The Hero's Journey
Coaching Resource: The Hero's Journey By Julnar Rizk
Copyright 2006 Junar Rizk and reproduced with her expressed written permission
Stories about heroes— present in every known culture and civilization, transcending continental or oceanic borders—get told in new ways for each generation. These stories connect us to our passion and teach us about our humanity. Their universal language guides us to live in the modern world.
Rooted in ancient stories of heroism and mythology, the Hero’s Journey is the symbolic leap from the known into the unknown. It is a journey where you must find the faith that you will be strong enough and have what you need to face the Dragon regardless of the depth of your self-doubt.
Every human being must undertake this journey at least once in a lifetime, and the reward is worth it. Upon the discovery of the treasure, you return with the knowledge and discovery of your Self. And you deepen the capacity to be successful and transform your kingdom.
As Joseph Campbell puts it, you have followed your bliss.
Summary of Steps
The Ordinary World
For the Hero, this world is most often drab, routine and too small despite the Hero’s limited awareness of this truth. S/He doesn’t understand the personal potential or calling yet. From one day to the next, one moment to the next, the Hero’s life in its mundane-ness is just about to be completely uprooted and spun like Dorothy in a Kansas tornado.
Call to Adventure
“A blunder—apparently the merest chance—reveals an unsuspected world, and the individual is drawn into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood”. (J. Campbell) The call to adventure is the point in a Hero's life when s/he is first given notice that everything is going to change, whether they know it or not. The awareness of signs, signals or messages are increasing—yearnings that are inexplicable, feeling that are restless, notions that something is missing in life. The Hero comes to realize that s/he can no longer remain indefinitely in the comfort of the Ordinary World. The shock has to happen
Refusing the Call—Reluctant Hero
Often when the call is given, the Hero refuses to heed it. This may be from a sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, or any of a range of reasons that work to hold the person in his or her current circumstances. The rules of the Ordinary World that govern the Hero are often in play here—most of the time rooted in some base fear. The Hero has not yet fully committed to the journey and may still be thinking of turning back.
Meeting the Mentor
Once the Hero has committed to the quest, consciously or unconsciously, his or her guide/teacher appears or becomes known. Teachers appear when the Hero is ready to learn what s/he needs in order to face the unknown journey ahead. From them, s/he receives wisdom, guidance and sometimes a swift kick in the pants.
The First Threshold
“The adventure is always and everywhere a passage beyond the veil of the known into the unknown; the powers that watch at the boundary are dangerous; to deal with them is risky; yet for anyone with competence and courage the danger fades.” (J Campbell) This is the point at which the Hero actually commits and crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not known.
Tests, Allies and Enemies
The road of trials is a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the Hero must discern whether the experience is the lesson or the test, always negotiating whether s/he knows enough to overcome the obstacle. Joseph Campbell speaks of this in a psychological context: this is “the process of dissolving, transcending, or transmuting the infantile images of our personal past…Can the ego put itself to death?”
Approach to the Inmost Cave—Supreme Ordeal
This is sometimes described as the person's lowest point or darkest moment. The shift is in play between the old world and the old Self and new world and future. By entering this stage, the person shows her/his willingness to make a change, to die and become a new person for once this shift becomes, the Hero cannot return to the place where s/he came from. Remember the words of Rilke:
“It’s possible I am pushing through solid rock
in flintlike layers, as the ore lies, alone;
I am such a long way in I see no way through,
and no space: everything is close to my face
And everything close to my face is stone.”
The Ordeal
The Hero’s fortune hits bottom in a direct confrontation with his/her greatest fear, facing the possibility of death and the brink of battle with hostile forces. Metaphorically, the final death of the old Self and life must occur in order to be reborn and reinitiated into new life.
Seizing the Sword (or Prize)
Sometimes the “sword” is knowledge and experience that leads to greater understanding and a reconciliation with hostile forces. S/he is able to overthrow or defeat the opponent and may continue on to confront and defeat old enemies with the new power and knowledge gained from the battle. Often there can be confrontation with parents, old loves or significant figures from the old life.
The Road Back
The Hero makes the decision to return to the Ordinary World. The trick in returning home is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that wisdom into a human life, and figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world. Just as the Hero may need guides and assistants to set out on the quest, often times he or she must have powerful guides and rescuers to bring them back to everyday life, especially if the person has been wounded or weakened by the experience. The Hero has gained the wisdom to know how to ask for help.
Resurrection
This is one last ordeal with death—often a second life-and-death moment. It’s like a final exam for the Hero, who must be tested once more to see if s/her has really learned the lessons of the Ordeal. The old Self dies physically or spiritually and moves beyond the normal human state.
Return with Elixir
Mastery—the return with elixir is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get—maybe it’s treasure, but most of the time, it’s love, freedom, wisdom or the knowledge that the Hero can survive the Outside World. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, i.e., achieving a balance between the material and spiritual worlds. The freedom to live and freedom from the fear of death (or fear of failure) is achieved.
References
Campbell, Joseph, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” 2nd edition,1968.
Pearson, Carol, “Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform the World,” 1991
Vogler, Christopher, “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd edition, 1998
julnar@julnarrizk.com
http://www.julnarrizk.com
Any questions give me a call,
Michael
01908 506563
PPI Business NLP
Technorati Tags Business Development Business Executive coaching
Copyright 2006 Junar Rizk and reproduced with her expressed written permission
Stories about heroes— present in every known culture and civilization, transcending continental or oceanic borders—get told in new ways for each generation. These stories connect us to our passion and teach us about our humanity. Their universal language guides us to live in the modern world.
Rooted in ancient stories of heroism and mythology, the Hero’s Journey is the symbolic leap from the known into the unknown. It is a journey where you must find the faith that you will be strong enough and have what you need to face the Dragon regardless of the depth of your self-doubt.
Every human being must undertake this journey at least once in a lifetime, and the reward is worth it. Upon the discovery of the treasure, you return with the knowledge and discovery of your Self. And you deepen the capacity to be successful and transform your kingdom.
As Joseph Campbell puts it, you have followed your bliss.
Summary of Steps
The Ordinary World
For the Hero, this world is most often drab, routine and too small despite the Hero’s limited awareness of this truth. S/He doesn’t understand the personal potential or calling yet. From one day to the next, one moment to the next, the Hero’s life in its mundane-ness is just about to be completely uprooted and spun like Dorothy in a Kansas tornado.
Call to Adventure
“A blunder—apparently the merest chance—reveals an unsuspected world, and the individual is drawn into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood”. (J. Campbell) The call to adventure is the point in a Hero's life when s/he is first given notice that everything is going to change, whether they know it or not. The awareness of signs, signals or messages are increasing—yearnings that are inexplicable, feeling that are restless, notions that something is missing in life. The Hero comes to realize that s/he can no longer remain indefinitely in the comfort of the Ordinary World. The shock has to happen
Refusing the Call—Reluctant Hero
Often when the call is given, the Hero refuses to heed it. This may be from a sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, or any of a range of reasons that work to hold the person in his or her current circumstances. The rules of the Ordinary World that govern the Hero are often in play here—most of the time rooted in some base fear. The Hero has not yet fully committed to the journey and may still be thinking of turning back.
Meeting the Mentor
Once the Hero has committed to the quest, consciously or unconsciously, his or her guide/teacher appears or becomes known. Teachers appear when the Hero is ready to learn what s/he needs in order to face the unknown journey ahead. From them, s/he receives wisdom, guidance and sometimes a swift kick in the pants.
The First Threshold
“The adventure is always and everywhere a passage beyond the veil of the known into the unknown; the powers that watch at the boundary are dangerous; to deal with them is risky; yet for anyone with competence and courage the danger fades.” (J Campbell) This is the point at which the Hero actually commits and crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not known.
Tests, Allies and Enemies
The road of trials is a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the Hero must discern whether the experience is the lesson or the test, always negotiating whether s/he knows enough to overcome the obstacle. Joseph Campbell speaks of this in a psychological context: this is “the process of dissolving, transcending, or transmuting the infantile images of our personal past…Can the ego put itself to death?”
Approach to the Inmost Cave—Supreme Ordeal
This is sometimes described as the person's lowest point or darkest moment. The shift is in play between the old world and the old Self and new world and future. By entering this stage, the person shows her/his willingness to make a change, to die and become a new person for once this shift becomes, the Hero cannot return to the place where s/he came from. Remember the words of Rilke:
“It’s possible I am pushing through solid rock
in flintlike layers, as the ore lies, alone;
I am such a long way in I see no way through,
and no space: everything is close to my face
And everything close to my face is stone.”
The Ordeal
The Hero’s fortune hits bottom in a direct confrontation with his/her greatest fear, facing the possibility of death and the brink of battle with hostile forces. Metaphorically, the final death of the old Self and life must occur in order to be reborn and reinitiated into new life.
Seizing the Sword (or Prize)
Sometimes the “sword” is knowledge and experience that leads to greater understanding and a reconciliation with hostile forces. S/he is able to overthrow or defeat the opponent and may continue on to confront and defeat old enemies with the new power and knowledge gained from the battle. Often there can be confrontation with parents, old loves or significant figures from the old life.
The Road Back
The Hero makes the decision to return to the Ordinary World. The trick in returning home is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that wisdom into a human life, and figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world. Just as the Hero may need guides and assistants to set out on the quest, often times he or she must have powerful guides and rescuers to bring them back to everyday life, especially if the person has been wounded or weakened by the experience. The Hero has gained the wisdom to know how to ask for help.
Resurrection
This is one last ordeal with death—often a second life-and-death moment. It’s like a final exam for the Hero, who must be tested once more to see if s/her has really learned the lessons of the Ordeal. The old Self dies physically or spiritually and moves beyond the normal human state.
Return with Elixir
Mastery—the return with elixir is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get—maybe it’s treasure, but most of the time, it’s love, freedom, wisdom or the knowledge that the Hero can survive the Outside World. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, i.e., achieving a balance between the material and spiritual worlds. The freedom to live and freedom from the fear of death (or fear of failure) is achieved.
References
Campbell, Joseph, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” 2nd edition,1968.
Pearson, Carol, “Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform the World,” 1991
Vogler, Christopher, “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd edition, 1998
julnar@julnarrizk.com
http://www.julnarrizk.com
Any questions give me a call,
Michael
01908 506563
PPI Business NLP
Technorati Tags Business Development Business Executive coaching
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