Summary

The website content discusses the universal narrative of heroes and heroines, their journeys, and the collective human story, drawing on mythology, literature, and prophecies to illustrate the cyclical nature of human experience and the potential for transformation.

Abstract

The text delves into the concept of the monomyth, a singular narrative thread that weaves through all stories of heroes and heroines, as popularized by Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey." It describes the hero's path fraught with choices, conflicts, and the potential for both failure and redemption. The content also reflects on the heroine's journey, emphasizing resilience and personal growth. Tim Winton's "The Turning" is cited to exemplify the pivotal moments that lead to profound change. The narrative extends to the collective human story, referencing various cultural prophecies about end times and the importance of unity and environmental stewardship. The Hopi prophecy is highlighted for its message of awakening and the interconnectedness of all races and elements of nature. The text concludes with a reflection on the current state of humanity, suggesting that we are at a critical juncture in our collective story, with the potential for an awakening that aligns with the archetypal journey of heroes and heroines.

Opinions

The author suggests that the stories of heroes and heroines are not just individual tales but part of a larger, universal human narrative.
There is an underlying belief that even in the face of prophecies and dire warnings, humans have the agency to choose their path and shape their destiny.
The text posits that heroes and heroines must confront their fears and undergo personal sacrifices to achieve growth and fulfill their quests.
The content implies that the Earth's current environmental and societal challenges are a reflection of "sick thinking" and a departure from sacred responsibilities.
The Hopi prophecy is presented as a call to action for humanity to come together, share wisdom, and avert potential catastrophes.
The author emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a means to convey timeless lessons and guide humanity towards a more harmonious existence.
The text suggests that the end times or transformative periods are not solely about destruction but also offer opportunities for awakening and positive change.

We are the stuff of Legends

Heroes and heroines

Prophecies present two paths. Do this or else. One path leads to salvation and the other to destruction. You take the high road or the low road. High vibe or low vibe. It’s the hero’s decision. But there is always a choice.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell

Monomyth

Joseph Campbell wrote The Hero’s Journey in 1949. He explores the concept of the monomyth pervading myths, legends, and religious tales. That all stories are offshoots of the one universal story.

The universal theme of a hero having a need; spurring him away from the ordinary every-day, out into the world to fulfil a quest. He meets conflict and obstacles and eventually returns changed in some way.

Even good heroes fail. And even villains can save the day.

On the journey, the hero must find within himself courage, loyalty, conviction, and aptitude for personal sacrifice. He faces sorrow and danger, betrayal, and loss, yet he must continue.

On the journey, the heroine must find within herself solutions, resilience, her voice, and navigate the perils of wolves in sheep’s clothing. She faces exile, degradation, humiliation, and weakness, yet she must continue.

The turning

Australian writer Tim Winton’s book The Turning is a collection of 17 short stories highlighting the turning point. The point the hero or heroine can see something unseen before. And with a new perspective through incident or epiphany, sets a new course. The point of no return.

“People trying to work out what their life might mean and what’s left after everything falls over.” - Tim Winton, interview at The Three Monkeys Online

Here’s an excerpt from Damaged Goods, a story in The Turning. Raelene lives in a caravan park and is poor, and ill-treated by her boyfriend. Rae meets a woman, in a healthy relationship, who invites her to spiritual teachings.

“She wanted what they had, that special something and when she looked down at Max snoring in her bed she bawled quietly, and the effort to keep silent hurt worse than a beating.” - Tim Winton

The forgetting

You’re in your story and I’m in mine. Yet as a collective, we live the story of humankind.

Worldwide, cultures have end-times prophecies. The Australian Aborigines have The Big Wobble — a gigantic shaking of the Earth so severe the topsoil goes one way and the oceans slosh the other. Elders warn ‘sick thinking’ leads to disaster; that it is wrong thinking that gets us there. The Inuit believe the Earth is already shifting, wobbling on her axis. And are raising the alarm, from their perspective on the ice, the stars and moon and sun have changed position. Christian’s end day prophecy contains quakes and calamities.

“…and a great earthquake the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth — so mighty was the great quake.” - Revelation 16:18

The Hopi Indian prophecy describes the monomyth well. The human family has been divided into the racial skin-tones of red, yellow, black, and white and spread to the four corners of the world, the four compass points of north, south, east, and west, and each given an element to govern. Earth, wind, fire, and water.

Everyone ‘forgets’ their original unity as brothers and sisters of one family. But each group is given a stone tablet of teachings and each race is visited upon by sages and messengers and avatars throughout the time of the forgetting.

“The Great Spirit gave each of the four races stone tablets.” - Lee Brown

Along the path, each race is reminded of the great teachings and urged to wake up and come together as one human family on a shared quest. And remember and accept their sacred responsibility as guardians of the Earth.

“To guard protect and hold in trust.” - White Feather, Hopi Bear Clan

The awakening

The Hopi prophecy has turning points along the way where the worst outcomes can be avoided. An opportunity for people to change their ways. The bible also prophesies an awakening with the apocalypse.

The Hopi have been expecting a reunion of the brothers and sisters of the Earth. Where the sacred teachings of all native peoples, including white, are pieced together and read as a whole because the spiritual stories interweave and complement each other and the combined message is greater than the sum of its parts.

Hopi elders from different tribes visited the UN, believing the building to be a meeting place for the peoples of the world, and were turned away in 1949, and 1959. But were granted a few minutes in 1991.

“The Hopi leaders have warned leaders in the White House and the Glass House but they do not listen.” - Chief Dan

“We have made a sacred covenant to pray and promote the welfare of all living beings and to preserve the world in a natural way.” - Thomas Banyacya, 1991 address to the General Assembly, UN

The end times have been a long time coming. They might be nigh — or not. But we’re still telling the tale. We’re breathing within the monomyth of the unfolding human story. Heroes and heroines at a turning point on the journey — or at the point of no return. Will we find our voice like Raelene who came to the point where the effort to keep silent was worse than the beating? We have been warned and guided through the ages by a number of sages. We’ve been urged and prompted, through the sacred channel of storytelling, to turn towards the light and away from the dark — in all its manifestations. To stretch and grow, beyond polarisations and ideologies that exaggerate separation, towards a narrative promoting temperance. Through archetypes, we’ve been told over and over to know true gold from fool’s gold. That the birds and beasts of the forest are our friends. That good doesn’t always triumph over evil. That the heroes and heroines must awaken to the gravitas of the quest, heed the clarion call and ride outside comfort zones, into the realms of the unknown, to slay fierce dragons or die trying.

How will the story end?

Thanks for reading, Louise

Adam and Eve living in paradise, naked and free, were warned to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge. We’re familiar with how that turned out.

Adam and Eve used to get on well until Eve teased Adam about his smell.