here are moments when the mind feels like it’s ablaze—a raging inferno consuming every rational thought, every shred of tranquility. The fire doesn’t just burn; it devours, searing through memories, hopes, and sense of self until all that remains is a smoldering shadow. In these moments, it feels as though there’s no escape. Every attempt to douse the flames only fans them higher, and the prison of the mind tightens its grip. The walls grow higher, more insurmountable, and the darkness that seeps through the cracks becomes a suffocating presence. This is the chaos of mental struggle—a firestorm that leaves no corner of your psyche untouched.

What if the stories we tell hold the key to navigating our darkest moments? For years, I’ve walked the labyrinth of mental illness, from the dizzying heights of mania to the suffocating depths of depression, where demons clawed at my very soul. In the works of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, I found a map—a way to confront the Shadow and uncover meaning within the chaos.

This is a journey of wrestling with the monstrous, finding light in the abyss, and crafting stories that heal. Step into the labyrinth with me, and let’s explore the myths that guide us and the demons that shape us.

Why does anyone study myths? Because they reveal the truths we can’t see on our own. They remind us that our pain, our struggles, are not new. We are not alone. Myths are bridges between the past and the present, between the visible and the hidden, showing us that the gods and monsters we read about are reflections of ourselves.