THE HERO/INE’S JOURNEY #2

SEPARATION

“S/He who mounts a wild elephant goes where the wild elephant goes.” R. Bournes

"A possibility is a hint from God - one must follow it."  Kierkegaard

 

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” Joseph Campbell

 

S/He who would be what he ought to be must stop being what s/he is.” Meister Eckhart

“In order to possess what you do not possess you must go by the way of dispossession. In order to arrive at what you are not you must go through the way in which you are not.” T.S. Elliot

“…put out to sea! Save your boat’s journeying soul and your own pilgrim soul, cost what it may.” 

Dom Helder Camara

(One needs to move away from one's "Safe Harbor.")

 

The Hero's journey arises from a yearning for the extraordinary but resistances need to be overcome. Inner resistances arise as do outer pressures from love ones or peers that are concerned for you or maybe envious that they  did not have the courage to undertake what you are about to do. 

Usually one is given an object of power. In days of old it might have been a sword to kill the wolf that is marauding the village. Now it is more likely to be an inspirational lecture, book or person who has induced you to embark on your own journey.

Classically one would enter sacred space in order to separate. As mentioned before nature, wild places and wilderness are preferred environments since they offer the possibility of being more numinous and luminous. Whatever the space chosen it is good to go into nature in one way or another for more or less time to experience the metaphors, signs, messages and power animals that may assist. In South Africa game viewers talk about the "Big Five" animals, but the metaphors usually come out of observing the smaller Beings of nature including the rocks, plants and trees.

“Believe one who knows; you will find something greater in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from the masters.” St. Bernard de Clairvaux

 

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” 
Kahlil Gibran

“The sun shines not on us but in us. The river flows not past but through us.” J Muir

 

“Ask of the wild animals and they shall teach you and the birds of the sky shall tell it to you or speak to the earth for she shall guide you and the fishes of the sea will declare it to you.” Job

 

Remember the wisdom of wild things, the holiness of elements and the healing powers of waters. Water trickling from the top of the hill is but a drop of the deep spring within.

 

The breath that created us is the same breath that created the worm and the stone and thus we share a oneness.

If we immerse in nature we may experience the magic of the ordinary or even what I have called Wilderness Rapture which can assist in the Threshold phase. It is best to go on your own or be alone for the experience.

“You enter the forest
at the darkest point,
where there is no path.
Where there is a way or path,
it is someone else's path.
You are not on your own path.
If you follow someone else's way,
you are not going to realize
your potential.” 
Joseph Campbell

Meditate on any unrealized or not fully realized yearnings. Also examine the fears that may have prevented one from taking this plunge into the unknown.

 02_Do_Not_Let_Me_Fear.mp3