Finding a Life-Path of Purpose that reflects your Passion and Power.
The Hero’s journey and slaying dragons – fairy tale or reality.
Have you found a Life-Path of Purpose that reflects your Passion and Power yet? Sometimes we need to courageously be willing to explore options, to do what no-one else is willing to do, and also tends to hinder you from doing. Yet, Joseph Campbell, renowned Mythologist, remind us that we must be willing to let go of the life we have planned to live, so as to find a path of meaning and purpose, the dream that is waiting for you. “There is a journey that leads to hope and vision, but to find the path, the seeker needs to surrender himself to new ideas and ways”, (Mythic Sage).
Finding a Life-Path of Purpose that reflects your Passion and Power.
Joseph Campbell is most famous for his scholarly work, “The hero with a thousand faces”, that became the foundation for the Hero’s Journey portrayed in movies like Alice in Wonderland, Starwars, the Matrix, Wizard of Oz, and Harry Potter. Based on research on various religious systems and mythology embedded in cultures throughout history, Campbell highlights how we all experience the journey in one form or another to embody our own highest potential, or in simple terms, to live our dream. But the process and steps to find and then make your passion a feasible method to earn an income, and be happy, and feel alive while doing it – requires some challenging and adventurous choices and actions that stretch your abilities to find renewed inner resources, either not known, or were unwilling to be explored. In order to become your own hero, you need to embark on the journey, whether thrown into the deep end through trauma, or by embracing an individual vision and challenge to make a difference in the world. Campbell further explains that ignoring the call and living a monotonous status quo for the sake of survival, social acceptance, and comfort, only leads to further stress and an unhappy, unfulfilled life. Until one day, you dare to explore options, to do what no-one else is willing to do, and also hinder you from doing. But you know that you may need some help, and you really need to do this now, or else something terrible may happen, like a sandcastle on a beach that gets washed away by an incoming wave. The hero’s journey is summarised in three stages below. Each contains some of the major mental blocks we need to overcome in order to move into a life of passion, power, and purpose.
1. The Invitation, a call for departure and adventure. We live a normal life, yet are silently unhappy, uncertain, and know there is something bigger, a more meaningful life in store for us. You face the facts and refuse the call, maybe from a sense of duty, inadequacy, fear, or insecurity, but what your hesitation reveals is the limiting believes and blocks that needs to be faced in order to embrace your full potential and lives the life of your dreams. But you need help, and along the way, you meet a mentor that empowers you with the tools you need. Preparations are made, you need to make a choice, and then it is time for departure. When we get stuck at this point and never take the step … maybe, we need to ask the following questions;
Can we let go of negative thinking, self-judgment (repeated conditional traditional self-talk), and compulsive thinking that seeks to impress, earn favour and avoid conflict, and seek another’s approval? Now, whose life is it in any way, and who are you trying to make happy? And are we able to let go of excuses and reasons to postpone things for tomorrow? For who knows, tomorrow might never be there. When you are stranded on an island for three years, and a ship comes along, are you going to have a list of requirements ready before you swim-out to an opportunity presented? Well maybe you are caught in self-pity and heartbreak – ever more the reason to embark on the journey, for it won’t matter if you fail anyhow. Sometimes, it is the bad company that disempowers by focussing attention on useless undertakings and possessions that are only meant to entertain, while keeping your life grounded in a wasteland of counterproductive activities. Shake-it off and saddle up the horses, now!
2. The adventure has started. Life shoves us into an initiation, we face trials on the quest, and we begin to doubt the choices we have made. Maybe I should have stayed home, maintained the status quo, at least I would have been safe. And now I face death and descent into the underworld to face and conquer the dragons of my soul. But when we embrace our deepest fear, dragon, and all, we also find our greatest power. Yes, our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure, for it is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. (Marianne Williamson). And you can be that hero that found the chalice of eternal bliss, joy, and victory. And yet, so many get lost in the cave of illusion, overwhelmed by the seemingly impossible, and return either defeated and disillusioned, for they have never integrated the gift and wisdom gained from their mentors. Not willing to face and conquer the inner dragon, they get entangled in the following questions;
Can we let go of prejudice, grudges and idealism and the; “should be, could be, or must be,” in order to be, have, or do something greater in life. Who says things need to be this way anyhow, and why can’t you be different? Can you be the dragon, be the hippy, be the one your mother has warned you against and embraced the reflection of the lessons gained? Do you hold on to bad memories and blame the world for the curve-ball that landed on your lap? Or are you the warrior-hero that faces the challenges and seek solutions, a strategy, and embrace your inner strength to conquer again and again?
3. The Dance: When we return from the underworld, a life resurrected from the inner cave, rebirthed from a life of meaninglessness with renewed vision and inner resources – that is when we return to a life of destiny. After crossing the threshold, facing the inner demons, and attained freedom from the ego, the opportunity is there to live the dream. But temptation will come and not all at home will recognize the enlightened one, for see, they all are still asleep. You can obviously withdraw and go and live your own life in seclusion, and enjoy the bliss. Or you can embrace a higher call, jump back into the race … but then consciously being present to say yes to give of yourself. You can again become a companion for those who start the journey and offer your gift, talents and abilities back to the world to make a difference in life. Yet some will not be willing, some will lose the map, and need again to be reawakened when they face the questions …
Have you passed the test, faced the dragon, discovered, and retrieved the gift within, or did you take a shortcut and pretended to be “enlightened” without applying the principles? We call it jumping on the bandwagon of jargon – yet it requires discipline, humility, and surrender of ideas, plans, and self-righteousness before you can be guided to your greatest gift. For how well you have learned the lesson will be reflected in the way, you handle curveballs. A wonderful line by Adrienne Rich comes to mind: "There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep, and still be counted as warriors”. Let's be that, and provide such a space for each other, a place where there is room for acknowledging all of what has shaped us, without judgment, and in kindness and compassion to still be known as whole. And even when we have slipped and fell … to be there to encourage each other along. That’s one way we can start making a difference in the world. That’s the place where we release the last mental barriers – Letting go of guilt and to forgive, letting go of self-criticism and attachments to outcomes, and to realize that life is just a journey, not a destination.
There are many ways you can engage in “Conversations for Transformation”. Should you like to know more, please visit our website at https://metalifecoaching.co.za/coaching.php, or send me an email with your request? And thank you for being part of this journey – without your presence, the journey on earth would have lesser value.
