Lesson 9: How to Approach a Fairy Tale or Myth

Fairy tales are more than simple stories—they’re symbolic maps that help us navigate the mysteries of life and uncover parts of ourselves. When reading one, try to see it not as just a narrative, but as comment on the psyche, where each character, event, and setting can reveal something about your inner world.

Fairy tales can reveal different “parts” of ourselves—our inner child, our protector, our shadow, or our creativity, etc. Each figure in a story might represent a piece of who we are: the clever fox could mirror your resourcefulness, the lost child your vulnerability, or the villain your unacknowledged fears.

Fairy tales are mirrors and teachers. By engaging with them, we not only gain insights into universal truths but also uncover forgotten, hidden, or unspoken parts of ourselves—empowering us to grow and transform.

• An important point about “masculine” and “feminine” energies; think of them not as fixed ideas of gender, but as complementary forces like yin and yang. The feminine (yin) represents intuition, receptivity, nurturing, and connection, while the masculine (yang) embodies action, logic, willpower, and structure. These energies often appear in tales as characters or themes, symbolizing aspects of our inner lives that seek harmony or resolution.

To begin:

    1. Approach the story with curiosity and imagination, letting its symbols and emotions resonate within you.

    2. Look for archetypal figures or motifs that stand out—forests, animals, treasures, characters —and ask what they might mean to you. What feelings or memories do they stir?

    3. Which characters or situations feel familiar? Are there echoes of your own fears, desires, or struggles? Could the tale be reflecting a part, or parts, of yourself you’ve overlooked? In East of the Sun, West of the Moon where do you see in yourself the girl, the Bear, the prince, the three women, the Trolls? Are there some characters where you experience an immediate feeling of “Oh no, that’s not me!”? This could be indicative of something in your shadow.

    4. Write about what you’ve discovered. For example, if you connect with a hidden princess, what might that say about a part of you longing to emerge?