DESTINY AND THE HERO’S JOURNEY #2

 

Threshold

 

The Hero/ine now enters the Sacred Space of the Threshold. It does not have to be in nature but can be the dark night of the soul resulting from loss of a loved one, one's vocation, health or any other catastrophic which pushes the sufferer to go inwards into his/her sacred space wherever she finds it. Nature, however, because of its multiple polarities is a preferred location.

 

“… Fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory
 is won …” J. Campbell

 

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

 

“The meeting of oneself is, at first, the meeting of one’s Shadow.” 

C.J. Jung

 

The sacred space is classically numinous and luminous (hence the power of nature.)  During the Threshold we will usually encounter the dark night of the soul when we confront our inner (shadow) and outer fears. We return with the grail of a new awareness to bestow it on those who can benefit.

The “grail” is given by grace or less dramatically, one comes back with an enlightened idea or an aha as how to better proceed with one’s life. For this reason, there are many hero’s journeys, some profound and some more subtle as we slowly fine tune our paths. Primal experiences can help us reach another part of our forgotten selves. Sadly we often have little awareness of how much of the hero archetype arising out of our indigenous nature we have lost on the altar of modern-day technology.

“We cannot today recreate the original wilderness human in shape form or habitat. But we can recover him because s/he exists in us. S/he is the foundation in spirit or psyche on which we build and we are not complete until we have recovered him..." L. Van der Post

 

Our teachers include:

The “Soft Fascinations.” The sites, the scenes, the sun and moon risings and settings, the sounds or the mantra of nature, the smells, aromas and diurnal cycles. One does not have to navigate wild places in order to connect with this "magic of the ordinary." Hard skills should prevail only when absolutely essential.

Use any form of spiritual practice to support and balance the encounters that present themselves. These inner techniques include journaling peak events or dreams so as to retain the details of any “aha.” 

Avoid performance behavior and time restraints (if possible.) At least five days is usually advisable to peel away the layers of ego and civilization getting in the way of our higher Selves. Stay inwardly rather than outward directed. Avoid the “Need to Know” the cognitive things in order to allow the inner experience to emerge. When in an altered state of consciousness, we can connect with and fuse with various metaphors in nature which can guide us such as power animals, the rocks, the earth, a flower or tree that may have a message for us.

 

To experience the Still Beings of nature one must touch them.
… the Growing Beings - listen to them.
… the Wild Beings - dance with them.
and the Talking Beings - feel with them.

We are all connected, some of all in each.

 

Ultimately when we emerge from the journey we should return to the talking beings and be able to feel with them or relate to them more intimately than before.

“We do not go into the desert to escape people but to learn how to find them: we do not leave them in order to have nothing more to do with them but to find out the way to do them the most good.” 

Thomas Merton

 

Reentry

 

As one emerges out of sacred space one may have a reentry depression which can last a few weeks. This state is a testament to the power of the journey as well as the insights both profound and subtle that have emerged. It may be aggravated by the fact that one has to return to the frustrations of ordinary life. Often the harder the home and work circumstances, the greater the depression. Paradoxically this depression occurs in the face of a demonstrable restorative effect. The re-entry depression seems to be a result of having been in an altered state of consciousness and upon the return there is a dramatic shift as one is propelled back into a normal state of awareness. The alfa relaxed vibration one has been in on the journey often gives way to sensory overload on the return.  Intensifying one’s spiritual practice will help to manage these fluxes. The depression is temporary and “normal,” lasting up to three weeks.

 

Inner Effects (especially but not exclusively if performed in Nature)

Being or feeling more like one’s true self.  

An appreciation of awe, oneness, wonder, transcendence – peak or oneness experience, (wilderness) rapture, unity consciousness. 

Humility and a realization that any control one thinks one has over (nature) or life is an illusion. 

Becoming more pleasant and affable with others. Feelings of connection and comfort (in nature.) A sense of renewal, and aliveness, feeling less cluttered, more mindful and focused. 

An appreciation of alone time.

Experiencing major life style changes and releasing from addictions of the past from minor to major. 

Previously there may have been a greater sense of duality (with nature) and other beings and on the return this duality is lessened especially if spiritual practice is maintained.

Incorporation

 

“…The hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow humans.” J. Campbell

 

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” W. Churchill

 

“We are here to help others – what on earth the others are here for – I do not know.” W.H. Auden

 

There are four basic archetypes each with many diverse possibilities. These are:

Healer

Teacher

Warrior or Leader

Visionary or Elder

There are many ways to teach, heal or be a warrior. The warrior-leader should be a spiritual warrior guiding the “tribe” with wisdom for the sake of the tribe and not him or herself. The Visionary can be a sage, elder , crone, guru, priest, shaman, poet, author, artist or musician ... One’s destiny can also be actualized through any of the other above archetypes with the vision to help others.  

 

“A vision without a task is a dream
A task without a vision is drudgery 
But a vision with a task can change the world.” 
Black Elk

 

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs

"Most men (and women) live lives of quiet desperation." Thoreaux 

 

Many have talents in all four archetypes making it difficult to know which to choose. There is usually only one core or signature strength where your potential and power reside. The others must serve the one. If you have doubts, then head in the direction of the one or ones you want to explore and rule them out by a process of elimination to find the best fit. In time you will know if this is it or not. There is no loss – you have gained knowledge and skills from the experience. The Creator does not want us to be “a Jack of all trades and a master of none” - but a master of one. The power is in that “one” which will be supported by the Field, your guides and even the Great Spirit who wants a personal relationship with us all.

You cannot control result only your actions. You cannot predict outcomes only your choices. 

Do not rely on the hope of results …

“Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and achieve no worth at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea you will start more and more to concentrate not on the results but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.” Thomas Merton

If you are unclear which to choose it is best to focus on spiritual practice and obtaining knowledge for transformation. Knowledge, wisdom and inner practice are the wings that will help fly you to your true purpose.