Journal

what is the "Hero's Journey"?

The "Hero's Journey," also known as the monomyth, is a common narrative template or story archetype identified by mythologist Joseph Campbell. It describes the typical adventure of a hero who goes through a transformative journey involving three main stages:

1. Departure (Separation): The hero begins in the ordinary world and receives a call to adventure, which they may initially refuse. A mentor often appears to guide or inspire the hero to embark on the quest.
2. Initiation: The hero crosses into a special or unknown world, facing a series of trials and challenges. This phase includes a central ordeal or crisis where the hero confronts their greatest challenge, gains new wisdom or power (apotheosis), and obtains a reward or "boon."
3. Return: The hero must return to the ordinary world, often facing additional challenges or reluctance to return. Upon return, the hero is transformed by the experience and brings back something valuable-knowledge, power, or a physical treasure-that benefits their community.

Campbell outlined up to 17 stages within this framework, but not all stories include every stage or in the same order. The journey symbolizes both an external adventure and an inner transformation of the hero, reflecting universal patterns found in myths, literature, and modern storytelling.

This structure has influenced countless stories across cultures and media, including films like Star Wars, which George Lucas credited as inspired by Campbell’s work. The hero’s journey resonates because it mirrors human experiences of growth, challenge, and change.

In summary, the Hero's Journey is a storytelling framework describing a hero’s adventure from the familiar world into the unknown, through trials and transformation, and back again, changed and enriched[

Ideas

Emotional Intelligence - what is it? How do I use this, how do I learn from it.
C.O.D.E - learn how this is used in Human Augmentation of learning.