“The way to find out about your happiness is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you really are happy – not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy. This requires a little bit of self-ananysis.” -Joseph Campbell.
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As I consider my life during today’s meditation, I return, as I always do, to my life’s most remarkable, frightening, and meaningful adventure: My “Hero’s Journey.”
The journey does not make me a hero in any sense. Still, it led me to leave my life and everything familiar behind. I set out on a year-long, terrifying, challenging, lonely, spiritual, and beautiful odyssey that led me to my bliss and beyond and a life of love and purpose.
It gave me what I came to call character, good or bad.
A “Hero’s Journey” is a familiar story structure in which a protagonist, often considered a “hero,” embarks on a quest, faces challenges and obstacles, overcomes personal fears (or doesn’t), and ultimately returns home transformed, usually with newfound wisdom or abilities after venturing into a new and often dangerous world.
The point is to figure out who you are once and for all. There’s no first class on the trip.
The hero’s journey is known as the “monomyth” because it repeats across various cultures and stories. Throughout history, men and women have set out to figure out their purpose for being alive.
The opportunity to go on this remarkable, life-altering journey was the greatest gift I have ever received or given myself. It was also the most dangerous, difficult, and sorrowful.
“Myths formulate things for you,” wrote Campbell. “For example, they say that you must become an adult at a particular age. You have to have a feeling for where you are. You have only one life to live, and you don’t have to live it for six people. “Pay attention to it.
My journey is the path that led me to pay attention to and understand my life, making it real and meaningful.
Every Hero’s Journey is divided into three stages: Separation, Initiation, and Return. These are further divided into more specific stages that happen universally in every story.
I found myself in an alien land. I was meant to go on this journey, I wanted it all of my life, even before I knew what it was. It ended with a breakdown and an awakening. I’ll never forget it.
I had no idea what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to do it. I became progressiively unhinged and unhappy – terrified much of the time. Up in the country, on a farm I bought, I just began to unraved and sank into a debilitating depression.
I understood from the beginning that I was looking for love and connection, andalso to figure out who I was and then the greatest magical helper of all came into my life. Maria was what I was looking for, and the chance life has given all of us to do good rather than complain about the bad. That, and years of therapy brought me to ground and lifted the film I knew who I was, what I wanted to be, and began putting it together with real and loving help.
Hi Jon…..what an amazing journey! Living life to
the bone….the good and the bad! Have followed
your books and blog from the beginning, and so
glad I did. Now also read Maria’s blog….she’s a
fabulous artist/photographer, and person. How
great that you met and transformed your lives.
Wish you much more health and happiness.
Sandra