THE HERO/INE’S JOURNEY & NATURE'S POWER #1

“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye...

It also includes the inner pictures of the soul.” Edward Munch

Whether you are a nature lover or not, the archetypal Hero's Journey

was originally done in the Sacred Space of a natural environment.

That does not mean one has to venture into the wild outdoors to do it. Putting

oneself in a survival situation is counterproductive

to going inward and receiving the 'Grail' or anything else enlightening.

Whatever way you choose to be in Nature - it must be the

the right one for you - a spiritual retreat center, renting a cabin in the woods, on

a lake, on the ocean... Anywhere where one is exposed to Nature's

magic. Nature can meditate us.

"This song of the waters is audible to every ear but there is other

music in the hills ... sit quietly and listen and think hard of

everything you have seen and tried to understand ..." Aldo Leopold

For those more inclined to venture into the wild outdoors to Separate...

"Have you seen God in his splendor, heard the text that nature renders? (You'll

not hear it the family pew.) The simple things, the true things, the silent folk who do

 things, then listen to the wild its calling you ... They have cradled you in custom, they

 have pinned you with their preaching, they have soaked you in convention through and

 through. They have put you in a showcase, you're a credit to their teaching but can't you

 hear the wild its calling you."  Robert Service

Research has shown the restorative effects of Nature. Green and blue colors

are relaxing as are these colors in surgical scrubs. Architects are now well

aware of the Sick Building Syndrome and strive to correct it with their designs

which embrace concepts of light (which neutralizes Seasonal Affective Disorder)

as well as plants, nature paintings or images and fountains.

Research has shown that if patients can see nature out of their windows they recover

sooner. Prisoners who can see outside their cells and those working in gardens do betterWalking in nature can be more restorative that an urban walk.

A backpack trip creates more equanimity than a hike.

The longer we expose ourselves to a natural environment - especially

with a restorative intention - the more powerful it can be. 

Eco-psychologists are emphasizing the importance of the "Accessible Green." The easier it is for us to regularly connect with the Earth Mother,

the healthier and more balanced we feel. All the more so for the Hero's

Journey which must also be inward rather than outward bound.

"To experience the Still Beings (rocks, mountains, earth) we must touch them.

To experience the Growing Beings (plants, trees) we must listen to them.

To experience the Wild Being (and domestic who were once wild) we must dance with them.

And to experience the Talkings Beings we must feel with them.

"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

The Magic of the Extraordinary can be seen and heard in stunning wilderness but also in the 

Magic of the Ordinary with Nature that is all around us - a rainbow, a feather, a spider’s web, the flight of a butterfly or a hummingbird. Once we take

time out, preferably four days, Nature's signs begin to talk to us as metaphors for our lives.

Our intuitive powers and our dream worlds expand. 

With the right intention we do not have to be in pristine wilderness.

The “Magic of the Ordinary” can occur anywhere we find ourselves;

The stars and planets having a divine consciousness greater even than that of humans

and only slightly less than that of angels, as do stones, water, earth and air.

If you want to learn the language of rocks and trees you must first slow to their pace

which is different from animals and wild flowers.

Although they are soundless they are not silent, so listen long and deeply in order

to hear what hearing ears do not.

Fauna, flora, stones, planets, stars, sun and moon, waters and the earth are replete

with God’s creative intent.

And so do we also have the attributes of all the plants,

minerals and animals and the power of the winds and their directions within us.

We are all one though not the same.

"We Inter-Are." Thích Nhất Hạnh

who also believed that everything depends for its existence on everything else.

These wisdoms below help us to understand the danger of what we are in the process of 

losing. The Hero's journey can also facilitate our treating our Earth Mother more kindly.

“Earth is best understood as a single, self-regulating, Super-organism. the planet

is self-regulating through the interaction between living things and the inorganic

environment on earth. Gaia’s goal is to maintain a balance in the ecosystem

that allows Her to stay alive.” J. Lovelock and Magulis

When we immerse in Nature's power we become more committed to preserving her.

“The first rule of intelligent tinkering with world systems is to save all the parts.” Aldo Leopold 

“Wilderness holds the questions to answers we do not yet know how to ask.”

David Brower

 

Nature is part of God’s masterpiece on our tiny planet inside the

mysterious, magnificent, multiverse. For many, Nature, is the best place to connect

with the sacred geometry of Divine Intelligence. For those resistant to the concept

of God think then of; 'Field', or Infinite Intelligence.

 

Equanimity is believing that the Infinite One is present in everything we see and do and in

so believing, while it does not change what happens,

it does change how we feel about it. We do it with greater reverence,

gratitude and joy because we trust in and are aware of God’s presence.

 

The soul’s essence should lodge comfortably in the body.

From the sound of my sighing, has my essence (soul) cleaved onto my flesh (body.)  

David the Psalmist

Soul (Essence) and Body (Flesh) are meant to be in unison. When we are dysregulated

the Soul, which is pure will separate from the Body's impurities,

Nature has the potential to bring them back together again.

David was a shepherd and before he became king he was “Nature Bound.”

You can imagine him in pure wilderness, experiencing

the oneness or “sighing” or Wilderness Rapture that one can achieve

with prolonged exposure in nature. No doubt his songs and psalms

were facilitated by this immersion.

 

We need to empty ourselves of Narrow (Monkey) mind’s obsessions and venture into the

expanse of Spacious (Big) mind. 

The more we look for the Divine in all Creation the more we will encounter Him/Her. 

Nature is a room with many doors and windows to Spirit.

 “Search for Me and you will find Me, seek Me with all your heart and

will let you find Me.”  Jeremiah

 

The Creator (Jesus) wants a personal relationship with each of us. Kabbalah states

that the Great Spirit is playing “hide and seek” but no-one

wants to participate. Jeremiah is affirming God’s desire.

 

The Supreme Being is a persistent lover wooing us with many pleasures,

lavishing endless grace, wanting our delight, hoping for our trust.

We are all given a unique talent or destiny (mission, purpose) by the Great Spirit

in order to help the planet

and its Beings. The Hero's journey is aligned with finding and fulfilling

our special purpose. Nature is a preferred environment and a catalyst in whatever way

we find it.

 

THE HERO/INE'S JOURNEY

INCORPORATION #6

"I dont' know what your destiny will be, but the one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." A. Schweitzer

“Hold to your vision - be true to your myth.“  

J. Campbell

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

Incorporation

"The priviledge of a life time is to become who you truly are." C. Jung

Now is the time to settle in and not take any serious risks until the experience

is reintegrated back into one’s life. Eventually it may lead to giving up a

partner, one’s job or selling one’s house but the supply lines for security must be taken

into account, If you are in survival mode you will be propelled out of actualizing

any meaningful change. Keep your day job and pursue your quest in your free time if needed.

Many of us have to learn to live in two worlds; the one that pays the rent

and the other that is our mission. One may have to carry out one's true purpose

for its own sake even without consideration for pay back.

That is perfectly ok as well as good karma.

It is important to take time out and look at one's life after the journey.

It's worthwhile having a skillful, trusted witness/es who can listen to your story, embellish, and expand it to help you find your archetype. Inner practice and group synergism or just one other person can be supportive. 

Indigenous peoples had a council of elders for this. 

Finding one's core strength and helping others can make one not only feel happier but also more powerful.

“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes

you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people

who have come alive.” H. Thurman

After the journey and the sense of knowing or the aha, walk the talk do not talk the walk. Do not put your experiences on the mantle piece for those who do not understand

to invalidate.

If it's necessary, be polite, talk to them about context rather than content,

in words they can understand rather than challenge. 

These insights may be very subtle but vital. They usually are not like neon lights blazing

in the dark. Its all well and good if they are epic but its wise to be careful of these,

they can delude you and arise out of grandiosity.

If you cannot change what you do, maybe change how you do it. 

Beware the “fall” out of the grace you have received with all the hard work you have done. Many will lose the way and submit to the demands of life and the hypnosis of materialism.

Release yourself from what you are not accountable !

KISS - Keep it Simple, Stupid.

Attend to needs not wants and ask yourself what is it that I really need?

Maintaining a regular spiritual practice is essential. You have to find the one made for you. Just because some enlightened guru or person tells you this is the meditation for you, it does not mean that it is.

"Continuing with a spiritual practice that no longer works for you is like

carrying a raft on your back after you have crossed the river." The Buddha

For those more spiritually inclined:

One may find that there are recognizable inner experiences that confirm

you are opening up to the spirit world - such as;

synchronicity, coherence and "super-fluidity."

For some there may be nuances of remote viewing, telepathy, precognition and

clairvoyance, ... audience or ... sentience.

One's dream life may become more meaningful.

Downloads from ones guides or the "Field" can occur both in the awake or the dream state.

There can even be kundalini-like vibrations occurring during sleep or other

awakening experiences during your meditations. Validate, savor and honor them rather

than rationalize or trivialize them away. Oneness experiences when the Knower, the Known, and the Process of Knowing all fuse into one tell you your energy body, mind and soul are in sync with the cosmos at that moment but may not tell you what to do about it.

Remember that the messages that you h ave - no-one has all of these - will be the one or the ones that your guides or the Great Spirit know to be those most accessible to their guidance. Do not feel invalidated because others on the path have more splendid and spectacular insights.

It is wasteful of your time and to practice and try to master those that are not meant for you.

Seek congruence – who is the real you?

Be yourself. The spirit world does not endorse a copy cat destiny.

If you do not be uniquely you, who then, will ever be?

 

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe

The hero/ine's journey is ultimately about finding meaning in one's life.

 

“Once what you are living and what you are doing has for you meaning

it is irrelevant whether you are happy or unhappy. You are content,

you are not alone in your spirit, you belong.”    

L. Van der Post

There are four basic archetypes each with many diverse aspects.

Healer

Teacher

Warrior or Leader

Visionary

The Visionary stage can arise from a Hero's journey which in turn can help us find

our destiny.

“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

Many have talents in all four archetypes so it may be 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 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 one that most fits.

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 more tools you have in your tool box the more they can serve

the power of the one meant for you. If you are unclear which to choose its best to focus

on spiritual practice and obtaining knowledge for transformation.

With all your strength get knowledge that enlightens.

Knowledge, wisdom and inner practice are the wings that will help fly

you to your true purpose. Alternatively you may pursue the spiritual life

and the realization of Self through any one of the four yogas; Karma (service,)

Bhakti (devotion,) Jnana (spiritual knowledge) and Raja yoga (control of the mind.)

"May the hero awaken from forget-fullness and transcend all anxiety and sorrow."

Upanishads

  

 

THE HERO/INE’S JOURNEY # 5

(Again apologies for how Google reformats the text.)

“Be willing to give up who you are - the old familiar

- for who you might become to reach that which is beyond you.” Rev Nachman 

THRESHOLD

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

The Hero/ine now enters the Sacred Space of the Threshold.

Nature offers many open doors and windows to spirit.

 

“The meeting of oneself is, at first, the meeting of one's Shadow.” C.J. Jung

 

In Threshold we usually will encounter the dark night of the soul where we have to confront our inner fears.

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.

Find your own means of access, the sacred space that will work for you. 

Set an inner intention but let go of specific goals - allow what comes to arise on its own.

 Do it all for its own sake, not for reason of outcome other than to allow change to happen. 

Keep it simple; do not let “stuff” like a camera, books or paraphernalia

get in the way of the experience. Keep a journal to record even the most subtle of events.

Attend to needs not wants. Provide the basic necessities only.

Allow for alone time or even go alone. 

Avoid Hard Skills. Tune in to the “Soft Fascinations;” the sun and moonsets and their risings, the scenes, the scents and aromas, the sounds or mantra of the bush, the daily

and even the monthly cycles. Connect with the Magic of the Ordinary with nature that is all around us and with the Magic of the Extraordinary if you are in wilderness.

Use any form of inner practice to support and balance you.

Inner techniques can include drumming, journaling any peak event or

dream so as to retain the details of any 'aha.' 

Avoid performance behavior and time restraints (if possible.) Five days is ideal. Stay inward not outward.

Avoid the “Need to Know” the cognitive things in order to allow the inner experience

to emerge.

REENTRY

 

"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

The breath that created us is the same breath that created the worm and the stone

and thus we share a oneness.

Human interdependence is absolute - now more than ever.

"We are all in the same boat in a stormy sea

and we owe each other a terrible and tragic loyalty." Chesterton

The return can be jarring.

“We return to our places these kingdoms, no longer at ease here in

the same dispensation, with an alien people clutching their gods.” Journey of the Magi

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 occurred.

It may be aggravated by the fact that one now has to return to the frustrations

of ordinary life and a place which is not ideal for reentry. 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 return.  Intensifying one's spiritual practice will help

manage these fluxes. The depression is temporary and 'normal,' lasting

about three weeks.

Inner Effects

Being or feeling more like one’s true Self. An appreciation of awe, oneness, wonder, transcendence - peak or oneness experience (unity consciousness.) 

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

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

Becoming more pleasant and affable with others. 

Feelings of connection and comfort in nature even if nature was not the catalyst. 

A sense of renewal, and aliveness, feeling less cluttered, more mindful and focused. 

An appreciation of alone time.

Experiencing major life style changes on returning. Release from unskillful habits and addictions of the past from minor to major. 

Previously there may have been a greater sense of duality and on the return this duality is lessened especially if spiritual practice is maintained.

"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to pretend that I am here and you are out there." Y. Roshi