The Ancient Wisdom in Fairy Tales | Dr Sharon Blackie

Why do stories matter? Why have human beings always told stories - and what if the oldest stories still have something vital to teach us?In this episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with psychologist, mythologist and bestselling author Dr Sharon Blackie to explore why myths and fairy tales aren't just relics of the past, but tools for making sense of life today.From a childhood marked by hardship to decades studying narrative psychology, Sharon shares how stories help us navigate change and uncertainty by showing us how people find courage, resilience and meaning in the face of life's hardest moments.⚠️ Content note: This episode includes discussion of rape, sexual violence and domestic abuse. Listen with care. Together they explore:Why stories shape the way we understand ourselvesWhat fairy tales can teach us about resilience and healingWhy men need less heroic storylinesThe forgotten wisdom hidden in traditional mythsWomen's stories, identity and reclaiming lost voicesOur relationship with nature and what ancient stories reveal about living well todayWhether you love folklore or have never picked up a fairy tale since childhood, this conversation is ultimately about how to make sense of suffering, rediscover hope, or find meaning in uncertain times.—Dr Sharon Blackie is an award-winning psychologist, mythologist and author of If Women Rose Rooted, Hagitude, Wise Women and The Enchanted Life. Her work explores mythology, psychology, ecology and the stories that shape who we become.—Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all👇🎙️Listen to ⁠The Sacred Podcast⁠: https://linktr.ee/sacredpodcast📖 Follow ⁠Elizabeth Oldfield: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/💡Produced by ⁠⁠Theos Think Tank⁠⁠ in partnership with ⁠⁠Comment Magazine⁠⁠ and with support from ⁠⁠The Jerusalem Trust⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Open Society Foundations👉 See Dr Sharon Blackie's work: https://sharonblackie.net/--Chapters:0:00 — What is Sacred to you? Dr Sharon Blackie answers2:30 — Finding the divine in everything4:16 — Growing up with poverty, violence, and resilience5:43 — The working-class values we’ve forgotten6:13 — The formidable women who raised her8:29 — Living with an alcoholic parent9:50 — The fairy tale that changed her life10:47 — Why every great story begins with catastrophe12:03 — Grimm’s fairy tales vs Disney13:02 — Why we need the original fairy tales14:10 — Fairy tales were never just for children15:06 — What fairy tales teach us about surviving hard times16:14 — Leaving corporate life to find her real calling17:39 — Learning to stop being afraid of life20:47 — From neuroscience to narrative therapy26:39 — When women were the wisdom keepers28:28 — Christianity, myth, and the loss of women’s voices31:29 — Rethinking masculinity and femininity33:08 — Can we still talk about "women"?38:14 — What fairy tales teach us about work and resilience39:57 — Healing without getting stuck in your wounds43:15 — Becoming whole through story45:06 — Why good parents are missing from fairy tales49:44 — Beyond the Hero’s Journey: a new way to liveCOPYRIGHT: "Burn Out" - Victor Lundberg (Licensed by Epidemic) & "Beyond the Veil" (feat. Khamir Music) by Simon Wester (Licensed by Musicbed)