The Hero’s Journey

The SeparationInitiation and TransformationThe Return

SeparationThe Call

•Invites us into the adventure•May be a sudden traumatic change•May be a vague sense of discontent.

The Call

Can take many forms•Something is taken from us•Something is lacking in life•Desire to restore honor•To win rights for our people

The Threshold

When called to adventure, we must cross the Threshold.The Threshold is the “jumping off point”

The gateway to the unknown

Threshold GuardiansPeople, beings or situations that block passage They have two

functions:

•Protect us from journeys we are unready for•Pointing the way

HelpersAt the threshold, we will encounter helpers.Often they bring a talisman to help us through the ordeal.The most important of these helpers is the mentor.Helpers and guides appear throughout the journey

The Initiation

•The Challenges•The Abyss•The Transformation and Revelation•The Atonement

The Challenges

Once past the Threshold, we begin the journey into the unknown.•The journey can be outward into a physical unknown.•The journey can be inward to a psychological unknown.

Tempters

Tempters try to pull us away from our path.They may pretend to be a friend or helper.They use fear, doubt or distraction.

The Abyss

The Abyss represents the greatest challenge in the journey.In the Abyss the hero faces his greatest fear, and must face it alone.

The Abyss cont.

Here the hero must “slay the dragon,” which often takes the shape of something he dreads, or has repressed, or needs to resolve.

TransformationAs the hero conquers the Abyss, his transformation is complete.Like the Phoenix, a part of the hero must die so that a new part can be reborn.Fear must die to make way for courage, Ignorance for enlightenment, dependency for independence

The Revelation

Part of the Transformation is a Revelation, a sudden, dramatic change in the way the hero thinks or views life.This change makes him truly a different person.

The AtonementAfter the Transformation the hero achieves Atonement, that is he is “at one” with his new self.

The hero has incorporated the changes caused by the Journey and is “reborn”

The “Om” the Hindu symbol of “oneness”

The ReturnAfter Transformation and Atonement, the hero faces the final stage of his journey: The Return to everyday life.

Upon the return, the hero discovers his gift –•Become richer and stronger•Become a great leader•Become spiritually enlightened.

Review

The Separation•The Call•The Threshold•Threshold Guardians•Helpers and mentors

Review Cont.The Initiation•The Challenges•The Abyss•The Transformation•The Revelation•The Atonement

Finally…

The ReturnTo a changed, but

normal life.