What if Myths are Maps?
“Myth-telling assumes that the stories already exist in nature,
waiting to be overheard by humans who will listen for them…”
~Sean Kane
My training as an eco-theologian—and my lived experience as a spiritual ecologist within the Celtic stream of spirituality—has cultivated a recovery of a sensory experience of Holy Wisdom situated here, all around us, pulsing through the seasons, our bioregions, and the elements.
Celtic consciousness is rooted in a worldview of sacramentality: the Divine is present in all things, and Earth herself is the primary incarnation of the Sacred—scripture that can be read with the eyes of the soul. This way of seeing fosters reverence for the mystery in our midst and for the wisdom spoken through the wild seasons and the more-than-human world. It does not seek domination or conquest, but integration and belonging, because Earth herself is holy ground—animate, alive, and coursing with regenerative life forces.
My teacher and eco-theologian Sallie McFague wrote unwaveringly that the Earth is the body of God. This holy embodiment, a complete divergence from the sky-god imagination, invites reverence and reciprocity with the living Sacred Earth. It cultivates the capacity to press our ear to the soil and listen for its wisdom, as the prophet Job intones: “Speak to the Earth, and it will teach you” (Job 12:8).
In the Celtic imagination, Earth is not inert ground—it is alive, animate, and ensouled. The stories we call myths, fairy tales, folk tales, and legends arise from specific landscapes and carry the voice of the land itself. These stories are not mere entertainment—they are maps, mirrors, and medicine. Myths are waymarkers: they reveal the spirit of a place and reflect the evolving soul of the one who listens.
This is where my work within eco-theology turns its ear back to the old tales, unfolding the canon of scripture to remember and reconnect with these place-based narratives that also offer Holy Wisdom and guidance for our personhood and purpose.
If the Earth is the Body of God—and if Earth speaks in myth, as the mythologist Martin Shaw suggests—then the mythic tongue of tales carries sacred story-codes, wisdom-ways of being and becoming. What if the treasure-trove of ancient stories are maps that show the way to spiritual transformation?
Our mythopoetic identity is the deep, imaginal thread through which we come to understand our unique eco-niche—our particular place in the pattern of being. This identity is not grasped through fact or biography but felt and intuited through symbol, archetype, and image. Carl Jung called this our “personal myth.”
When we return to the old stories and reconnect with the Earth herself, we begin to remember what our soul already knows. Myths are not lies or fantasies; they are truer than literal truths. They offer symbolic representations of what is most essential and help us live into the larger questions of soul and purpose.
What is Celtic eco-theology?
Celtic eco-theology weaves together Celtic spirituality, Christian wisdom, and ecological consciousness. It sees Earth as sacred, animate, and revelatory—an expression of the Divine.
How do myths function in spiritual transformation?
Myths act as symbolic maps that reveal inner landscapes, personal purpose, and the wisdom of the places we inhabit. They guide us through transition, initiation, and belonging.
What does it mean for Earth to be the Body of God?
This perspective, rooted in theologians like Sallie McFague and echoed throughout Celtic spirituality, understands Earth as a sacred embodiment of Divine presence—holy ground that teaches, guides, and sustains.
How does Celtic spirituality view the natural world?
Celtic consciousness embraces a worldview of sacramentality: the Divine is present in all things, and the Earth itself is sacred scripture, alive with Holy Wisdom.
Combined, this is a lens for living a life that cultivates curiosity and compassion not only for the lives we have been given, but the whole community of creation. It entreats postures of presence where we practice deep listening and responding to our stories of interconnection.
Join the 2026 cohort: A 12-month learning journey to gain meaning & mystery through the Earth’s rhythms, sacred phenology, applied mythology, eco-spirituality, and the power of the feminine circle. The course runs from January 2026-December 2026. 12-Month Payment Plan: Payments start at registration and continue for 11 consecutive months. Your plan may finish before the course ends, depending on your registration date.