 Treasure, love, reward, approval, honor, status, freedom, survival, these are some of the many things we associate with the hero's journey. We don't find the meaning of the hero's journey slaying the dragon or saving the princess. These are colorful metaphors and symbols for more significant purpose. Battling inner and outer demons, confronting bullies and courting your ultimate mate symbolizes a passage through the often treacherous tunnels of self-discovery and individualization to maturehood. At the end of each journey, if there is such an end, you're different, sometimes visually but always internally. Today, let's explore the meaning of the hero's journey and see what applies to psychological developments and our ability to actualize more of our potential. What is the hero's journey? Joseph Campbell was a curious mythologist. In the field of comparative mythology, most scholars invested their time exploring how one's cultural myths are different than another, instead of focusing on the many differences between cultural myths and religious stories, Campbell looked for the similarities and his studies resulted in what's called a monomyth. The monomyth is a universal story structure. It's kind of a story template that takes a character through a sequence of stages. The main character in the monomyth is the hero. The hero isn't a person, but an archetype. A set of universal images combined with the specific patterns of behavior. Think of the protagonist from your favorite film. He or she represents the hero. The storyline of the film enacted the hero's journey. The hero archetype resides in the psyche of every individual, which is one of the primary reasons we love hearing and watching stories. Campbell began identifying the patterns of this monomyth over and over and over again. He was amazed to find this structure in the cultures he studied. He saw the same sequences in many religions including the stories of Buddha, Moses and Jesus Christ. Campbell outlined the stages of the monomyth in his classic book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Why is a hero's journey relevant to us? We might ask why explore the hero's journey? Sure, Hollywood uses it as their dominant story structure for their films, but what relevance does it have for us individuals? Today when we speak of myth, we refer to something that commonly believed but untrue. Myth for people like Campbell and Young however had a much deeper meaning. Myths for them represents dreams of the collective psyche. That is, in understanding the symbolic meaning of a myth, you come to know the psychological undercurrent including hidden motivations, tensions and desires of the people. And because the hero's journey represents a monomyth, that we can observe in most if not all cultures, it represents a process that is relevant to the entire human family. What is this process? It is a process of personal transformation from an innocent child into a mature adult. The child is born into a set of rules and beliefs of a group of people. Through the child's heroic efforts he must break free from the conventions, transcend them to discover him or herself. And in this process, the individual returns to his or her soul. If we think of the hero's journey as a roadmap of self-development, it can hold a lot of value for us. You enter the forest at the darkest point where there is no path. Where there is a way or path, it is someone else's path. You are not on your own path. If you follow someone else's way, you are not going to realize your own potential. There are three main stages in the hero's journey. So let's begin to break down the structure and the sequences of the hero's journey. Stage 1. Departure. Campbell called the initial stage departure or the call to adventure. The hero departs from the world he knows. Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet to join Obi-Wan to save the princess. Neo gets unplugged from the matrix with the help of Morpheus and his crew. During the departure stage, you have the safety of the world you know and you enter the unknown. Campbell writes this of the stage in the hero with a thousand faces. The first step of the mythological journey, which we have designated the call to adventure, signifies that destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of his society to a zone unknown. Stage 2. Initiation. Now, the hero must face a series of trials and tribulations. The hero's journey isn't safe. The hero is tested in battle, skill, and conflict. The hero may not succeed in each action but must press on. The hero will meet allies, enemies, mentors, and supernatural aid throughout the initiation stage. Stage 3. The Return. Having endured the trials and hardships of the adventure, the hero returns home, but the hero is no longer the same. An internal transformation has taken place through maturation processes from the experience. Luke is now a Jedi and has come to peace with his past. Neo embraces his destiny and liberates himself from the conventions of the matrix. So let's now assess your place in the hero's journey. Before we explore the stages of the monomyth a little bit more closer, let's look at what the three phases reveal about our self-development and the individualization process. Stage 1 represents our comfort zone. We feel safe here because it is known to us. Stage 2 and 3 however represent the unknown, embracing the unknown meaning letting go of safety. Abram Maslow points out that we are confronted with an ongoing series of choices throughout life between safety and growth, dependence and independence, regression and progression, immaturity and maturity. Maslow writes, we grow forward when the delight of growth and anxiety of safety are greater than the anxieties of growth and delights of safety. It becomes clear here why so many of us refuse to call the adventure. We cling to safety of the unknown instead of embracing the delight of growth that only comes from the unknown. Campbell didn't just outline the three stages of the monomyth. In the hero with a thousand faces he deconstructs every single step along the way. I'm going to outline these steps below using a slightly simplified version. As you scan these hero journey steps see if you can determine how they apply to your development. Step 1 The Ordinary World Before a would-be hero can enter the special world. He must first live in the ordinary world. The ordinary world is different from each of us. It represents our norms, customs, condition beliefs and behaviors. In the Hobbit, the ordinary world is a Shire, where Biblo Baggins lives with all the other Hobbits, gardening, eating, celebrating, living a simple life. Novelist J.R.R. Tolkien contrasts this life in the Shire with the special world of wizards, warriors, men, elves, dwarves and evil forces on the brink of World War. Step 2 Cult of the Adventure The Cult of the Adventure marks a transition from the ordinary world to the special world. The hero is introduced to his quest of great consequence. Fear of change as well as death, however, often lead the hero to refuse the Cult of the Adventure. The ordinary world represents our comfort zone. The special world signifies the unknown. The hero resists change initially, but is ultimately forced to make a critical decision. Embark on the Adventure or forever remain in the ordinary world with its illusions of security. Step 3 Cross the First Threshold In one sense, this is a point of no return. Once a hero shoots across an unstable suspension bridge, it bursts into flames. There's no turning back, at least not the way in which he came. The first threshold marks a major decision. I'm going to travel around the globe, I'm going to transform my physical health, I'm going to write a book, I'm going to master the flu, I'm going to realize my true nature. The first breakthrough is a feat within itself, however, it is but the first of many turning points. Step 4 Trials, Friends and Foes Along the hero's journey, the main character encounters many obstacles. Some people may try to stop you along your quest, possibly saying you are unreasonable or unrealistic. These dream stoppers are often cleverly masked as friends and family who appear to have positive intentions but hinder your development nonetheless. Your ability to identify obstructions on your path and align your supporters along your adventures is critical to your mission success. Because few people complete their hero's journey to mature adulthood, most people will unconsciously attempt to sabotage yours. Step 5 Magical Mentor or the Mentor with Supernatural Aid Generally, at any early stage of the adventure, the hero's grace by the presence of a wise sage, personified in stories as a magical counselor, a reclusive hermit or a wise leader, the mentor's role is to help guide you, think Obi-Wan, Yoda, Gandalf, Morpheus, sometimes cloaked in mystery and secret language, a mentor manifests when the hero's ready. But our modern world is depleted of wise elders or shamans who can effectively bless the younger generations. For most of us, it is best to seek wise counsel from your inner guide, the higher self within. Step 6 Dragon Layer The next significant threshold is often most treacherous than the first. Entering the villain's castle, the second major decision usually puts a hero as significant physical and psychological risks. Within the walls of the innermost cave lies a cornerstone of the special world where the hero closes in on his object. For a man, the innermost cave represents the mother complex, a regressive part of him that seeks to return to the safety of the mother. When a man seeks safety and comfort, when he demands pampering, it means he's engulfed within the innermost cave. Step 7 Moment of Despair No worthwhile adventure is easy. There are many perils on the path to growth, discovery and self-realization. A major obstacle confronts the hero, and the future begins to look dim, a trap, a mental imprisonment, or imminent defeat on the battlefield. It seems like the adventure will come to a sad conclusion, as all hope appears lost. But hope remains, and it is within these moments of despair when the hero must access a hidden part of himself, one more micron of energy, strength, faith or creativity to find his way out of the belly of the beast. The hero must call on an inner power he doesn't even know he possesses. Step 8 Ultimate Treasure Having defeated the enemy and slaying the dragon, the hero receives a prize. Pulling the metaphorical sword from the stone, the hero achieves the objective he set out to complete. Whether the reward is monetary, physical, romantic, or spiritual, the hero transforms, and often the prize the hero initially sought out becomes a secondary as a result of the personal transformation he undergoes. Perhaps the original quest financially driven, but now the hero takes greater satisfaction in serving others in need. The real change is always internal. Step 9 Homeward Bound Alas, the adventure isn't over. Now the hero must return to the world from which he came with the sacred elixir. The challenge is still lying ahead in the form of villains, roadblocks and inner demons. The hero must deal with whatever issues were left unresolved at this stage of the journey. Taking moral inventory, examining the shadows, and performing constant self-inquiry help the hero identify weaknesses that will later play against him. Step 10 Rebirth and Champions Return Before returning home, before the adventure is over, there's often one more unsuspected, unforeseen ordeal. This final threshold, which may be more difficult in the prior moment of despair, provides one last test to litify the growth of the hero. In this final stage, the hero can become master of both worlds, with the freedom to live and grow, impacting all of humanity. Returning with the prize, a hero experiences reality different. He is no longer an innocent child or adolescent seeking excitement or adventure. Comfortable in his own skin, he has evolved and now capable of handling demands and challenges. Where are you on your hero's journey? More importantly, do you see how these steps are unfolding in your life? Although each of our tales are unique, they do have common threads, elements of this universal structure that we all share. And if you return from the moment of despair, from inside the dragon's lair without the reward or lesson, you will undoubtedly be presented with a similar adventure repeated Until either the lesson is learned or you give up. In the beginning, the hero's journey is about achievement, whether you are trying to build a successful business, raise a family, write a screenplay, travel to distant land, or produce a work of art. These all represent external achievements that often launch us into our own hero's journey. But through the course of this external quest, if we become more conscious, the journey transitions into an emphasis of the eternal growth that leads to transformation. Few people ever fully embrace a hero's journey. A psychological odyssey that leads the individual to wholeness. Because our fear of the unknown, many of us refuse a call to adventure. We delay our journey in many ways, put important things aside, procrastinate, distract ourselves with social media and other people's lives, make excuses, become lazy. But something brews inside of us. An internal tension builds, it may be small at first, but it grows stronger in the darkness. Tensions are those opposing forces at play within us. These internal conflict creates disharmony. Humans don't like this harmony. Maybe you're currently embracing your hero's journey, or perhaps you've been refusing a call. It matters not. What matters is what you do today, right now. I hope you enjoyed today's video on the hero's journey from Joseph Campbell. If you want to read more about this, I've placed the source material below. I highly recommend you also pick up Joseph Campbell's books and definitely read his interview with Bill Myers. 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