John Bucher
Myhtologist, Storyteller, & Writer
John Bucher is a mythologist, storyteller, and writer based out of Hollywood, California. He serves as Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and is an author, podcaster, and speaker. He has worked with government and cultural leaders around the world as well as organizations such as HBO, DC Comics, Paramount Pictures, The History Channel, A24 Films, and Nickelodeon. He has served as a producer, consultant, and writer for numerous film, television, and Virtual Reality projects. He is the author of six books including the best-selling Storytelling for Virtual Reality, named by BookAuthority as one of the best storytelling books of all time.
John has worked with New York Times Best Selling authors, YouTube influencers, Magicians, Escape Room designers, Eisner winners, Emmy winners, Academy Award nominees, and cast members from Saturday Night Live. He holds a PhD in Mythology & Depth Psychology and has spoken on 6 continents about using the power of story and myth to reframe how individuals, organizations, cultures, and nations believe and behave.
About The presentation
Cloaked in Darkness: Eclipses in Myth and Legend
Saturday, April 6th
4:30pm-5:30pm
Throughout ancient history, people ascribed stories to the things that they could not understand. Long before we had the science to explain eclipses, myths offered insights into why the sun seemed to disappear from the sky and darkness cloaked the earth like a veil. Those stories still offer insights into the experiences we have when reliable natural events suddenly change. From ancient Greek tales of angry gods causing the sun to abandon the earth to the embracing sun and moon of the Maya in the Dresden Codex, eclipses have long offered a portal into the mysteries and majesty of the forces beyond us.
Moonlight Myths
Saturday, April 6th
7:30pm-8pm
Come be a part of one of our most ancient human experiences — listening to a storyteller weave a tapestry of tales under the open night sky by the campfire. Stories have a way of bypassing our minds and going straight to our hearts, opening up a powerful path of wonder in the universe around us. In this experience, the boundaries between sky and earth blur, and listeners are transported to a time when mythical tales were as real as the stars themselves.
Heavenly Bodies & Heroic Tales: An Astronomer and Mythologist's Guide to the Night Sky
Sunday, April 7th
11:00pm-12:00am
Join us for an enlightening journey across the heavens as we bridge the gap between the empirical and the epic in a unique session that brings together the analytical precision of astronomy and the rich tapestry of mythology. In this interdisciplinary voyage, an esteemed astronomer and a renowned mythologist unite to explore celestial phenomena through the lenses of both science and story. We’ll gaze into the heavens and delve into how ancient civilizations interpreted the stars, planets, and particularly eclipses—events that often held significant mythological importance and influenced entire cultures. Prepare to look up into the night sky with a perspective that is as informed by the orbits of planets as it is by the orbits of our own imagination.
