The Hero's Journey in Mythology
In mythology and symbolism, the Hero represents the
marriage of heavenly and earthly powers. The Hero is a fallen God or a
mortal with God-like powers. If one studies the heroes of mythology a
common thread becomes apparent:
- When the hero begins his/her path, armour is
necessary for defense.
- The hero is generally endowed with uncommon
strength and extraordinary skill in some field
- A hero always has a weak point, the 'archilles
heel'
- A hero's first real victory is that which he/she
gains over the self, over the monsters within.
- After this victory, the hero no longer requires
the armour.
- A hero is called to action at a critical point in
his life.
- If a hero ignores the call to action, the calls will merely get
louder and more insistent.
You may recognise the above as a familiar theme (with some
variations, of course) if you've
ever seen an action / adventure movie. The Hero's story is told again
and again in every culture and we never seem to tire of hearing it.
Change is the end result of all true learning. Change involves three things: First, a dissatisfaction with self -- a felt void or need; second, a decision to change to fill the void or need; and third, a conscious dedication to the process of growth and change -- the willful act of making the change, doing something.
Leo Buscaglia
Your Hero's Journey - Steps to personal Transformation
These steps will help
you reclaim your life's purpose:
Step 1 : Call to Action
Your call to action
may come in many guises. Depression, angst, fear of the unknown and a
general dissatisfaction with life, a feeling that all is not right.
You know that you are not just a number in a database, a Joe Public
and fodder for multinationals. This is your signal that you need to
change. Transformation is beckoning. Spend some time and think
about what will happen if you do not change.
Step 2 : Start Dreaming
What do you want? You need to give yourself permission to start dreaming. Dream
beyond your self-imposed boundaries. What are you scared of? Question the rules you live by.
Whose rules are they? Are they right for you? What did you want to be?
What are you now? Are you passionate? Could you be more passionate?
How passionate could you be?
Step 3 : Let Go
Start dreaming of what you want to leave behind. The people you
have outgrown. The organisations which no longer hold any meaning for
you. The relationships holding you back. The belief systems
with which you have been dissatisfied with for so long.
Step 4 : Embrace
What do you want to put in place of what you are letting go of?
Start to dream of a new you. What do you want to look like? How do you
want to dress? Who are your new friends? What do you want to study?
What do you know? What really rings your bells? What do you want to feel like when you
wake up in the morning? Where do you live? How do you contribute? What
is your legacy? Dream of a day in your life in 5 years time. In 10
years time. How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?
Step 5 : The Abyss
This is your big leap into the unknown. The leap of faith. Your journey into the world of the unknown. The world between who you
were and who you are to become. At this stage you start to live your
new story. You start to dream of your victory. The abyss is your
transition to the new you. A common theme of the abyss is fear and
self-doubt. Rather than succumbing, try to see these bedfellows in the
same way as you see any kind of exercise: the more you do it, the
easier it gets. And the stronger and more resilient you get.
Step 6 : Refocus
Your reality is what you choose to focus upon. You now start to see the world with new eyes.
Expectation of
your desired results starts to increase. You affirm the new
experiences which start to take place. You are grateful for the
synchronicities which start to enter your life. You see the new you
and your new life in everything you do. Start to write your experiences
down in a journal. Ask your subconscious questions. See the good in
everything that happens. Find ways of expanding your consciousness and
experience.
Step 7 : Commitment
Synchronicities start to occur with astonishing speed when your
commitment becomes unshakable, when you move from belief to knowing.
Visualise the continuous growth of the new you. See the old you
receding into the past. Work at being the new you. See the new you as
reality.
Step 8 : Combat
Combat is another way of saying that you need to look forward with
anticipation to the tests you will face. And there will be many. Some
will be easy. Others will be hard. Remember, like the hero, each test
will serve to strenghten and not weaken you.
Step 8 : Enjoy, Appreciate and be Grateful
Laugh more. Smile more. Try and hold a self-satisfied, confident
grin on your face. Believe it or not, it will start to make you feel
better. How would someone who has achieved mastery in your field
behave? How would they enjoy and appreciate their success? Why
not copy this idealised model? Become the model and ENJOY! Start to
redefine what the words 'enjoyment' and 'appreciation' mean for you.
How do you breathe, hold yourself and feel when you are
enjoying?
Be grateful for the challenges, experiences and people in your
life. They are constantly teaching you and making you find out about
yourself.
Step 9 : Practice and Live Change
As Otto Rank once said 'What we achieve inwardly, will change outer
reality'. A master of change continually looks inward and re-evaluates
what exists within. A master of change knows that the inner world
manifests on the outside. A master of change knows that, as Proverbs 23:7
says 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he'. Practise the
transformation of reality daily. And talk to others about how you
have, and are changing. The reality will become more profound and your
path clearer as you do this.
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