The Hero's Journey

angelica

By learning about the basics of the human psyche, we can all come to master our lives, like the hero in any adventure story.

It's fascinating to read about how the basics of psychotic experience correlates with the base symbols and imagery in mythology. Apparently, myths are metaphors for the dynamics of the human psyche. Psychosis--otherwise known as losing touch with reality through mental "illness"--is a journey into the basics of the human psyche. This explains why mythical and psychotic visions are similar. The difference lies in the context of the journey: is one balanced and masterful, or is one new to it, untrained and uncertain? :

"The mystic, endowed with native talents for this sort of
thing and following stage by stage, the instruction of a
master, enters the waters and finds he can swim: whereas
the schizophrenic, unprepared, unguided, and ungifted,
as fallen or has intentionally plunged, and is drowning."

When one is unprepared or ill-equipped for the psychic journey one is fated to experience, it manifests as mental illness to those around them. I have personally learned that one can use this journey as a training ground to learn to become balanced, and therefore to ultimately achieve mastery in understanding one's self, the base human experience, and life, itself, far beyond any common knowledge. Such training can develop mastery in the realm of mysticism.

"Our society would change its cultural bias
toward the mentally ill and reduce the stigma they encounter, if we
could see that they are not only 'out of contact' with external
consensual reality, but also "in touch" with mythic realms."

http://www.cmha.ca/data/1/rec_docs/761_full_myths_in_mental_illness.pdf

angelica

The hero's journey is about the stages of human challenge, including the ideal outcome. Both the Star Wars movies and The Matrix ones were written based on the the hero's journey concept, which is why these movie series hold such widespread universal appeal. We can all use this model to address major life challenges as we develop our own personal growth. The hero's journey, as identified by Joseph Campbell contains the following stages:

THE SEPARATION (sometimes known as the fall from Grace):

This stage starts when we begin to outgrow our lives as we've come to know them. What used to work doesn't seem to work anymore. We begin to feel the call to adventure. In this stage, we unwittingly ready ourselves to awaken to who we truly are--to the Self.


THE INITIATION

In this stage, we as our own hero, must face our trials and tribulations. One accumulates and/or develops a bag of tricks and tools, including charms and and amulets to use in facing one's challenges. By rising to the challenges, one can overcome them, acquiring life experience, potency and strength. Such an initiation and it's challenges develops the hero and fosters dynamic growth.


THE RETURN

When we as our own hero find the way to resolve our deepest and darkest life challenges, we then are ready to find our way to return to humanity as a whole and to share our wisdom/knowledge with others who thirst for it. One takes their experience and integrates them to empower and impassion one's own life, and even further yet, one uses such experience to benefit humanity. The hero contributes to the renewal of life, itself.

http://www.cmha.ca/data/1/rec_docs/761_full_myths_in_mental_illness.pdf

angelica

"The earliest mythmakers in human society were the shamans, and
that role still exists among some traditional cultures today.
The shaman's power to heal resides in the ability to create
mythic experience and communicate it to others. It is interesting to
notes that a period of separation from society usually precedes the
call of the shaman to the mythmaking vocation: 'the budding
shaman often wanders off and spends a long time by himself' .



"To prepare for the role of shaman, an initiate must also enter into
the supernatural realm and be tested by assaults from alien beings.
In these battles, the shaman gains special powers such as the ability
to fly and learns mastery over supernatural forces. This stage often
occurs during an illness which may include a psychotic-like episode"


"Having survived the initiatory ordeal, the hero must
relinquish the magical powers and return to the ordinary world but
with some enhanced qualities."


"Wallace reports that the theme of the
journey also occurs frequently in trickster mythology and is almost
universally found in the stories of religious prophets (e.g., the
prophet Elijah traveling to heaven), shamanic healing rituals, and
rites of passage. The journey is often interpreted as a symbol for
inner development: "the individuation process is often symbolized by
a voyage of discovery to unknown lands"

http://www.cmha.ca/data/1/rec_docs/761_full_myths_in_mental_illness.pdf

genie

i've got this book at home which tells about tarot, palm reading, shamanism and few other things, so i'm aware of what you've written in here.....i'm also aware that you like Native Americans....and probably their beliefs.

i'm curious to find out, have you ever been on one of those journey's of self-descovery? if you don't mind me asking. and if so, how was it? any positive things you've learned.

if not, have you ever wanted to do this kind of journey?

plus, i hope i'm not talking crap in here, but i remember reading/hearing Eddie talking about his trip of self-discovery in South America.......

Being Enlightened

Hi angelica! I thought I'd drop links to some info on a couple of gentlemen who's theories / thoughts you may enjoy.

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/jung.html

http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC12/Campbell.htm

One does not have to go on an actual physical journey to discover one's centre / self (we're just taught to be so literal in our interpretations.)--the source is in you, it's just a matter of finding a way to tap in. Mind you, taking a journey of self discovery is a great excuse to take a vacation!

And speaking of Native Americans and a good hero's journey story, the interpretation of, "Where The Two to Their Father : A Navaho War Ceremonial given by Jeff King" is worth checking out.

angelica

genie wrote:

i'm curious to find out, have you ever been on one of those journey's of self-descovery? if you don't mind me asking. and if so, how was it? any positive things you've learned.

if not, have you ever wanted to do this kind of journey?

Hi, genie! I have spent many years on my own hero's journey. For me it has mostly been from travelling within, in my own psyche, and even when my experiences are tied into the real world, and the people and happenings around me, I tend to focus on what I see inside myself. Other people travel their journey by using outward stimulus to tap in to the inner worlds--so they might more literally journey somewhere, or use outward practices and ritual to tap those realms.

It was actually when I learned about the meanings of myths, and when I learned that losing touch with reality rather than being illness, can be a great gift that brings about the unfolding of the individual, that I began to work my way back to society with a "return" to what is the usual consensual reality for many people. And like in the typical stages of the hero's journey, with that return, I found I had enhanced capacities and vision to bring to my life and to society. Not only that but I live in touch with my passion and purpose all the time. There is not a difference between work and play for me for example--it is all my purpose and I love it all. Having experienced the deepest caverns and the soaring potential of the human psyche, I believe this type of journey and unfolding is the birthright for all of us. And when we find we are inundated with life challenge (i.e. death of a loved one, major loss, illness or pain, etc.) we are afforded the opportunity to embark on our own journey, at a deeper level of experience, alonside our mundane human activities. By experiencing our experiences from this heightened level, we activate our higher potentiality.

You mention the tarot--learning about the tarot is a very good way to learn to understand lifes mysterious forces. Tarot cards represent all the archetypes and the life forces, so that one can come to understand the dynamics in one's lfe. And even better, when using them, these natural life dynamics create card layouts and readings that truly depict what one's life energies are about in the moment. These cards represent wonderfully the amazing mysteries of the symbolic realm that we can all tap into for superior understanding and comprehension of our life dynamics.

angelica

Being Enlightened wrote:

Hi angelica! I thought I'd drop links to some info on a couple of gentlemen who's theories / thoughts you may enjoy.

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/jung.html

http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC12/Campbell.htm

One does not have to go on an actual physical journey to discover one's centre / self (we're just taught to be so literal in our interpretations.)--the source is in you, it's just a matter of finding a way to tap in. Mind you, taking a journey of self discovery is a great excuse to take a vacation!

And speaking of Native Americans and a good hero's journey story, the interpretation of, "Where The Two to Their Father : A Navaho War Ceremonial given by Jeff King" is worth checking out.

Thanks Being Enlightened! I very much loved both articles!

I completely agree--we have been taught to be so literal in our interpretations, and we confuse those fallacies for the reality they represent. It's awesome when we can recognize the truth of the experience, in the reality behind the words and symbols. And yes, we are always one with the Source, whether we're completely unconscious of this or not.

Some great quotes from your links:

"It puts you in touch with a plane of reference that goes past your mind and into your very being, into your very gut. The ultimate mystery of being and nonbeing transcends all categories of knowledge and thought. Yet that which transcends all talk is the very essence of your own being, so you're resting on it and you know it."

"...that's the whole problem with Western religion. All of the symbols are interpreted as if they were historical references. They're not."

"I'm calling a symbol a sign that points past itself to a ground of meaning and being that is one with the consciousness of the beholder. What you're learning in myth is about yourself as part of the being of the world."



It amazes me how all the chaos, pain and ugliness in the world stems from our interpretations of these symbols and all the while, we miss out on the purity, amazingness and perfection in the mysteries of life, that lie just beyond the symbols.

Being Enlightened

angelica wrote:

It amazes me how all the chaos, pain and ugliness in the world stems from our interpretations of these symbols and all the while, we miss out on the purity, amazingness and perfection in the mysteries of life, that lie just beyond the symbols.

You're welcome.

And I couldn't have said it better myself!

(Sorry, it's hard to get in on a discussion between calls at work. )

Another lady's work you would probably like is Marija Gimbutas. She was a Professor at UCLA and studied Neolithic religion--her thesis was that the European prehistoric culture was female-centred--they worshipped the Mother Goddess (earth)--they loved and respected nature, were peaceful...reading her work, you just feel like there's real hope for the future if we could just embrace the idea a more harmonious society.

Actually, Jung and Campbell are enjoyable but, Gimbutas is just wonderful!

A little bit of background on her and an interview, if you're interested:

http://www.levity.com/mavericks/gim-int.htm

She also explains in the interview that she would not call these Goddess worshipping societies matriachal, but matristic so as not to draw comparisons to the dominance of the male in the patriarchal society. These were just people who truly lived peacefully and equally. Very cool theories from Marija and it seems like she was quite an extrodinary lady too.

DriftingByTheStorm

I loved reading Campbell when i was in my late teens and early 20s.
When you are young and reading about the heros journey, it really seems to not only express what you are going through, it also in a way frames it even more. Its like by reading about it, it pulls this subconscious phenomenon in to the frontal lobe and makes it that much more real ...

anyhow.
I haven't read Campbell in a while.
I would like to find time to read more of it,
but i got distracted with more "real" concerns ... money matters, politics, etc.

I dunno.
But it IS fascinating.

angelica

Being Enlightened wrote:

You're welcome.

And I couldn't have said it better myself!

(Sorry, it's hard to get in on a discussion between calls at work. )

Another lady's work you would probably like is Marija Gimbutas. She was a Professor at UCLA and studied Neolithic religion--her thesis was that the European prehistoric culture was female-centred--they worshipped the Mother Goddess (earth)--they loved and respected nature, were peaceful...reading her work, you just feel like there's real hope for the future if we could just embrace the idea a more harmonious society.

Actually, Jung and Campbell are enjoyable but, Gimbutas is just wonderful!

A little bit of background on her and an interview, if you're interested:

http://www.levity.com/mavericks/gim-int.htm

She also explains in the interview that she would not call these Goddess worshipping societies matriachal, but matristic so as not to draw comparisons to the dominance of the male in the patriarchal society. These were just people who truly lived peacefully and equally. Very cool theories from Marija and it seems like she was quite an extrodinary lady too.

Thanks for the link! I've read some and I'll read more later...

It reminds me of what Campbell says in your link:


"Tom: There's a lot of interesting material in the Old Testament, isn't there? For instance, it says that God created everything except the water.

Joseph: You've put your finger on it. The water I is the goddess. You see, what happens in the Old Testament is that the masculine principle remains personified and the female principle is reduced to an element. The first verse says when God created, the breath of God brooded over the waters. And the water is the goddess."


I find that in our society there is a lacking perception of the natural female-based dynamics that are at our disposal, to our great imbalance. I personally integrate the balance of both male and female energies. When we ignore these feminine energies, in ourselves and in our surroundings, they operate beyond our awareness, and trip us up with imbalance. We value the more "male" modes of questioning or being, and therefore we tune out our feminine intelligences like emotional intelligence or intuition, and therefore we numb our capacity to perceive much of the nuances of our experiences, our lives and our surroundings. Due to this, the majority of people are not perceptually awake, but perceive in a crippled fashion and subsequently then live in a crippled fashion.

angelica

DriftingByTheStorm wrote:

I loved reading Campbell when i was in my late teens and early 20s.
When you are young and reading about the heros journey, it really seems to not only express what you are going through, it also in a way frames it even more. Its like by reading about it, it pulls this subconscious phenomenon in to the frontal lobe and makes it that much more real ...

I completely agree--it happens at any age, too! What great stuff to be reading as a younger person, though--and to actually build one's perceptions around! This symbolic view allows one to look at life through healthy and productive lenses, seeing a sense of purpose behind the seeming ugliness and chaos we must grapple with and resolve.

anyhow.
I haven't read Campbell in a while.
I would like to find time to read more of it,
but i got distracted with more "real" concerns ... money matters, politics, etc.

I dunno.
But it IS fascinating.

It sounds like you may be off "slaying dragons" and facing trials and tribulations in life--that's all the more perfect of a time to get really connected to the bigger picture of the hero's journey one is on. The view of the symbolic journey helps to keep things in perspective. When we can learn to resolve the issues from the perspective of the symbols in our minds, learning and growing from all our experiences, the whole world changes before the eyes. And that's when one is ready to return to society and to share one's offerings from a heightened perspective of understanding.

genie

angelica wrote:

Hi, genie! I have spent many years on my own hero's journey. For me it has mostly been from travelling within, in my own psyche, and even when my experiences are tied into the real world, and the people and happenings around me, I tend to focus on what I see inside myself. Other people travel their journey by using outward stimulus to tap in to the inner worlds--so they might more literally journey somewhere, or use outward practices and ritual to tap those realms.

It was actually when I learned about the meanings of myths, and when I learned that losing touch with reality rather than being illness, can be a great gift that brings about the unfolding of the individual, that I began to work my way back to society with a "return" to what is the usual consensual reality for many people. And like in the typical stages of the hero's journey, with that return, I found I had enhanced capacities and vision to bring to my life and to society. Not only that but I live in touch with my passion and purpose all the time. There is not a difference between work and play for me for example--it is all my purpose and I love it all. Having experienced the deepest caverns and the soaring potential of the human psyche, I believe this type of journey and unfolding is the birthright for all of us. And when we find we are inundated with life challenge (i.e. death of a loved one, major loss, illness or pain, etc.) we are afforded the opportunity to embark on our own journey, at a deeper level of experience, alonside our mundane human activities. By experiencing our experiences from this heightened level, we activate our higher potentiality.

You mention the tarot--learning about the tarot is a very good way to learn to understand lifes mysterious forces. Tarot cards represent all the archetypes and the life forces, so that one can come to understand the dynamics in one's lfe. And even better, when using them, these natural life dynamics create card layouts and readings that truly depict what one's life energies are about in the moment. These cards represent wonderfully the amazing mysteries of the symbolic realm that we can all tap into for superior understanding and comprehension of our life dynamics.

Hello Angelica ,

it's viewing things from a different perspective, and learning from experiences that makes those people to have a higher potential.
I kind of understand how you see inside yourself.
I have never experienced a literal journey, though one day it would be nice to get high on Native's drugs and go off into the world of my own mind to the chanting and playing of drums
I think we all have our own personal journey, it's how we react towards happy and tragic events, it's what we learn from it. I've learned about myself from both combinations: my own look at myself and from what people tell me or how they behave with me.
It's very important for everyone to look at themselves, especially from the outsiders point of view, because sometimes we don't see what we are really like unless we step out and look at oneself from aside. It's important to go on our own journey, otherwise people will never change and grow.

Deni

Being Enlightened wrote:

Hi angelica! I thought I'd drop links to some info on a couple of gentlemen who's theories / thoughts you may enjoy.

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/jung.html

http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC12/Campbell.htm

One does not have to go on an actual physical journey to discover one's centre / self (we're just taught to be so literal in our interpretations.)--the source is in you, it's just a matter of finding a way to tap in. Mind you, taking a journey of self discovery is a great excuse to take a vacation!

And speaking of Native Americans and a good hero's journey story, the interpretation of, "Where The Two to Their Father : A Navaho War Ceremonial given by Jeff King" is worth checking out.

Beautiful, just beautiful!

As a writer I'm fully invested in The Hero's Journey. I've made it my life. Carl G. Jung and Joesph Campbell are the fathers of all MY invention.

genie

Being Enlightened wrote:

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/jung.html

hey, now i know where Ahnimus took his name from and what it means.

"animus is the male aspect present in the collective unconscious of women."

DriftingByTheStorm

genie wrote:

hey, now i know where Ahnimus took his name from and what it means.

"animus is the male aspect present in the collective unconscious of women."

lol.
case solved!

soulsinging

thanks for making me feel inadequate for never having had a psychotic experience. i feel so hopelessly unenlightened compared to those brilliant people who were lucky enough to be blessed with schizophrenia. i wonder how i can fix that?

Deni

soulsinging wrote:

thanks for making me feel inadequate for never having had a psychotic experience. i feel so hopelessly unenlightened compared to those brilliant people who were lucky enough to be blessed with schizophrenia. i wonder how i can fix that?

There he goes... pushing his complete cynicism off on somebody else.

I'm just messing with yah, SS!

soulsinging

Deni wrote:

There he goes... pushing his complete cynicism off on somebody else.

I'm just messing with yah, SS!

i just find superstition amusing. be it those with schizphrenia being advanced beings, the john wayne american soldier myth of purple hawk, or the evil rich person conspiracy roland loves. we've all watched too many movies i think.

genie

soulsinging wrote:

i just find superstition amusing. be it those with schizphrenia being advanced beings, the john wayne american soldier myth of purple hawk, or the evil rich person conspiracy roland loves. we've all watched too many movies i think.

i didn't think this thread was anything to do with superstition. i thought those were wise quotes talking about self-discovery.

but anyway talking about superstition i still can't cross the road after black cat crossed the road without being scared that later on in a day something bad might happen to me.

Deni

soulsinging wrote:

i just find superstition amusing. be it those with schizphrenia being advanced beings, the john wayne american soldier myth of purple hawk, or the evil rich person conspiracy roland loves. we've all watched too many movies i think.

How DARE you suggest I've watched too many movies! I can't watch enough movies! I love movies. Someday something I've written will be a movie! A GOOD movie. lol

Yeah, and why are you talking about schizophrenia anyway? I don't understand. What is that about?

I agree with Genie. Just because a person is looking inward doesn't make them crazy. Take it from a person who KNOWS crazy.

genie wrote:

i didn't think this thread was anything to do with superstition. i thought those were wise quotes talking about self-discovery.

but anyway talking about superstition i still can't cross the road after black cat crossed the road without being scared that later on in a day something bad might happen to me.

But black cats are GOOD luck. Don't believe the lies!

Deni=proud owner of a solid black cat named Boo Boo Kitty!

soulsinging

Deni wrote:

How DARE you suggest I've watched too many movies! I can't watch enough movies! I love movies. Someday something I've written will be a movie! A GOOD movie. lol

Yeah, and why are you talking about schizophrenia anyway? I don't understand. What is that about?

I agree with Genie. Just because a person is looking inward doesn't make them crazy. Take it from a person who KNOWS crazy.

the original post kicked off with angelica's favorite theory... that she was never sick, she wa always just WAY ahead of the rest of us. the whole post is about how psychotic experiences and mental illness are really signs of super advanced god-like thought.

genie

Deni wrote:

But black cats are GOOD luck. Don't believe the lies!

Deni=proud owner of a solid black cat named Boo Boo Kitty!

Aw, i'd love to have a cat, but i'm not allowed. I'm sure your Boo-Boo brings you lots of good luck and happiness

my superstitions are silly, but it's just hard to get rid of them. Once i read this book on black/white magic, and in there i found out that if i eat/drink whilst looking at myself in the mirror i will gradually start loosing my beauty and health, so now if i see a mirror in a cafe or restaurant i will choose somewhere where i can't see myself.....and i'm quite serious when i say this. aaahhh :rolleyes:

Deni

soulsinging wrote:

the original post kicked off with angelica's favorite theory... that she was never sick, she wa always just WAY ahead of the rest of us. the whole post is about how psychotic experiences and mental illness are really signs of super advanced god-like thought.

aaahh... note to self... read all posts before responding to a thread!

Deni

genie wrote:

Aw, i'd love to have a cat, but i'm not allowed. I'm sure your Boo-Boo brings you lots of good luck and happiness

my superstitions are silly, but it's just hard to get rid of them. Once i read this book on black/white magic, and in there i found out that if i eat/drink whilst looking at myself in the mirror i will gradually start loosing my beauty and health, so now if i see a mirror in a cafe or restaurant i will choose somewhere where i can't see myself.....and i'm quite serious when i say this. aaahhh :rolleyes:

Well, I personally don't believe in White and Black Magic. It is my personal opinion that magic is a tool... like a screwdriver. lol You wouldn't say this screwdriver is good or bad, right? Its just a screwdriver. I can do good things with it... like build a house for a homeless person. Or I can do bad things with it... like stab somebody. But its not the screwdrivers fault. Know what I mean? lol

But I have my superstitions too. So I understand. I always toss spillt salt over my shoulder for luck. And to this day I fear breaking mirrors. That sort of thing.