The Collective Hero's Journey and How to Walk It
And a bit of cheer - FREE gift for December
I’ve been trying to stay neutral in these days of chaos, becoming the witness to all that is unfolding without spiritually bypassing. Working to be part of the world and not allow it to swallow me whole into the dark abyss that is filled with divisiveness, misinformation, pain, loss, confusion, and the world telling us who to be and what side to be on.
I woke myself shouting, “No!” the night before the election results, and the next morning, I began to bleed and the country decided to continue placing men as the overlords and hiring women to support the structure of bullying and religiousity. We are in the collective chaos stage, witnessing cruelty and wealth above humanity and decency.
I’m not putting political parties into buckets yet if this is igniting a sensation in your body, like your heart racing a bit faster, I ask that you take a breath and ask yourself why you might be having this reaction. Can you identify if you have felt this way before? When someone has an opposing view does it pull you into your heart or ego? Can you soften just a little bit?
I hope you will continue to read further to consider a bird’s eye view of what is happening rather than how you identify as I unravel my own observations.
What is real?
There is much more to be revealed, so much underneath these people in power that continues to feed their egos, pursuading groups of people into thinking they are public servants who care and that their policies will benefit them. This is the entire structure of politicians without labeling.
How do we become curious and human to explore the layers and complexities beneath it all?
First, my visceral morning reaction to the election results as I reflected with my readers on a direct message. (Little plug to download the app.)
I considered changing my wardrobe for the next 4 years and wearing only black. Maybe go so far as to curate my wardrobe exclusively in the Goth genre from the 80s vibe and only listen to punk music. The dark edgy stuff. To block myself out from the world.
Then I remembered, that this is a collective spiritual crisis. Humans are holding on, white-knuckling it, wanting for good to prevail. However, the definition of goodness is so different for us all. We are separated into tribes of our versions of what is good and true.
Let’s remember the powers at play: We are all puppets in this game, in this matrix, the Leela or illusion of what is real. They want us to be divisive, angry, and unsatisfied. It’s on purpose.
We cannot catastrophize. We must stay true to our hearts and not spiral. Hang onto those we care about and create small local communities that care and do good for one another. Bring over a pot of chili with cornbread to a neighbor, grow veggies in the garden, take a walk in the woods, look strangers in the eyes and say hello even if they don’t say hello back, hang out at the local libraries and bookstores, go to parks where they have free music and dance. Remember to feel the wind on your face and hear the birds singing, remember to breathe and say I love you to yourself.
After I wrote this, I sat down to meditate in front of my altar to dial into the I AM (heart wisdom center) and connect with all the unseen forces for guidance.
I don’t want labels any longer. It’s time to shed the layers of labels that have only caused gripping identities to form over our egos.
Existential Crisis
I have been deeply studying archetypes, the myths and The Hero’s Journey, a body of work developed by mystic Joseph Campbell. These teachings are a timeless concept of a universal pattern that transcends genres and periods. It’s where we are right now in our predicament in this country. We have been here before as powers that be have come into play like this for lifetimes.
Here’s a visual of the Hero’s Journey as I see it in my own mind.
Imagine it as a circular diagram with a line dividing the circle with the known or enlightened, learned, joyful part of the journey on the top of the circle. The line below the middle represents the challenges, failures, dark nights, growth, revelation, and atonements all resulting in gifts for awareness. We can be at the top of the journey in some ways and also be at the bottom in the underworld depending on where we are in our lives. .
This past week, on my podcast, I interviewed author and teacher of memoir, Jennifer Leigh Selig, PhD where we discussed this journey of the collective. Depending upon where you sit in the election results, you may be on the top of the journey and others will feel they are on the bottom of the journey in the darkness.
This reframe is helpful to scale back as the witness to it all.
For my particular reality, it feels like many of us are in the belly of the whale in the underworld. We are in the death of normal as a collective and we are being called to the adventure of what will evolve as a result of the journey, if we decide to embark upon it. When and if you as an individual decide to take the call of adventure, there will be supernatural aides waiting for you to support the evolution.
I have been on many Hero’s Journeys as you likely have as well. I know some supernatural aides have come to my side to support me along the way.
At the moment, everything is being burnt to the ground as a collective. It feels like chaos, worry, and confusion. Yet, I see sparkles of light like a diamond under pressure beginning to flicker. It is difficult to accept.
Is it real?
I’ve decided not to participate in the tribalism of parties any longer and reclaim my independence maybe even use the word bipartisan. This preconceived notion that either party represents safety is ludicrous. These narratives are playing out purposely, keeping us in fear, and worry in a low vibration of doom.
I am burning the labels down to the ground like a eucalyptus tree sheds it bark. It will take time to learn how to be in the world but not of it. It is not helpful to keep quiet when I see injustices to humanity and I am practicing empathy.
I claim my sovereignty. The world cannot tell me who I am. I’ve learned that lesson over and over this past year as the world has tried to tell me who to be as a woman of Jewish ancestry. The world has brainwashed many into believing we are a monolith and the oppressor twisting and changing our narrative. The gaslighting of women and all Jewish people has been of epic proportions.
And with the added layer of being a woman of any color but especially those who are of darker melanin skin tones in today’s world is oppression so severe on top of it all.
Can you witness this dystopian world with eyes wide open and not to look away? As the raging cycle of hurt churns and burn I believe many will stand strong. This cycle of violence towards women is continuously being perpetuated and I am taking the call of the adventure to witness, write and gather.
What is real? What is true?
I’m putting down the established narratives and pre-conceptions during this transitional time and shifting into hope, possibility, and love. Greed is the antithesis of love; as human beings, the truth of who we are is love.
All we can do is be the change we want to see with compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Do all that you can with what you’ve been given, in the place where you are, with the time that you have. - Nkosi Johnson
Equanimity
The way to build a true community requires that we leave our preconceived notions at the door. Would you be open to discover what it’s like to hang out with strangers on a Zoom and free-write and then share it?
When I guide strangers in mindfulness at the local hotel spa, I help them realize that there is nothing to be afraid of when you share from your heart. Melting the protective ego in a safe space reminds us that we are all human beings having the same emotions of highs and lows in our own unique lives. I find being with strangers in this way can be helpful to remember that we are thoughtful, loving humans who have compassion and empathy when you are in the same environment. These experiences help us return to ourselves and the truth of who we really are.
Do you want to write with me?
Let’s find the beauty, empathy, tenderness, humor, and joy in humanity together!
I’m running my workshop ONCE in December for FREE - Sunday - December 8th at 4pm PT - purposely for the holiday season to get our hearts connected wherever it may be for you. All are welcome and there will be no political talk, simply writing stories from past events or new fantastical tales to be told. You might discover you have a humor bone waiting to be itched or a healing story that spurs us all forward.
This unique workshop is a space to free-write, from your mind and body, to write uncensored and untamed—the place where first drafts may be born or complete paragraphs spawn.
I’ve been a space holder in various settings for many years and love it. Let me guide you in this free-writing journaling workshop to ignite your creativity and joy.
Send me a message to get the special Zoom link for Sunday December 8 at 4pm
You can also find my daily “Surrender Card” pull every day of Sagittarius season on my Instagram and FaceBook. All to support the plethora of emotions we have during this time of year. I am also here to support you in a 1:1 reading to help you release tension and share any messages you need to hear from the various decks I use.
I’ll leave you with my favorite beloved teacher’s quote:
“Having empathy for another means your heart is breaking, because you understand the intensity of their experience, and at the same moment, you are, equanimously, present. You are not clinging to anything, just watching the phenomena of the universe change.
It’s then that your acts can be compassionate. That is where the root of compassion is. The root of compassion is not empathy; that’s along the lines of kindness, and that’s good, but it’s not compassion. The ultimate compassion is the act itself, which has the potential to relieve every level of suffering, not just the food in the belly, or the mattress to safely sleep on at night. The suffering that comes from separateness is only relieved when you are present with another person.” — Ram Dass
Podcast Updates:
I am honored to share that I was interviewed on my friend Alex’s podcast this past week. You can listen here to learn more about me in this fun, light hearted yet spiritual conversation.
“Becoming Nobody With Alex”
https://podcasts.apple.com/.../becoming.../id1631707916...