joseph Campbell felt that it is important for people to have a sacred place. A sacred place could be a place or a time everyday where they go and don’t think about debt, news, friends, and worries. The sacred place is a creative incubation space; take advantage of it to listen to your favorite music or read a book you’ve wanted to read. He said that if you take advantage of this sacred place good things will happen.
In this segment Joseph Campbell discusses the need for sacrifice in order to have new life. He told a story about a young boy whose father was a hunter gather, and getting on in age. The boy was worried about how his father would find food in his old age. One day and Indian with feathery plumes comes and wrestles with him. The Indian tells the boy that the next time he comes, the boy should kill him and bury his head and take care of it. The boy does so, and from the Indian’s head comes corn. There are similar stories in all cultures of man. There can be two reasons for this: 1 – The human psyche is the same all over the world and 2 – As people travel the myths of the people are diffused into other lands.
Another story that always stays with me when I watch this video is about a tribe living in New Guinea. There is a lengthy ritual of three or four days. On the final day the young boys that are about to become young men have their first sexual experience. A type of shed is built on log supports. A young girl is dressed up like one of the people’s goddesses. One by one the young boys have intercourse with this young girl. As the final young boy finishes, the ropes holding the logs together are cut. The logs fall and crush the young boy and girl as they are joined together in sacred embrace, as they existed before male and female are separated. The bodies of the young man and woman are then roasted and eaten by everyone in the village. According to Campbell, this ritual is the same as the Christian Mass and Communion.
Campbell says that death and life are two aspects of the same thing. One is necessary for the other. As soon as you give birth, you are dead – you are now only the guardian of new life. Parents lose the drive of self-preservation when they have children. They would give their life for their child. Motherhood is a sacrifice. A father who goes to work everyday so that he can put food on the table is a hero. Likewise, marriage is a sacrifice – not to the other, but a sacrifice of ego to the relationship.
Campbell also says that life is always on the edge of death. One should lack fear and have the courage of life. He quotes the Indian braves riding through bullets at Custer’s battle, saying, “It’s a great day to die.” Campbell also uses Sir Gawain and The Green Knight as an example of why we shouldn’t fear death. Campbell feels that death is only of the body – or the vehicle of the soul. Our souls live on after death.
Finally Campbell talks about bliss. He says that bliss comes when we put aside the passing moment with it’s terror, temptations, and statements of requirements of life. Campbell feels that we should use the rules and not be used by them. If you follow your bliss, you will go where your body and soul want to be. Campbell believes in “being”, “full consciousness”, and “rapture.” If you hang on to your rapture it will bring being and consciousness. If you recognize your joy, hold on to it and don’t let it go. You may find yourself on the path you ought to be on – doors will open where you least expect them.
I strongly recommend this video to anyone interested in religion or philosophy. There is a lot of really deep, thought provoking subject matter, but Campbell breaks it down into a way that anyone can understand. I was very impressed by the fact that during this whole hour-long interview, he didn’t use any cue cards, or notes. He loved his subject matter so much that it just came freely to memory.
