I realized today that I have misunderstood the notion of the hero’s journey. It’s not ‘a’ hero’s journey; it’s a motif for ‘every’ individual’s journey.
What does it mean to be heroic? It is not solely about external validation, though widespread recognition for the journey is undeniably part of the experience. Heroism is about a profoundly personal internal battle with Fear: understanding its roots within us, then charging headfirst against that darkness to slay the dragons therein and emerge victorious.
One can keep refusing the call—saying ‘no thanks,’ or ‘not yet’—but this refusal tends to keep the individual stuck, chained in a single place. No real progress occurs as long as a person remains subjugated by their fears.
So, what are these fears? Why do they exist in the first place?
To state the obvious, fear initially serves self-preservation, an animal instinct crucial for survival. In humans, however, this same instinctual capability has been weaponized for social situations, where public embarrassment or ridicule, for instance, can feel like a form of death.
In other words, the socially constructed self can feel the fear of annihilation or injury, much like the physical substrate that supports it.
In an ideal hero’s journey, the socially constructed self awakens to the reality of its non-essential nature—not meaning it gets annihilated, but rather that it becomes free from these socially constructed fears. This liberation allows one to operate with a kind of freedom previously unthinkable, unimaginable, while simultaneously allowing the body’s instinct for self-preservation to function, preventing reckless physical risks.
I can maintain prudent physical behaviors and safeguard my health while attaining a sort of ‘immortality shield’ in approaching societal problems and challenges that previously instilled fear. Think of public speaking, expressing one’s mind freely, choosing friends and community unapologetically, and dealing with so-called ‘personal attacks’ in words from others.
Will this necessarily make someone an inconsiderate, megalomaniacal narcissist, indifferent to how they make others feel? This is yet another social fear. One must trust that a higher form of morality will manifest once an individual begins speaking their truth, free from the anxiety of inadvertently hurting others. (This last part I still need to understand more deeply.)