InkenSoul

Write the World

Crossing the First Threshold of the Hero’s Journey

When we take that first step toward becoming the heroes we are called to be, it is truly one of faith, trusting that the courage which compels us to cross the First Threshold will be maintained throughout the rest of our journey. And though the specters will continue to whisper in our ear, deriding our [...]

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The Commitment to the Hero’s Journey

Once we have overcome our initial fears and complacency, we make a Commitment to ourselves and to the powers that be, which directed us to chart this course of victory, to live up to the heights to which we are called. When we hear the call, condemn our stubborn refusal, and cross the first threshold [...]

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The Meeting of a Mentor on the Hero’s Journey

There is an old axiom which states that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. And so, when the hero is ready, the mentor will appear. In the Hero’s Journey, one of the most significant stages is the Meeting of a Mentor, that sage advisor who acknowledges, supports, and spurs the hero onward. [...]

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Refusal of the Call to the Hero’s Journey

According to Joseph Campbell, a common theme among those who are called to the Hero’s Journey is the Refusal of the Call. When faced with the daunting challenge to step out of his comfort zone, the hero often flinches, doubts, or runs the other way. Both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo did it before going [...]

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The Call to Adventure of the Hero’s Journey

According the Joseph Campbell, the next stage in the Hero’s Journey, after he is established in the Ordinary World, is the Call to Adventure. In each of our lives, when we find ourselves in our own little comfort zones, we often get the opportunity to expand our reach to new endeavors. Be it a new [...]

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The Ordinary World of the Hero’s Journey

The Ordinary World, though possibly filled with comfort and security, carries with it a banality that we know is not our full potential. We know there is more that we are capable of and we know that there is more that the world has to offer.

What is your Ordinary World? Perhaps you feel as if you are just going through the motions. Perhaps you feel unchallenged by your current profession. Perhaps you feel trapped. Perhaps you just have a deep knowing that there is more to life than you are presently experiencing.

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The Hero’s Journey

A few years ago, I was introduced to Joseph Campbell through a PBS special titled The Power of Myth, hosted by Bill Moyers. In the program, Campbell discussed ideas from his book A Hero with a Thousand Faces and what he calls “The Hero’s Journey.” It is a series of steps that are seen in almost all mythologies in one form or another that guide the hero toward his goal. Even in modern life, away from the drama of the epic tale, these steps are prevalent in each adventure and endeavor we embark upon.

As Campbell puts it, ” A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

Campbell stated that this generation needed to establish a new mythology to inspire them to live up to the ideal of the hero of which they are capable. A noted anthropologist and expert on mythological studies, Mr. Campbell taught of a blueprint regarding the Hero’s Journey, a series of stages prevalent in all of the stories that intertwine throughout our various cultures and traditions. Though this melting pot generation may not have a singular mythology to which we can all aspire, the Hero’s Journey affords us a roadmap for weaving our own mythology from the fabric of our very lives.

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What is a writer?

What is a writer? A friend of mine recently had a similar concern as he troubled himself over fitting into the definition as he masterly put together lyrics to two different songs he was working on simultaneously. He thought that a ‘real writer’ would have written more songs by this time in his life. It [...]

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The Solitude of Artistry

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, the Artist must have Solitude. There is no suit to bring our C.A.R.D.S to plurality, and so the Artist finds himself alone, standing as the Joker and the Fool. There is no corresponding element, for the Artist at this stage begins his journey [...]

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The Dedication of Artistry

In order to reach fruition, the Artist must have Dedication. Symbolized by Cups, Hearts, and Water, Dedication offers the unending stream of development through unwavering emotional health. As the growth of a flower requires the consistent application of Water, the Artist must continually feed himself with the flow of creativity. Never must the Artist forget [...]

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