The Hero's Journey



Joseph Campbell has been one of my un-met mentors ever since I first heard him on Bill Moyers The Power of Myth interview. I first saw the series in 1988 about a year after Campbell's death and I have been hooked ever since. Campbell helped me to clarify and define my perspective toward training, teaching and my life's journey. His words added the fuel I needed to ignite my life's passion. His perspective resonated in me and added the depth needed to take my training and teaching to a deeper level. He is responsible for helping me begin to understand humanities connection to something deeper; my connection to humanity and things bigger than ourselves, things that are felt but difficult to articulate. The Hero's Journey for me was a Warrior's Journey, a Protector's Journey. A journey that cut through relative differences to a deeper Universal Value. Joe was one of my first mentor's on this path I am still traveling on today. A mentor who still speaks to me in unexpected ways. The most recent way was when David Sarnacki (a fellow Krav Tribesman) contacted me regarding my speech at Pecha Kucha Night last year. David was considering putting together a presentation and speaking at one of the upcoming events himself. I gave him the coordinator's contact information and away he went. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend his event, but he did forward me the YouTube clip to watch. I was excited to see his performance. When I looked at the video I was surprised to see what subject he chose to talked about. To my surprise and delight, his presentation was a breakdown of Joseph Cambell's Hero's Journey.
They say a picture's worth a thousand words, so rather than me writing about David's presentation, here is the video clip for you to see for yourselves. 

PechaKucha With David Sarnacki

 

 Unfortunately I never had the chance to meet Joseph Campbell in person. I learned that I just missed one of his discussions held at Fountain Street Church right here in Grand Rapids, MI on his favorite holiday, Halloween or as Joe called it "All hallows Eve." Click here to read that Fountain Street Discussion.

I feel that all of this is even more fitting because it is, of course Halloween time (also my favorite holiday!).

I'll leave you with this quote from Joe himself:

"What am I? Am I the bulb that carries the light, or am I the light of which the bulb is a vehicle?"

"One of the psychological problems in growing old is the fear of death. People can resist the door of death. But this body is a vehicle of consciousness, and if you can identify with the consciousness, you can watch the body go like an old car. There goes the fender, there goes the tire, one thing after another - but it's predictable. And then, gradually, the whole thing drops off, and consciousness rejoins consciousness. It's no longer in this particular environment."

(Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth, pp. 70-71)

Trick or Treat!

All the best,
~Craig

Comments

  1. SkyLitDecember 17, 2012 at 7:06 AM

    Perhaps an answer to JC's question.- When I was 7 yrs old I wrote this in school...

    I’m a Fire Tulip.
    I live in a bulb now. But I will not later. Now I live in a bulb. My food is all around me. I am squashed. I live in a giant’s garden. One day when I was almost up a giant came to water the other flowers and me. He watered me first. Then he watered the others. While the giant was watering a flower close to me, he accidentally stepped on me. That was awful.
    I got sick. Soon it was winter. I was well then. I was frozen too.
    Then it was spring. I was better then. AND I GREW Up.
    (Towson Elementary School, age 7). Balto. Md. 1966

    Thank you for the space to share this. I am finally beginning to smell Spring.

    S.K.

    ReplyDelete

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