“We shall only have to follow…heroic figures through the classic stages of the universal adventure in order to…understand…the singleness of the human spirit in its aspirations, powers, vicissitudes, and wisdom.”

-Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces 

 

This post is the first of a series called “Start with Yourself.”   Sign up in the box to the right if you want to be sure not to miss an installment!

The Ultimate Human Story

 

I love epics.  LOVE them.  The Lord of the Rings.  A Tale of Two Cities.  The Hunger Games.  Invictus.  Harry Potter.  Star Wars. The Karate Kid.  X-Men.  Titanic.  The Dark Knight.  I could go on… (and on and on…).

 

I can watch them (or read them) over and over.  This is not news to anyone who knows me–they just smile and roll their eyes at whatever my latest obsession is, and wait patiently for it to be over.  But despite how annoying it might be for the people who are forced to spend time with me, my love of epics is rooted in a simple truth:  epics are our story–the story of humanity, of human experience.

 

Epics are the story of anyone trying to do anything meaningful, and the process by which that effort transforms them–and the world.

 

When I say epics are the human story, I mean that in both a literal and a figurative sense.  Literally, most epics are some variation of the “hero’s journey”–a shared human story, or universal adventure.  (Joseph Campbell, who coined the term the “hero’s journey” after studying mythology across cultures around the world, also called this the “monomyth,” since its basic structure is found “in virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions”).  Sometimes the key elements of the journey are in a slightly different order, and sometimes stories focus more on one aspect than another, but all great epics are one variation of  this “monomyth” that spans the differences of time, space, and culture.

 

Figuratively, epics are our story—or the one we are called to live.  The story of how each of us can step out, meet the world, and transform it—through ourselves.  The hero’s journey is a worldchanger’s saga.  In its essence, it goes like this:

 

1)  Hero hears a call to adventure—and eventually (one way or another) sets out to do something, entering a strange new world.

2)  Through the journey, by facing trials and overcoming challenges, the hero is transformed.

3)  The hero faces a final test of his transformation and emerges triumphant, winning power and wisdom.

4)  Hero returns with the power and wisdom to change his world as he knows it.

 

It’s the same story, told over and over again (much like most stories…and if you want to have a laugh about this, watch this spoof of Academy Award winning movie trailers.  Hat tip to Rachel Fagen for showing it to me…but I digress).

 

But there is a reason for this—each time the story is different in the telling.  Much like each of us must—to make our own transformation, and find our own power—walk our own version of this journey.

 

Why am I taking the time to tell you this?  Because it has everything to do with you.  This is your story, if you choose to live it.

 

How It Begins

 

Every epic starts the same way: with a static reality that is somehow disrupted by an invitation, an accident, a “strong suggestion” or inevitable tragic event, that Joseph Campbell has dubbed the “call to adventure:”

 

  • Frodo finds himself in possession of a mysterious, magical ring, that must be taken out of his home country; Sam is charged with keeping an eye on Frodo since he overhears too much about the ring’s importance.
  • The Karate Kid is forced to move to Los Angeles because his mother has a new job, and there finds that the cool kids at his new school (and of course the friends of his love interest) are karate-kicking bullies who don’t respect him or where he comes from.
  • Katniss Everdeen finds herself in the terrible position of watching her baby sister be chosen to compete in a terrible bloodbath, and must choose whether or not to sit back and watch, or step in to the arena herself.
  • The Captain of the South African Springbok rugby team is asked to not only win his country a championship, but to do so in a way that will transform his team and his sport into a tool for healing a divided nation.
  • Harry Potter gets an invitation to a magical school in a new world he never knew existed–filled with magical surprises (but also a dangerous villain hellbent on his destruction).

 

Listen for Your Call

 

Your story is no different.  This is your story, and starts here, now, with you like this.

 

Being here, now.

 

Listening.

 

Wait, let’s try again.

 

Stop.

 

Breathe.

 

Listen.

……….

What’s calling?

 

You not only have the power to be the hero in your own life, but through your transformation, the world changes with you.  Step out into the unknown.  Find power.  Find wisdom.  Bring it back to us.  Change the world as we know it.

 

No matter what they are–your dreams matter.  Your goals matter.  Why? Because they are your call to adventure. What are you feeling called to do?  Listen.   Will you answer it?

 

Goals, dreams, desires, visions–when they come from the truest part of ourselves are just that–calls to adventure.  The call to adventure often shows up as a gut feeling, circumstances that seem less than ideal (or downright hellish), or an unconventional opportunity.

 

It might be an urge to build a massive company, or it might just be the urge to go for a walk.  It might even be that new health problem you discovered, or that unexpected invitation that for some reason seems exciting.

 

I can speak from experience that these calls might take you someplace unconventional: to the city you’ve been terrified of for as long as you remember; into a relationship you don’t understand; out of your stable and prestigious job; or just into a chance meeting with someone you’ll never see again, but who will tell you something you really needed to hear.   It might be a big goal that you are obsessing about.  It might be small and feel trivial, but persistent all the same.  It might seem random, or downright ridiculous.  Maybe it is.  Or maybe not.  After all, this is how adventures always begin–with a call.

 

So…what is calling you?

 

 

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This week’s “start with yourself” challenge:

 

1) Listen for your calls.  If you don’t think you can hear anything, keep listening.  Give time and space to whatever crazy visions or goals you might have.

2) In the mean time, practice seeing yourself as an epic hero by describing your everyday deeds in the third person as if you were a master storyteller, regaling your children’s children with the story of “L.C. and Lindsey’s Trek to the Mall for a TV adapter” or whatever situation is arising for you on this particular day.   For example: “It started on a day like any other. Lindsey and L.C. were procrastinating in the living room…”

Feel free to share your stories in the comments! 🙂

 

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And speaking of invitations: The Alchemi Next Steps Adventure Retreat will be happening on July 25th – 27th.  If you want to be the first to be invited, make sure you’re on the list! (Sign up using the side bar to the right).