Beginner’s Guide to Mythology Part One： How Early Humans Invented Myths, Magic & the Soul

Hello and welcome everyone. Welcome to the first video in this critical mythology series. In this series, I will explain everything any beginner needs to know to understand the vast world of mythology better and more. In this exciting journey, we are going to take a deep dive into human history and culture to explore how beliefs, rituals and myths were formed and why they still matter to us today. So if you are curious about uncovering the roots of human thoughts, stick with me. In this first session, we are going to understand how early humans viewed the world, how they dealt with the unknown and how they created concepts like animism, magic, myth and ritual. So let's get started. But first of all, why does this matter? Imagine living in a world where there's no scientific explanation for lightning, death or even the movement of the sun. Early humans, tens of thousands of years ago, were in exactly that situation. To make sense of and even control this mysterious world, they developed beliefs and practices that laid the foundation for our modern cultures and religions. In these videos, we'll break down these ideas step by step from animism and magic to shamanism, sorcery, mana, fetishes and the debate over whether myths or rituals came first. Animism is the belief that everything in nature, rocks, trees, animals, even the wind has a spirit or life force. For humans living between 100,000 and 10,000 years ago, the world was alive, not just a collection of inanimate objects. For example, a hunter might ask the spirit of a deer for permission before the hunt, or perform a small ritual afterward to calm its spirit. This belief helps them connect with nature and feel being part of something larger. Even today, in various cultures, we can see traces of animism, like the concept of kami in Japan, which are spirits of nature or the reverence for mountains and rivers. How do you think this worldview compares to the modern idea that everything is connected? Think about it in your mind's background. In the age of magic, early humans believed they could change the world by performing specific actions. Think of rain dances to bring rain, or cave paintings of animals to ensure a successful hunt. This magic was their way of understanding and meaning their environment. Much like how we use science today, they use magic to achieve their goals. One famous type is sympathetic magic. If you drew a picture of a bison and pierced it with an arrow, you would have better luck in the real hunt. These paintings have been found in places like Lascaux caves in France, dating back about 17,000 years. Even in modern life, superstitions like wearing a lucky shirt are echoes of this ancient mindset. Magical rituals were specific actions performed to influence nature or spirits. For instance, shamans, whom we'll talk more about later, would drum and chant to enter trance and communicate with the spirit world. These rituals gave people a sense of control and helped them cope with the fear of the unknown. In Siberia, shamans use psychoactive substances to journey to the spirit world and find solutions for their tribe. This shows how creative and curious early humans were in trying to understand their surroundings. Myths are stories that answer big questions, like how did the world begin, why does it ring? These stories were filled with gods, heroes, and supernatural beings. For example, in Sumerian myths, gods created order from chaos. Rituals, on the other hand, were symbolic actions repeated to connect with these stories of gods, like sacrificing to please the sun god. We still have rituals today. Weddings, graduations, or religious ceremonies all have roots in these ancient traditions. Shamanism is a system where one person, the shaman, acts as a meditator between humans and spirits. Shamans would enter trances through dance, drumming, or psychoactive plants to travel to the spirit world, where they could heal illnesses, predict the future, or seek guidance. In Native American cultures, shamans used plants like peyote for this connection. Shamanism shows how early humans tried to reach beyond the physical world and use that connection to solve real problems. Sorcery is a more personal form of magic, often used for specific purposes, sometimes negative, like cursing an enemy. There are two main types, sympathetic magic and contagious magic. Sympathetic magic, like burning an effigy of your enemy to harm them, and contagious magic, like using something personal, like a lock of hair of your enemy in a spell. In African cultures, sorcerers often use personal items for these practices. Sorcery reflects humanity's desire to control life through hidden means. Mana, or phara in Persian, is a spiritual force believed to exist in people, objects, or places. In ancient Persia, kings were considered sacred because they possessed pharah. For example, a particular sword might be seen as powerful due to its mana. This concept explains why certain things were considered sacred or special in early societies. A fetish is an object believed to have magical power, like a sacred stone or carved figure. In African tribes, these objects were used for protection or luck. Unlike mana, which is a general force, a fetish is tied to a specific object. There is an old debate, did rituals come first with myths created to explain them, or did myths inspire the rituals? Some, like Durkheim, argue that rituals came first because they fostered community, and myths were later justifications. Others, like Eliade, believe myths came first, providing the stories that gave meaning to rituals. Perhaps the truth is they evolved together. Rituals built community and myths gave them depth. For example, in ancient Greece, spring rituals re-enchanted the myth of Persephone's return from the underworld. In this video, we've seen how early humans used animism, magic, myths, and rituals to make sense of their mysterious world. These beliefs didn't just help them survive, they laid the groundwork for culture and civilization. Even today, we see their influence in our ceremonies, superstitions, and stories. Our next session will explore early societies and totems, so stay tuned. And let me know in the comments, what's your take? Did myths or rituals come first? Share your thoughts in the comments. That's it for session 1, hope you enjoyed it, see you in the next video and take care.