The ocean has been a prominent and enigmatic feature in myth and folklore across cultures worldwide. It is often depicted as a source of nourishment and life, holding immense power and mystery within its depths. In some tales, the ocean is personified as a deity or spiritual being, governing the seas and influencing the fates of sailors and adventurers. Conversely, it can also be portrayed as a fearsome, treacherous and unpredictable force, capable of unleashing devastating storms and swallowing entire ships without a trace. In legends, myths and folktales throughout the world, the presence of the ocean as the background setting or obstacle to be overcome often comes with stories of transformation, of courage and bravery, as well as tragedy, as well as stories of wonder and bridging the unbridgeable, or finding something hidden in the depths. The ocean serves as a metaphor for our own human struggle to contend with other aspects of our lives that are similarly awe-inspiring, courage-requiring, tragic and overwhelming as well as the hidden aspects that lie deep beneath the surface of our consciousness beckoning us to bravely explore.
Carving the Dragon and Crane handcrafted linocut
One of the most heartwarming stories from Vietnamese maritime folklore is a love story between a mountain crane and an ocean dragon that takes place where the ocean meets the land. This unique coupling results in a marriage between two worlds and the birth one hundred eggs that hatch into the Vietnamese people. Perhaps the story suggests we be open to potential fruits that come from unusual connections, and even ultimately how all life springs forth from a relationship - even one between two vastly different things. This seems strikingly similar to the concept of Yin and Yang. Represented by contrasting gendered forces, both the concept of Yin and Yang and the wisdom offered by this love story highlights the interdependence and interconnectedness of these opposing energies and invites us to ask ourselves how we can reap the benefits of forging similar connections that bridge worlds in our own lives.
Sedna, drying the freshly printed linocut
In the Inuit tale of Sedna, a woman is deceived by her husband however, in the process of being saved by her father, is also betrayed by her father (her only trusted relative) who drowns her in the ocean. In the underwater world she transforms from victim to powerful agent, becoming the goddess of the underworld and the source from whom all humans must depend for their food. In this story the ocean serves as both the cause of Sedna’s death, as well as a place where she undergoes a deep reckoning with the uncomfortable and painful truth of her past. Up until then her father’s untrustworthiness, as well as her own power, was a shadow, hidden just below the surface of her own awareness. It is through living in that uncomfortable place, hat she finds her power, her identity and her gift to others. I love how this suggests that what is hidden from us may be painful, and ugly, but also at the same time, may also be something that once realized, may help us reach our full potential. Once again, what happens above the surface of the water and below, mimics the archetype of Yin and Yang, illustrating how opposite forces are interconnected and interdependent. Through exploring folktales like Sedna and the Dragon and Crane, we gain a deeper understanding of the necessity for harmony between conflicting elements in the universe and within ourselves. By embracing the lessons of this archetype, folklore guides us towards a greater awareness of the intricacies of life and the significance of finding equilibrium amidst opposing forces.
In the Scottish/Irish tale of the Selkie, a shapeshifting seal-woman is robbed of her pelt by a human with whom she bears a child. Unable to return to her home in the sea, her skin begins to dry up and she loses her vitality. In this folktale, we learn the world that lies hidden beneath the surface of the sea is crucial to Selkie’s thriving, yet to return home she must also leave behind her precious child. Once again, the ocean world and the vitality, belonging and identity it provides serves as a contrast to Selkie’s experience on the land which comes with a diminishing sense of her Self, and her own life-force. This folktale that weaves together the Selkie’s longing for her home in the ocean as well as her deep love for her child from the land, showing us how both worlds are intimately tied together, that love and loss are two sides of the same coin.
In all three folktales, the ocean is great primordial saltwater womb of sorts, playing a vital role the birth of something new, or a transformation or rite-of-passage, often also involving grief, loss or pain. In the Vietnamese story, the ocean is the element from which the Dragon comes, leading to the magical coupling with a Crane which results in one hundred eggs. However, despite the heartbreak from their tragic separation in the end, there is a sense of joy that their progeny live on, a physical manifestation of the coupling of both land and sea. In the Inuit tale, Sedna’s drowning in the salt water can be symbolic of the depth to which she bravely descended into the salty tears of her own pain, and only then is she able to come to awareness of her true power and step into a more powerful and life-giving Goddess of the Underworld. In the Irish folktale, by returning to the ocean Selkie must lose her family and her only child, a heartbreaking choice she has to make in order to find herself again.
Selkie, a handmade linocut print
The ocean serves as a vast reservoir of wisdom connected to the psychic unconscious, holding mysteries and depths that mirror the complexities of the human psyche, as Carl Jung says “The sea is the favorite symbol for the unconscious, the mother of all that lives”. Just as the ocean teems with life both seen and unseen, our unconscious minds are filled with untapped potentials and hidden truths waiting to be explored. Through myth and folktales, we navigate this metaphorical ocean, finding archetypal stories and characters that resonate with our own inner struggles and desires. These tales act as guiding lights, illuminating the path to self-discovery and helping us individuate by recognizing and integrating the diverse aspects of our selves. By delving into these timeless narratives, we embark on a journey of introspection and transformation, mirroring the ebb and flow of the tides within us and forging a deeper connection to our own personhood, true authentic identity and our full potential.
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Chum on Pexels
References:
Jung, Carl (1991). Psyche & Symbol. Princeton University Press; Second Printing edition.
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