According to famed scholar Joseph Campbell, the archetypal story of the hero on a journey explores themes and dilemmas that more deeply signify the spiritual challenges that we face throughout life. Challenges that are necessary to our personal growth. These tales have been told for as long as we have told stories, and have their roots in ancient times. Most celebrated, perhaps, may be Homer’s great saga ‘The Odyssey’ (see ‘The Treasure in Transformation’) For Joseph Campbell, the archetypal hero’s journey can be read as an astonishing roadmap for personal transformation. And it can guide you and ground you through a big process of change. Joseph Campbell’s roadmap Campbell’s research found 17 separate stages to the hero’s journey, each stage expressing a different dilemma. They include the ‘call to adventure’, the ‘road of trials’, and the ‘return with new wisdom’. What follows is a brief introduction to some of these stages. They are loosely categorised into 3 sections—departure, initiation and return of the hero. As you read on, take note of what most resonates with your own experience and how it may support and guide you. Please note that not every time of change has every stage, that stages can … Continue reading The Hero’s Journey – a roadmap for personal growth