ELEMENTS COMMON TO THE HERO(INE')S JOURNEY

1. Mysterious or miraculous birth.

What this means in terms of individuation – Every person is born with a destiny, and so there is no such thing as an “ordinary birth.” Our uniqueness should stand out from the very moment we come into this world, but that’s not usually what happens. In our heart of hearts, we hope that we will someday be recognized as extraordinary, as the heroes in potential that we have always been.

2. Sequestered or hidden childhood with surrogate parent(s).

What this means in terms of individuation – Many people have a secret suspicion (or even hope) that the parents that raised them were not their real parents, and that their true parents would not have allowed them to have the dismal, ordinary childhood that they had. Again, this is rooted in an awareness that our uniqueness and destiny, often first stifled by our parents and circumstances of our birth, will someday win out and we will be recognized for who we REALLY are. This also represents overcoming the parental complexes in order to achieve adulthood.

3. His/her identity is known by one individual.

What this means in terms of individuation – Isn’t there just one person who recognizes our destiny and validates our bigger dreams? We long for such validation. That’s often what brings people into analysis.

4. Completes education with an old wise teacher(s).

What this means in terms of individuation – A hero should be initiated, preferably by a carrier of traditional wisdom. Otherwise, the young hero might just become infatuated with power and the ability to bend the world to private desires. Through initiation, a person comes to see the bigger context and purpose of her/his individuation.

5. Call to adventure and quest for identity, or special duty in this world.

What this means in terms of individuation – To individuate, one must break out of the ruts of personal, cultural, and global history. The longing for individuation often begins as a desire to break free of mundane life. However, the breaking free must be in the context of something bigger. If one disregards duty or daily necessity, there’s a danger of becoming a puer or puella, living life for the thrills.

6. Revelation of identity or special duty in this world.

What this means in terms of individuation – For many, the greatest fear is not that life will be too difficult to bear. The greatest fear is that it is all meaninglessness, or self-delusion, and life really is just a daily struggle to survive. To have one’s duty and specialness unequivocally revealed would be a great gift and comfort.

7. Discovery of virtues and usually one weakness.

What this means in terms of individuation – It may be said that “only the virtuous can individuate.” This is an unconventional definition of virtue; it’s deep virtue, not superficial obedience or conformity to conventional morals. The virtues that support individuation are resolve, compassion, humility, moderation, and awareness. However, it wouldn’t be much of an adventure, and not much would be learned, if we started out perfectly virtuous. Our flaws are often our most profound teachers, because they reveal our shadows, our unfinished work, and our source of vitality and creativity.

8. Development/ revelation of special power(s), at least one of which is unique. There may be gifts from gods or those who she/he has helped. The gift usual compensates for the weakness.

What this means in terms of individuation – Although individuation may feel like a lonely journey, we are never really alone. We are in a deepening connection with the Self. When we are on the right path, synchronicity and dreams come to our aid, if only we are aware. These clues from the unconscious most commonly point to, and compensate for, our flawed one-sidedness.

9. Physical or psychological journey consisting of arduous tasks, tests, or temptations. Ultimately the hero/heroine must depend on her or himself and his/her wits.

What this means in terms of individuation – The path of individuation is full of trials. That’s how consciousness grows – through repeated testing against the harsh necessities of reality. There’s nothing like the hard grind of daily necessity to identify what really matters. If one disregards duty or daily necessity, there’s a danger of becoming a puer or puella, living life for the thrills.

10. Journey either progresses to a high spiritual plane with a return, or a descent into darkness with a return.

What this means in terms of individuation – At the beginning of the journey of individuation, it appears to be about something straightforward, like making a mark in the world or taking up a social cause. Later, the reality of a bigger purpose emerges. It may be spiritual, about higher truths, or soulful, about deeper mysteries. And, one must stay grounded throughout it all and return to the place you started.

11. Journey/task leads to a transformation or self-realization.

What this means in terms of individuation – That, of course, is the essence of individuation: to integrate what comes from the unconscious and live it consciously and uniquely.

12. Often the hero/heroine creates something of importance.

What this means in terms of individuation – The transformation is not just about the individual. It’s a culmination of all that’s come from the ancestors, and it’s a gift left for the generations to come. It even contributes to the Self, and the evolution of God. What could be more important?

13. Conquest of death or the fear of death--often ascent to immortal status.

What this means in terms of individuation – Human life always ends in physical death. Does it end in soul-death, as well? Not for those who are individuating.

Source: Joseph Campbell, Hero With A Thousand Faces

Amplification of the story of Don Quixote

Mythology is full of hero stories that incorporate many or most of these elements. So is popular culture. And, for the most part, the hero’s journey is seen as relatively positive.

Like any archetype, the Hero has a negative aspect. And, as when any human being is possessed by archetypal energy, possession by the Hero usually ends dismally for an average human being.

The novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes is an interesting example of both negative and positive Hero energy, as well as the consequences of archetypal possession. It’s a substantial and nuanced story – over seven hundred pages in length – so only a brief synopsis is possible in this limited talk.

As you may know, this is a story about a man in midlife, set in early 17^th century Spain, who takes up the ways and customs of a knight errant. By this time in Spanish history, knights were mostly a quaint notion from centuries past, thought still popular in fiction and popular imagination. So it was that Don Quixote became immersed in the stories of heroic knights and set out into the nearby countryside in search of adventure and destiny. He dressed in his grandfather’s rusty armor, and treated his ancient nag as if it were a noble steed. He was joined by his neighbor, Sancho Panza, as his squire; in some parts of the story, Sancho acts as if he knows Don Quixote is insane, in other cases he becomes swept up into the tale and expects a rich reward of his own for the heroic deeds – or at least a full belly.

Like all knights, Don Quixote acts out of the inspiration bestowed on him by a fair damsel, whom he calls Dulcinea. To all outsiders, Dulcinea is a common washer-woman from a humble family in a humble village. But, to Don Quixote, she is beautiful beyond human reason and worthy of all praise and service. He claims that all his victories are for her alone.

Don Quixote’s parish priest and barber do all they can to discourage him from taking up the ways of a knight, but to no avail. At one point, they even kidnap him and bring him home in a cage, but he persists in returning to his adventures.

And what adventures they are! They are too numerous to mention, but a few stand out. One of the early adventures involves slaying giants, thought Sancho does his best to point out that they are really windmills. Don Quixote is nearly crushed in that one. In another adventure, he frees a fair lady from the clutches of two demons – who, to Sancho and all other observers, are actually just two monks walking beside a woman’s carriage, and nearly kills her Basque companion in the process. This is just the first of many times that he encounters servants of the church, and finds them to be mostly cynical, worldly, and conventional fakes. He, on the other hand, remains pure and idealistic. Many times, he sees fair damsels where others see prostitutes, maids, and other common folk. Many are the times he hears about injustice, and he rides off to set things right. And, of course, many are the times that he is left beaten, bloodied, robbed, and scorned. And Sancho suffers the same, or worse, fate. Each time, Don Quixote finds a way to explain his defeat – that he had not been impeccable in his approach, that his adversary had not been a knight, that the forces allied against him would have defeated even the great knights of old.

Several of Don Quixote’s adventures are mystical, or at least supernatural. He encounters magicians and demons on a regular basis. He even faced the personification of Death – or so it seemed in his own mind. In one adventure, he is lowered into a cave, where he experiences all manner of ghosts and other specters.

As it turns out, some of Don Quixote’s most powerful encounters with fellow knights are actually the work of a college student named Samson Carrasco, acting in conspiracy with the old gentleman’s priest and barber. Samson pretends to be a knight, intending to defeat Don Quixote and force him to retreat back to his old life. Indeed, disguised as the Knight of the White Moon, Samson does defeat Don Quixote, and a condition of the defeat is that Don Quixote agrees to give up knight errancy.

So, Don Quixote’s imaginary world unravels. For one, he suffers so many humiliating defeats, and he so neglects his physical needs for food and sleep, his body betrays him. And, most difficult of all for him, he has a cruel, painful encounter with his beloved Dulcinea that even he cannot deny. He only survives it by convincing himself that magicians have enchanted her to take her away from him. In the final chapter, he admits that he cannot disenchant her, and that his adventuring days are over. Although his friends try to convince him to return to knight errancy, he quietly passes away.

There are several interesting amplifications possible from this tale. Many of the classic heroic elements are present – it’s clearly about the archetypal Hero. But, it’s also about a man who allows himself to be possessed by the archetype, and suffers constant reminders that he is all too human and no hero-god. He begins his heroic journey well into midlife, after having lived a sedate and ordinary life, so it’s difficult for him to display the vigor of a youthful hero coming out of a mysterious, sequestered childhood. He longs for initiation by a fellow knight, a wise elder, or a king – instead, he is ignobly initiated by an innkeeper. Only he recognizes his special duty and virtues. The public support for his heroism is almost entirely missing, particularly from his priest and barber, and even from his faithful squire. Indeed, Sancho Panza is a mixed character. In some ways, he represents what delusional thinking has robbed from Don Quixote – concern for bodily needs, a sense of humor, practicality, awareness of consequences, grounding in collective beliefs about reality. But, interestingly enough, Sancho transforms under the influence of Don Quixote. His thinking is elevated, he takes virtue more seriously, and he gains a sense of history and culture. Dulcinea, on the other hand, remains pure anima projection. In fact, the woman who finally scorns Don Quixote and deeply wounds his soul is not even the same woman he originally named Dulcinea – that’s how disconnected from outer life that Don Quixote becomes.

Don Quixote does have a mystical journey – down into the caves of Montesinos – and a return. But he lacks the ego strength to integrate what he learns, and he is left even more deeply in archetypal possession. His imaginary world melts away, and with it he loses his will to live. He does not transcend death; he dies a meek and defeated man.

Hero’s Journey as Circular

Source: Joseph Campbell, Hero With A Thousand Faces

	CALL TO ADVENTURE