The Hero's Journey

“Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have one before us, the labyrinth is fully known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.” 
― Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces

This week we examined, "The Hero's Journey" as described by Joseph Campbell through his theory of the "Monomyth." Through stages of Separation, Initiation and Return, the hero  answers the call to action, struggles through trials and tribulations and emerges reborn with a new perspective; a gift which is shared with others. This story has been told thousands of times, across cultures and time periods. The elements resonated with the students as they named some of their own heroes, both ancient and modern, and their experiences of Separation, Initiation and Return.

Below is a link to a documentary about Joseph Campbell's "Monomyth" and perspectives on why it resonates so deeply with us.