THE HERO/INE’S JOURNEY # 6
INCORPORATION, INTEGRATION AND FEAR
Last week's Threshold involves entering the sacred space one has chosen for the journey. This is numinous where one encounters an adversary (physical and or psychological.) Victory is won and the “grail” is obtained. The grail is often an aha kind of experience which will facilitate the hero embarking on future journeys of transformation.
Incorporation
Involves returning with the grail to bestow the benefits of one’s new awareness on others and on the planet. Now begins a more subtle form of the fear of failure. Many will lose the way after all the effort. This may lead to fear induced regret later on in life.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Churchill
Reentry depression
After the return is common and can last several weeks. It is due to coming out of an altered state of consciousness induced by the experience, and sensory overload on return. The level of the depression is often related to how powerful the Threshold phase was. Many describe insights; profound to subtle such as; empowerment from conquering fear, a greater sense of aliveness, awareness and well-being, major life-style changes and a break with addictions from minor to major. To prevent the “fall” it is essential to adopt a regular inner practice. This is also the best remedy for reentry depression. Solitude is an important ingredient of the Incorporation. Success depends on attending to needs and not wants, walking the talk and not talking too much about one’s “walk.” Changing what we do or if this is not possible, how we do it. We should, however, not make any drastic decisions during this phase and keep the supply lines open. Sabotaging one's livelihood will lead one to be in survival rather than in a growth mode. Life is complicated so most of us will have to live in two worlds - the one that pays the rent and the other that fulfills our purpose. Group synergism also can help prevent the “fall” from grace away from the grail. If there is group synergism we can talk about content. To others we should talk only of context and what that person is able to hear without it creating any judgment that could demean, trivialize or invalidate your quest.
“Be what you is, coz if you be what you aint, you aint what you is.” Tombstone in Arizona
It helps to think of all the Warriors journeys we have done – successful or not – to learn how they could have maybe been formulated into hero’s journeys but for not integrating the Incorporation phase. The Hero’s journey differs from that of the Warrior where there is not necessarily any intention to bestow the benefits on others but to retain them for him/herself, the family, the business or the corporation. There are many more warriors than there are heroes in our society. The warrior’s journey is more of one, to test one’s resolve and commitment and to strengthen the ego. The Warrior’s quest recognizes the stages of Separation and Threshold but not necessarily giving back. Scrutinize those older warrior's journeys or other experiences good or bad, successful or not with sympathy as guides to the new you. The one’s where we fail are often the most instructive – there is no loss if we have the right mind set. This introspection can help both before and after the process. The Ancestors teach that anyone or anything that does not make you more of who you are makes you less. This is a good mantra to hold in the integration phase.
THE 4 ARCHETYPES AND THE 4 YOGAS
There are basically only four Archetypes; the Healer, the Teacher, the Warrior and the Visionary. There are numerous ways to heal or teach and the warrior can manifest along any spectrum from soldier to C.E.O. of a company. The visionary can be the artist, musician, author, guru, priest, shaman, psychic etc.
“May the hero awaken from forgetfulness and transcend all anxiety and sorrow.” Upanishads
At the end of the day and a series of hero’s journeys one comes to realize that the quest is a spiritual one to connect with the Higher Self and its greater mission. If we have difficulty connecting with the four archetypes there are also four Yogas where those on a spiritual path can Self-Realize. Accomplished yogis have strengths in all four of these qualities but the focus is on one of them.
Bhakti or devotional yoga - devotion to the Supreme Being which we see in the ecstatic Sufi poets, David the psalmist, Solomon in Ecclesiastes and the Christian mystics. Love for the Creator.
Karma yoga which is service oriented yoga as seen in Mother Theresa's dedication.
Jnana yoga - delving into the sacred texts and scriptures.
Raja yoga the royal path of the Buddha and Self-Realization through control of the mind.
Many of us are confused because we have strengths in all four archetypes and do not know which to follow. It is also more fun delving into many varieties of skill sets. There is only one main archetype and the other talents should support the one. Spiritually it does not help our destiny karma to be a Jack of all trades and master of none. This does not serve the completion of our mission on the planet however compelling that journey may be. Finally our main purpose should be love of and for all of the Four Beings of nature - Still - Growing - Wild (and domestic) and Talking.
Some may want to focus their talent on only one of the Four Beings.
Click on the links, play and ponder the journey.
Any wisdom gained without love is deceit of the soul.
You will come from doubt to belief, from belief to understanding, from understanding to knowing, from knowing to feeling. This is the way. The Ancestors
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