The Golden Ass Book 6: Psyches Wanderings

Psyche is wandering. Daylight, darkness,

Psyche is wandering. Daylight, darkness,

then daylight again. She's moving on.

then daylight again. She's moving on.

Pure longing and a stubborn, desperate

Pure longing and a stubborn, desperate

prayer. She can't find him. She can't

prayer. She can't find him. She can't

touch him. She can't soften what is

touch him. She can't soften what is

hardened between them. So, she shifts

hardened between them. So, she shifts

her strategy. If she can't reach Cupid

her strategy. If she can't reach Cupid

with a lover's closeness, she'll try to

with a lover's closeness, she'll try to

reach him with a devotees devotion. Then

reach him with a devotees devotion. Then

she sees it. A temple high on a mountain

she sees it. A temple high on a mountain

ridge. And she thinks, like hope always

ridge. And she thinks, like hope always

thinks, maybe he's there. Maybe the

thinks, maybe he's there. Maybe the

heights hold answers. So she climbs. She

heights hold answers. So she climbs. She

enters the shrine. Inside it's a scene

enters the shrine. Inside it's a scene

of harvest everywhere. Wheat ears are

of harvest everywhere. Wheat ears are

woven into garlands. Barley is laid out

woven into garlands. Barley is laid out

in piles. Sickles and other tools are

in piles. Sickles and other tools are

scattered around, but not in a messy

scattered around, but not in a messy

way. It looks like a holy storeroom that

way. It looks like a holy storeroom that

was abandoned right in the middle of a

was abandoned right in the middle of a

ritual. the remnants of abundance left

ritual. the remnants of abundance left

in a hurry. This isn't chaos from

in a hurry. This isn't chaos from

neglect. It's the chaos of sacred work.

neglect. It's the chaos of sacred work.

Paused. And Psyche does what a desperate

Paused. And Psyche does what a desperate

soul does when it enters a place of

soul does when it enters a place of

power. She makes herself useful. She

power. She makes herself useful. She

starts sorting. She straightens

starts sorting. She straightens

everything. She arranges the offerings

everything. She arranges the offerings

into clean, neat order, piling each

into clean, neat order, piling each

thing with care, as if the very act of

thing with care, as if the very act of

tithing is a prayer. because she knows

tithing is a prayer. because she knows

something important. When you don't know

something important. When you don't know

which god can help you, you honor every

which god can help you, you honor every

single altar you meet. And then Siri

single altar you meet. And then Siri

arrives, not with thunder or spectacle,

arrives, not with thunder or spectacle,

just a presence, bountiful, practical,

just a presence, bountiful, practical,

ancient. She sees Psyche tending her

ancient. She sees Psyche tending her

shrine and speaks to her with a tone

shrine and speaks to her with a tone

that's almost kind but also very clear.

that's almost kind but also very clear.

Psyche, poor girl. Venus is searching

Psyche, poor girl. Venus is searching

for you. She's furious. She wants to

for you. She's furious. She wants to

make an example of you. And you're here

make an example of you. And you're here

tiding my temple like you can afford to

tiding my temple like you can afford to

forget your own danger. Psyche just

forget your own danger. Psyche just

collapses at the goddess's feet. The

collapses at the goddess's feet. The

tears come fast. She wipes the floor

tears come fast. She wipes the floor

with her hair like she's trying to sweep

with her hair like she's trying to sweep

the whole world clean.

the whole world clean.

>> She begs.

>> She begs.

>> She begs by every sacred symbol she can

>> She begs by every sacred symbol she can

think of. By the mysteries of the

think of. By the mysteries of the

harvest, by the hidden rights of the

harvest, by the hidden rights of the

earth, by the old laws of seed and

earth, by the old laws of seed and

season. Hide me, she pleads.

season. Hide me, she pleads.

Just for a few days. Let me rest here

Just for a few days. Let me rest here

among your grain. Let time cool the

among your grain. Let time cool the

anger that's chasing me. Let strength

anger that's chasing me. Let strength

return to my bones. Siri listens.

return to my bones. Siri listens.

And you can feel it in the story. She

And you can feel it in the story. She

wants to help. But the divine world has

wants to help. But the divine world has

politics just like the human world. It

politics just like the human world. It

has alliances, favors, obligations,

has alliances, favors, obligations,

ancient friendships. And so Siri answers

ancient friendships. And so Siri answers

with regret. Your prayers move me. I

with regret. Your prayers move me. I

would help you, but Venus is family and

would help you, but Venus is family and

she is dear to me. I won't offend her.

she is dear to me. I won't offend her.

>> Leave now and consider yourself

>> Leave now and consider yourself

fortunate that you are not detained

fortunate that you are not detained

here.

>> So Psyche is turned away. Rejected by

here.

>> So Psyche is turned away. Rejected by

compassion and rejected by law. She

compassion and rejected by law. She

descends the mountain, carrying her

descends the mountain, carrying her

sorrow like a second body. And down in

sorrow like a second body. And down in

the valley in a dim grove, she sees

the valley in a dim grove, she sees

another temple. This one is beautiful,

another temple. This one is beautiful,

well- cared for, heavy with offerings.

well- cared for, heavy with offerings.

Ribbons embroidered with gold hang from

Ribbons embroidered with gold hang from

the branches and doorposts, inscribed

the branches and doorposts, inscribed

with thanks to the goddess who helped

with thanks to the goddess who helped

the faithful. This is the temple of

the faithful. This is the temple of

Juno. Psyche kneels at the altar, which

Juno. Psyche kneels at the altar, which

is still warm from a recent ritual, and

is still warm from a recent ritual, and

she prays with the last clean part of

she prays with the last clean part of

her voice. Sister and consort of the

her voice. Sister and consort of the

high king. Wherever they worship you,

high king. Wherever they worship you,

say Mascar Jarus, whether they call you

say Mascar Jarus, whether they call you

the guardian of marriage or the helper

the guardian of marriage or the helper

of birth be Juno, the prote.

of birth be Juno, the prote.

I am weary. I am threatened. And you

I am weary. I am threatened. And you

know the peril of a woman carrying life

know the peril of a woman carrying life

through danger. And Juno appears,

through danger. And Juno appears,

majestic, shining with authority. For a

majestic, shining with authority. For a

single heartbeat, it feels like rescue

single heartbeat, it feels like rescue

has finally arrived. But then Juno

has finally arrived. But then Juno

speaks, and it's the same lesson, just

speaks, and it's the same lesson, just

in a different robe. I wish I could

in a different robe. I wish I could

grant what you ask, but I will not go

grant what you ask, but I will not go

against Venus Mikin, my ally. And there

against Venus Mikin, my ally. And there

is a rule. I cannot shelter someone who

is a rule. I cannot shelter someone who

is claimed by another power without

is claimed by another power without

their consent. So Psyche is refused

their consent. So Psyche is refused

again, not because she's unworthy, but

again, not because she's unworthy, but

because even goddesses have limits and

because even goddesses have limits and

Psyche walks onward, carrying this

Psyche walks onward, carrying this

brutal new understanding. Kindness

brutal new understanding. Kindness

exists, but it does not always have

exists, but it does not always have

permission. Now, let's analyze what's

permission. Now, let's analyze what's

really happening here. This section of

really happening here. This section of

the myth is one of its coldest, most

the myth is one of its coldest, most

pragmatic teachings because it's not

pragmatic teachings because it's not

really about love. It's about systems.

really about love. It's about systems.

>> Psyche tiding the temple. That's her

>> Psyche tiding the temple. That's her

instinct to earn safety. When you're

instinct to earn safety. When you're

scared, you try to become useful. You

scared, you try to become useful. You

try to prove you deserve refuge. She's

try to prove you deserve refuge. She's

performing spiritual good behavior,

performing spiritual good behavior,

hoping that creating order will buy her

hoping that creating order will buy her

protection. It's a very human, very

protection. It's a very human, very

relatable impulse. Siri and Juno

relatable impulse. Siri and Juno

represent what we could call compassion

represent what we could call compassion

with constraints. They aren't villains

with constraints. They aren't villains

here. They are the adults in a universe

here. They are the adults in a universe

where every favor has consequences. They

where every favor has consequences. They

genuinely care, but they will not break

genuinely care, but they will not break

their alliances for her. This is a

their alliances for her. This is a

massive spiritual reality check.

massive spiritual reality check.

Sometimes a powerful friend still canour

Sometimes a powerful friend still canour

won't fight your battle for you. This is

won't fight your battle for you. This is

a mythic lesson about authority and

a mythic lesson about authority and

jurisdiction. In this cosmic legal

jurisdiction. In this cosmic legal

system, Venus has the claim on Psyche.

system, Venus has the claim on Psyche.

That's the core issue. Psyche is

That's the core issue. Psyche is

learning that running from shrine to

learning that running from shrine to

shrine, begging for shelter, doesn't

shrine, begging for shelter, doesn't

actually undo the central conflict. She

actually undo the central conflict. She

can't outrun the source of her problem.

can't outrun the source of her problem.

She has to eventually face the power

She has to eventually face the power

structure that holds her life hostage.

structure that holds her life hostage.

That line about her pregnancy is so

That line about her pregnancy is so

important. It's a moral argument she's

important. It's a moral argument she's

trying to leverage. She appeals to Juno

trying to leverage. She appeals to Juno

as the protector of marriage and

as the protector of marriage and

childbirth. Basically saying this

childbirth. Basically saying this

situation endangers new life, which is

situation endangers new life, which is

your domain. And Juno still says no. The

your domain. And Juno still says no. The

story is showing you how often being

story is showing you how often being

right. Dosenti automatically change what

right. Dosenti automatically change what

a powerful system chooses to do. So

a powerful system chooses to do. So

what's the practical takeaway from this

what's the practical takeaway from this

part of the journey? Sometimes you can

part of the journey? Sometimes you can

do everything respectfully.

do everything respectfully.

You show up humble. You do the right

You show up humble. You do the right

ritual. You make a compelling moral case

ritual. You make a compelling moral case

and still the door doesn't open because

and still the door doesn't open because

the real gate you need to get through is

the real gate you need to get through is

somewhere else entirely. When that

somewhere else entirely. When that

happens, the move isn't to beg harder at

happens, the move isn't to beg harder at

the wrong door. The move is to locate

the wrong door. The move is to locate

the actual gatekeeper and deal with the

the actual gatekeeper and deal with the

truth directly. Psyche has to stop

truth directly. Psyche has to stop

looking for an escape route and start

looking for an escape route and start

looking for the real path forward,

looking for the real path forward,

which, as we'll see, leads her straight

which, as we'll see, leads her straight

to the one person she's been trying to

to the one person she's been trying to

avoid. Thank you so much for watching.

avoid. Thank you so much for watching.

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If this story resonates with you, please

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into the myths that shape us. See you

into the myths that shape us. See you

next time.

next time.