Colossus: Four or five moments - that's all it takes to become a hero. Everyone thinks it's a full-time job. Wake up a hero. Brush your teeth a hero. Go to work a hero. Not true. Over a lifetime there are only four or five moments that really matter. Moments when you're offered a choice to make a sacrifice, conquer a flaw, save a friend - spare an enemy. In these moments everything else falls away...
We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.......
Joseph Campbell
I know I have shared my understanding of the great Joseph Campbell's life work and his paradigm of The Hero's Journey as a core tenet of this blog the past three years. And there is a deep reason for this Re-minder, for his teachings share the truth that WE ARE ALL HEROES!! Our personal stories share the same tenets of transformation of the mythological figures that have inspired the world for eons, such as Frodo from LORD OF THE RINGS, Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz, to the travels of Luke Skywalker as he left the comfortable combines of his home planet of Tatoine to destroy the Galactic Empire in Star Wars!
And I could mention at least a hundred more examples of The Hero's Journey with the exact same patterns of the arduous paths of trails and tribulations that ignite the spiritual transformation that is at the HEART of our individual Journey's toward self actualization!
Starting off with the very basics, every HERO possesses a set of SUPERPOWERS or SUPER TALENTS if you prefer, bestown upon them and laced with Inspiration, Compassion, Kindness, Understanding, Non Judgement, and Unconditional LOVE for ALL!! But that is just the Beginning. In fact, Declaring One's Superpowers is a vital step in the Hero's Journey. Yours may include a wicked sense of Humor, the power to wield captivating stories, extreme emotional Intelligence, being a good listener, or having a creative prowess in a myriad of arenas!!
The Hero/Heroine's are the courageous souls who hear the soulful whispers from the UNIVERSE and have the understanding that by answering this Call To Adventure, they must begin the process of stepping out of their "ordinary world", filled with security and familiarity and commit to following their unique Journey which contains the condiments of their life's CALLING!! Yet by answering this call they know not what they may face on the Path that lies before them. As Will Craig writes in his book 'Living The Hero's Journey', "The leap of faith is where most people chicken out on the Hero's Journey. The leap requires resolute courage and lands those who attempt it squarely outside their comfort zone. Resistance to change runs high. Refusing the call is easy. That is, it was easy until you became aware. The awareness stage of the journey has a way of shedding light on the immutable truth. You come to a point in your inner life where what you thought was of prime importance (your looks, your career, your possessions) somehow slip down the rankings. Letting it go means losing a significant part of your identity. Keeping it stunts your growth. Life might be better. Or not. Finding out requires a LEAP OF FAITH."
Once you awaken from your slumber, there is absolutely NO going back! The lure of your Soul calling you to transform into the Greatest Version of yourself is just to enticing to ignore any longer! Embarking on your Hero's Journey is no longer fraught with the same sense of Fear. As soon as you take the first step forward into the unknown, you are instantly introduced to your Inner Hero. And your prior state of stagnation and despondence becomes transformed into feelings of vitality and the Knowingness that your life is infinite with a potent potential; even disruptive in nature. You realize you have the ability to Change the World!! A thrilling prospect that trumps the security and comfort of a life once lived in quiet desperation! And as Helen Keller said, "Life is either a grand adventure or nothing at all." And now you are signed up for the Adventure of a Lifetime! In fact, the very idea of returning to your old way of living, literally 'punching in and out' day in and day out seems absolutely HORRIFYING!! For you are now on a Journey of Spiritual Transformation that will make you more powerful than you could have ever Imagined....... And right NOW this World is desperately awaiting for all of us to BECOME THE HEROES WE WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE!!! Wouldn't you agree?!?
The Hero/Heroine's are the courageous souls who hear the soulful whispers from the UNIVERSE and have the understanding that by answering this Call To Adventure, they must begin the process of stepping out of their "ordinary world", filled with security and familiarity and commit to following their unique Journey which contains the condiments of their life's CALLING!! Yet by answering this call they know not what they may face on the Path that lies before them. As Will Craig writes in his book 'Living The Hero's Journey', "The leap of faith is where most people chicken out on the Hero's Journey. The leap requires resolute courage and lands those who attempt it squarely outside their comfort zone. Resistance to change runs high. Refusing the call is easy. That is, it was easy until you became aware. The awareness stage of the journey has a way of shedding light on the immutable truth. You come to a point in your inner life where what you thought was of prime importance (your looks, your career, your possessions) somehow slip down the rankings. Letting it go means losing a significant part of your identity. Keeping it stunts your growth. Life might be better. Or not. Finding out requires a LEAP OF FAITH."
Once you awaken from your slumber, there is absolutely NO going back! The lure of your Soul calling you to transform into the Greatest Version of yourself is just to enticing to ignore any longer! Embarking on your Hero's Journey is no longer fraught with the same sense of Fear. As soon as you take the first step forward into the unknown, you are instantly introduced to your Inner Hero. And your prior state of stagnation and despondence becomes transformed into feelings of vitality and the Knowingness that your life is infinite with a potent potential; even disruptive in nature. You realize you have the ability to Change the World!! A thrilling prospect that trumps the security and comfort of a life once lived in quiet desperation! And as Helen Keller said, "Life is either a grand adventure or nothing at all." And now you are signed up for the Adventure of a Lifetime! In fact, the very idea of returning to your old way of living, literally 'punching in and out' day in and day out seems absolutely HORRIFYING!! For you are now on a Journey of Spiritual Transformation that will make you more powerful than you could have ever Imagined....... And right NOW this World is desperately awaiting for all of us to BECOME THE HEROES WE WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE!!! Wouldn't you agree?!?
Much too often these very CONSCIOUS Souls make a commitment to be of Loving Service to the World and are confronted with a myriad of confrontations in the forms of torture, spite, loathing, betrayal, and soul breaking rebuttal of their teachings. But they have the internal fortitude to go through pure HELL and bend , but NEVER BREAK! Think about Nelson Mendela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Mother Teresa, not to mention the disciples of Jesus The Christ. Most of whom were all met with hatred, fear and pain beyond most of our comprehension because of their beliefs that tempted to disrupt the zeitgeist of a world that wished to stay in a vibration of control and hatred. Yet through Faith alone they refused to allow their life's calling to be compromised. And in doing so left a template for all the Hero's yet to arrive.
My point is that most Hero's are the authentic and brave souls who are willing to be broken into pieces so that they have the opportunity to use their connection to SOURCE energy to learn how to be brought BACK TO THE LIGHT! And by doing so, they are able to bring back the understanding to assist others who are still stuck in their own DARKNESS! For that is the true Circle of Life! True Hero's know that very often it takes small whispers of kindness and compassion to make a real difference in the world in which they reside. And that these tiny gestures of good will are what keep the world's darkness at bay. Yet they are also cunningly aware and willing to offer the ultimate sacrifices if need be to make sure that those who are unable to protect themselves from ill will have protectors in their greatest times of need. And in doing so help show the world a greater path. One that embodies a goodwill that serves all of humanity with the LOVE that it needs and deserves now more than ever!
Please understand me that their derring do's are NEVER in vain! Quite the opposite in fact! For those special Soul's who have the Courage to go down their individual path's are met with Miracles and Magic! A communal conciousness that creates the Greatest Version of The Greatest Version ever held of themselves. In return for their heroic actions, they are given gifts, such as new found wisdom, the ability to teach others how to heal themselves, or the ability to spread a form of Inspiration that galvanizes their Tribe! And they freely share these gifts with the Collective Whole!
Becoming the Hero of your own story involves letting go of any victim mentality! Heroes understand that No Thing is ever wasted. Everything that occurs on their daily path, no matter how painful, can eventually be used on their own Journey and actually is a precious gift. And if you think that I do not know that of which I speak, PLEASE think again.
I have been through the abandonment of my own father(I never met him), five major surgeries from severe Crohn's disease (including wearing a colostomy bag), sexual and physical abuse, ankylosing spondylitis(the most serious form of arthritis), triple hernia surgery, as well as debilitating depression. And ya know what my fellow New Age Nerds, I am in full GRATITUDE for every single one of those experiences. For they carved within me the ability to be a Wounded Healer and Spiritual teacher! And many Heroes share a similar path leading them to their Calling. As the saying goes, in order to Heal It, you must first Feel It!! And I have been through the Buffet Line of Life and had a taste of its full bounty! LOL But therein lies my true POWER! Turning our Wounds into Wisdom is one manner toward uncovering where your Calling resides.....
According to the Gallup Health-ways Global Well Being Index, there are only 9% of the global population that feel they are thriving in their lives. Just 9%!!! My friends, the Hero's Journey is LIFE ITSELF!!! We all decided to manifest into the human condition as spiritual beings to Follow and Live our BLISS!! I ardently believe that the current Collective Consciousness of this planet is withering. We are Grand Creators given the opportunity to create Magic and Miracles. To expand and transform into our Higher Selves. Yet so may of us have bought into the Illusion that we are separate from SOURCE/SPIRIT! But we have a revolutionary Opportunity before us! As the saying goes, it is always darkest right before the Dawn. And the Dawn is upon us. I Believe we are ready to ring in a new day by piling back the Veil to reveal our TRUE SELVES and honor our Earthly contract to UNLEASH OUR SUPERPOWERS to share with World!
The Universe has absolutely No Boundaries. And NEITHER DO WE!! The clock is ticking away precious moments that you can never get back. I urge you all in the New Age Nerd community to life a rapturous life! It is way past time for us all to Awaken Our Inner Super Hero!!
You are more than you think you are. There are dimensions of your being and a potential for realization and consciousness that are not included in your concept of yourself. Your life is much deeper and broader than you conceive it to be here. What you are living is but a fractional inkling of what is really within you, what gives you life, breadth, and depth.
Joseph Campbell
To Living a BLISSED OUT LIFE!
Nerdmaste,
Jeffrey Louis Martinez
My point is that most Hero's are the authentic and brave souls who are willing to be broken into pieces so that they have the opportunity to use their connection to SOURCE energy to learn how to be brought BACK TO THE LIGHT! And by doing so, they are able to bring back the understanding to assist others who are still stuck in their own DARKNESS! For that is the true Circle of Life! True Hero's know that very often it takes small whispers of kindness and compassion to make a real difference in the world in which they reside. And that these tiny gestures of good will are what keep the world's darkness at bay. Yet they are also cunningly aware and willing to offer the ultimate sacrifices if need be to make sure that those who are unable to protect themselves from ill will have protectors in their greatest times of need. And in doing so help show the world a greater path. One that embodies a goodwill that serves all of humanity with the LOVE that it needs and deserves now more than ever!
Please understand me that their derring do's are NEVER in vain! Quite the opposite in fact! For those special Soul's who have the Courage to go down their individual path's are met with Miracles and Magic! A communal conciousness that creates the Greatest Version of The Greatest Version ever held of themselves. In return for their heroic actions, they are given gifts, such as new found wisdom, the ability to teach others how to heal themselves, or the ability to spread a form of Inspiration that galvanizes their Tribe! And they freely share these gifts with the Collective Whole!
Becoming the Hero of your own story involves letting go of any victim mentality! Heroes understand that No Thing is ever wasted. Everything that occurs on their daily path, no matter how painful, can eventually be used on their own Journey and actually is a precious gift. And if you think that I do not know that of which I speak, PLEASE think again.
I have been through the abandonment of my own father(I never met him), five major surgeries from severe Crohn's disease (including wearing a colostomy bag), sexual and physical abuse, ankylosing spondylitis(the most serious form of arthritis), triple hernia surgery, as well as debilitating depression. And ya know what my fellow New Age Nerds, I am in full GRATITUDE for every single one of those experiences. For they carved within me the ability to be a Wounded Healer and Spiritual teacher! And many Heroes share a similar path leading them to their Calling. As the saying goes, in order to Heal It, you must first Feel It!! And I have been through the Buffet Line of Life and had a taste of its full bounty! LOL But therein lies my true POWER! Turning our Wounds into Wisdom is one manner toward uncovering where your Calling resides.....
According to the Gallup Health-ways Global Well Being Index, there are only 9% of the global population that feel they are thriving in their lives. Just 9%!!! My friends, the Hero's Journey is LIFE ITSELF!!! We all decided to manifest into the human condition as spiritual beings to Follow and Live our BLISS!! I ardently believe that the current Collective Consciousness of this planet is withering. We are Grand Creators given the opportunity to create Magic and Miracles. To expand and transform into our Higher Selves. Yet so may of us have bought into the Illusion that we are separate from SOURCE/SPIRIT! But we have a revolutionary Opportunity before us! As the saying goes, it is always darkest right before the Dawn. And the Dawn is upon us. I Believe we are ready to ring in a new day by piling back the Veil to reveal our TRUE SELVES and honor our Earthly contract to UNLEASH OUR SUPERPOWERS to share with World!
The Universe has absolutely No Boundaries. And NEITHER DO WE!! The clock is ticking away precious moments that you can never get back. I urge you all in the New Age Nerd community to life a rapturous life! It is way past time for us all to Awaken Our Inner Super Hero!!
You are more than you think you are. There are dimensions of your being and a potential for realization and consciousness that are not included in your concept of yourself. Your life is much deeper and broader than you conceive it to be here. What you are living is but a fractional inkling of what is really within you, what gives you life, breadth, and depth.
Joseph Campbell
To Living a BLISSED OUT LIFE!
Nerdmaste,
Jeffrey Louis Martinez
