Mythology
Personal Mythology Paper
by Betsy Tyer
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Mythology
During my educational journey to obtain my bachelor’s degree in
nursing I chose to take a mythology course as one of my
electives. In all honesty I decided to take this course simply
because I believed that this would be a nice break from all the
rigorous nursing courses I had been taking. I never thought
that as a professional registered nurse a class in mythology
could add any additional skills to a profession that prides
itself in evidence based practices and scientific facts.
As a child I experienced the wonders and excitement that
mythological stories had brought me. I remember anxiously
awaiting the arrival of the Easter bunny and Santa Claus as
well as my mother telling me to place my teeth underneath the
pillow so they would be whisked away in the night by the tooth
fairy and replaced with a quarter or if I was lucky maybe even
a dollar. Every Sunday my family would pile into the church
pews to listen to stories about great floods, the burning bush,
and the woman who was turned into a pillar of salt. Many of the
myths that I learned as a child came from stories in the bible
told to me by my Sunday school teacher but myths origins are
rooted in many cultures.
The cultures that come to mind for many people when they think
about myths are the Greek and Romans because of their many
gods. As a child I visited my brother in Montana and was
exposed to the many myths that the American Indians have passed
down through the generations. I saw dancing, carvings, and
other Indian artifacts done to relay the myths of this
tremendous culture. The mythology course kicked in my critical
thinking skills and I began to relate my new knowledge with the
course I took in alternative medicine in which I gained an
understanding of the oriental cultures which believe medicine
is based on such things as yin, yang, and balance of fire,
earth, metal, water, and wood.
When I sat down to write my first paper for my mythology class
and I typed into the university library’s search engine nursing
and myths I did not expect any articles to pop up. I was taken
back when the list came up. In front of me were articles on
topics such as does milk cause cancer, what’s love got to do
with it, and losing weight the myths and facts. In the United
States were always looking for the quick fix to our ever
expanding waistlines and many of us have heard of diet myths
such as foods which take more calories to digest than they
contain and miraculous food combinations which melt away fat.
If only these myths were true.
I began to realize how myths play a role in my patient’s lives
and how this elective on mythologies has turned out to be more
then just something fun to do. As a professional registered
nurse I come into contact with a variety of patients from
different cultures and backgrounds. The 2006 census estimated
that 19.7% of the population in the United States speaks a
different language other than English in their homes (Percent
of people 5 years and over who speak a language other than
English at home, 2006). The racial and ethnic composition of
the United States is also rapidly changing. The nation’s
Hispanic and Asian populations will triple over the next
half-century making the United States a diverse population rich
in various cultures and beliefs (The face of the population,
2004). Many of these cultures have myths that they use to treat
and prevent diseases such as fertility stones, ritual dances,
and laying on of hands. I have never thought to ask my patients
if they have beliefs or customs that they use for medicinal
purposes.
Taking the mythology course opened my eyes to the many ways
myths have impacted not only my life but the lives of those I
care for professionally. When I first decided to complete my
bachelor’s degree in nursing I felt as if these electives were
just a useless waste of time and a way for universities to make
money. As I have grown during my educational journey I have
come to realize how these electives added valuable information
to my nursing profession by expanding my knowledge base,
cultivating my critical thinking skills, and challenging my
stagnated beliefs.
by Betsy
Tyer
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