E13: The Hero Within with Special Guest  Carol Pearson

E13 Introduction

One of my favorite books about archetypes and the Hero’s Journey is Carol Pearson’s The Hero Within.  Carol writes,

 “When the heroic journey was thought to be for special people only, the rest of us just found a secure niche and stayed there. Now we have no secure places in which to hide and be safe. In the contemporary world, if we do not step out on our quest, it will come get us. We are being thrust on the the journey. That is what we must all learn the requirements.”

This statement (and book) resonate with me deeply. There is an awakening happening in people. Staying in your routines and habits will blunt your sensitivity to the messages that are trying to stir and awaken you. Each one of us has a unique journey and a unique contribution to make in this movement.

I see people from all walks of life living heroic lives. I see it in a thousand quiet ways….people in meditation and contemplation, people learning to love one another (and themselves), people being honest about how they have been hurt or wounded and doing the important work to move through that hurt.

The whole thing leaves me with immense gratitude. Gratitude for people,  gratitude for our earth, gratitude to be given a chance to exercise our courage on such a wonderful stage. And gratitude for the Divine. I will leave you with one last quote from Joseph Campbell, who knew a thing or two about the Hero’s Journey:

 “Heroes are agents of change. The hero’s task always has been to bring new life to an ailing culture. The dragon to be slain is precisely the monster of the status quo. Holdfast keeper of the past.”

Thank you for listening!

Tony