An Ode to Narcissus
“I couldn’t help it, yes, I let it get in
the helpless optimism of spring.
Worn out and tired and my heart near retired
And the world bent double from weeping.
And yet, the birds begin to sing.
Daffodil. Daffodil.”
The Narcissus are blooming in the garden, and so today’s post is dedicated to the myth of Echo and Narcissus.
Their myth is one of my favorites — a meditation on desire, numbness, and reflections. Like many artists, I’m a bit fascinated by the concept of witnessing as explored in the myth: what it means to see and be seen, the way our hearts seek for mirroring in our Beloveds.
Below you’ll find a curated collection of music playlists, self-portraiture, poetry, a podcast episode, and plant profile — all celebrating the theme of self-love, narcissism, mirroring, and the story of the beautiful youth who transformed into a flower beside a reflecting pool — and the nymph whose obsession with him led to her dissolution.
Materia Mythica
The Narcissus in Greek Myth, the Garden, and Ceremony
Named for the gorgeous Boeotian youth who fell in love with his own reflection, Narcissus is a perennial bulb in the amaryllis and daffodil family. The flower blooms in late winter and early spring, reminding us of its connection to youthfulness and the awakening of desire after the numbness of winter. It prefers damp meadows and the banks of streams and rivers, where it can lean close to watch its reflection in the waters. The Narcissus can be invited into ceremony to awaken desire and bring awareness to our capacity for self-love.
The Myth
Narcissus and Echo
In this episode of A Temple Wild, we discuss the myth of Narcissus, that beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection, and the nymph Echo, whose obsession with Narcissus led to her own dissolution. I adore this myth, not because Narcissus suffers for his ego or pride, but because I believe there is a deeper message in this story - a message about numbness, obsession, and human desire - a message I think that most people miss...
Self-PortraitureI Only Have Eyes For You
A mini reflection on Narcissus. His myth is one of my favorites — a meditation on desire, numbness, and reflections.
