Monomyth: The Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell in Monomyth: The Hero’s Journey describes a set of principles that every hero embraces to get ready for his or her adventure into the unknown. He asserts that the act of being born into this world is a heroic act in itself that we all experience when we leave our mother’s womb. As we grow, we develop courage and personal responsibility so that we can face whatever trials, temptations or nemesis we were destined, designed or otherwise bound to face.  Once we achieve the victory, we return to the “ordinary” world to bestow the “boon” to others who have not yet embarked on their journey. We’re ALL heroes!

Once you die to self and acknowledge someone bigger is part of you, you are resurrected as part of that someone, thus “arrive” in your final immortal form. As he says, “What is sad about that?”

Crucify Santa?

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Baby Jesus are all three in grave danger of being #unbelieved in all the time. Where is good myth going? Should it at least point to some kind of truth? Looking for evidence of UFOs is easier than finding anything that resembles faith these days. The show-me-the-money people always seem to win. If money were real, and currency was something not to take for granted in terms of value, what is the value in lying to your children about Santa? Why is teaching your kids about Jesus illegal in so many countries? So what if he’s considered a myth. You don’t need an AK47 to shoot the Easter Bunny do you? Is myth so unimportant in your life that you cant acknowledge Kris Kringle’s humanity? Why not do the same for Joseph’s stepson? (So what if he thinks he’s God?)