“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
Joseph Campbell
Stages of the Hero's Journey
There are twelve steps to the hero's journey.
Ordinary World: This step refers to the hero's normal life at the start of the story, before the adventure begins.
Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with something that makes him begin his adventure. This might be a problem or a challenge he needs to overcome.
Refusal of the Call: The hero attempts to refuse the adventure because he is afraid.
Meeting with the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who can give him advice and ready him for the journey ahead.
Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves his ordinary world for the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure.
Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero learns the rules of his new world. During this time, he endures tests of strength of will, meets friends, and comes face to face with foes.
Approach: Setbacks occur, sometimes causing the hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas.
Ordeal: The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, such as a life or death crisis.
Reward: After surviving death, the hero earns his reward or accomplishes his goal.
The Road Back: The hero begins his journey back to his ordinary life.
Resurrection Hero - The hero faces a final test where everything is at stake and he must use everything he has learned.
Return with Elixir: The hero brings his knowledge or the "elixir" back to the ordinary world, where he applies it to help all who remain there. (source: Your Dictionary)
In the past 3 weeks I've used my experience with Silver Sirens as a means to apply this template.
The past few weeks I've shared my journey through 2/3 of the cycle. I've overcome the Ordeal and I am now in the Reward, Road Back, Resurrection and Return with Elixir stages of the journey.
There is a sweetness when we know we've slayed the dragon or faced the demons of our own life and emerge on the other side, with a renewed sense of who we are. On the outside, nothing seems to have changed. But on the inside, nothing will ever be the same again.
Remember to join The Living Soulfully in 2020 community to watch my weekly Facebook live. Check the Facebook group for any sessions you may have missed.
See you there!
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