The Heart of the Hero’s Journey

“So that’s it?” I said. “We answer the call to adventure, have someone to guide us through it, and we become light bearers?”

“Becoming a light bearer is not as simple as it sounds,” said Iman.

“It never is,” I said.

“Allow us to demonstrate,” said Yewell, and with a snap of his fingers we were again submerged in the blackness of the nebulous void.

Gone was Five Points Park and all of the buildings and people that surrounded it. All that remained were the three of us, enveloped in an endless sea of nothingness.

“This is the void from which all things are created,” said Yewell. “Each of your minds has this space from which all of your ideas emanate.”

He held up his hand and produced a glowing orb that shone brightly, hovering a few inches above his palm.

“The concept you humans use to illustrate an idea is not that far off,” he said. “Every idea you have is like a light bulb in that it is your mental energy creating something which was not there before, like the switching on of a light.”

“Who would have thought that cartoons were philosophically sound,” I said.

“Just don’t go dropping any anvils on anyone’s head,” said Iman. “The theory only goes so far.”

“The creation of light,” Yewell continued, “even in the formation of an idea, creates both light and darkness. Every source of light, when it shines upon creation, also emits a shadow.”

Yewell held up his hand, the glowing orb rising with it, so that I could see the gleam on his palm and the shadow on the back of his hand.

“The task of the hero,” Iman added, “is to stay in the light.”

“How do we do that?”

“Light is a beam,” said Yewell. “Keep moving toward it.”

“By creating your light,” said Iman, “by crossing the First Threshold of the hero’s journey, you ignite a vision of what you hope to achieve, but the first step alone does not immediately take you to the goal. The light you follow offers a full spectrum of allies to help you on your way, challenges to overcome, and trials to face.”

“That is what comprises the hero’s journey,” said Yewell, “using the light of your goal to see what is available to bring you closer to it. But be forewarned, your allies, challenges, and trials each consist of light and darkness.”

“Thanks,” I said. “And here I thought this was going to be easy.”

“It’s much easier if you are aware,” said Iman.

“What do you mean they consist of both light and darkness?”

“They are all facets of creation,” said Iman. “Creation abounds with duality, the light and the dark, the good and the bad, the up and the down, the pros and the cons, the right and the wrong, the night and the day, the hot and the cold.”

“And, of course, all points in between,” added Yewell. “That is the beauty of the spectrum. That is the beauty of the journey.”

“So all of my allies are going to have a dark side?” I asked.

“Some more than others,” said Iman. “However, if you continue seeking the light, you can draw it out of them, helping them on their journey as much as they are helping you.”

“And the challenges?”

“Your challenges are there to refine your skills, to make you stronger and more able to accept your goal.”

“Challenges I think I can handle,” I said. “It’s the trials I’m more concerned about.”

“As most do,” said Yewell. “Your trials force you to explore your dark side. They impede upon your progress toward the light so that you will experience the entirety of who you are.”

“The entirety of who I am? I thought you said I was a light bearer.”

“Remember that you are a facet of creation as well,” said Iman. “As such, you are not without your darkness. Your trials require that you explore this side of yourself so that you will be ready when you face the Inmost Cave.”

“What Inmost Cave?” I said.

“That is where your most difficult trials will lie in wait,” said Yewell, closing his hand and extinguishing the light of the orb.