The Hero's Journey

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. My partner wrote her instructor's thesis on this very topic, and I have posted a variation of this on every martial arts board I've ever belonged to. I hope you enjoy it!

===============

For those who have not read the works of Joseph Campbell, get thee to a bookstore and get The Power of Myth and The Hero with a Thousand Faces. I believe those books should be on every martial artists bookshelf, next to The Art of War and The Book of Five Rings.

Campbell says that one of the basic archetypical stories of mankind is the Hero’s Journey. That is why stories such as The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix or Star Wars are so popular – they are pure hero’s journeys and the hero’s journey, in essence, is the story of life itself. Throughout this discussion, I will be making references to these three popular stories to illustrate the steps.

The Hero’s Journey begins with the hero receiving the call. Usually, this is delivered by The Herald, but sometimes the hero simply stumbles into the scenario by himself. In LOTR, Frodo is told by Gandalf about the ring and charged by him to take it to Rivendell. In SW, Luke finds the droids and accidently discovers the message to Obi-Wan. In the Matrix, Neo gets a phone call from Morpheus. If the hero does not immediately accept the call, usually bad things happen until he does. In the Matrix, Neo does not follow Morpheus’ directions to escape and is captured and tortured. In SW, Luke is balked by his uncle from going off, and his family is killed as a result.

Once the hero accepts the call, he joins with various people in various roles. Some people play multiple roles in the journey. One of the primary roles is the Mentor, who educates the hero and sometimes provides him with special tools to complete the journey. Others are the Protectors, who guard the hero on the journey. In LOTR, Gandalf first serves as the Herald, then becomes the Mentor and a Protector. Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas are also Protectors. In SW, Obi-Wan becomes the first Mentor and Protector and gives Luke his lightsaber, with Yoda assuming the Mentor role later and Han, Leia and Chewbacca the roles of Protector.

The hero then encounters a series of challenges of increasing difficulty. These challenges are represented by Gatekeepers which he must overcome. The very first one encountered is referred to as The Crossing of the Threshold, where the hero leaves his normal world behind and enters into a world of unfamiliarity and inexperience. In Star Wars, Luke must avoid the Storm Troopers in Mos Eisley. In LOTR, Frodo makes it to Rivendell by avoiding the Black Riders. He actually completes his original journey, then is charged further in Rivendell with carrying the Ring to the Mount of Doom

As the hero overcomes each successive challenge, he gains in knowledge, wisdom and power, until at last he reaches the Ultimate Conflict, the goal of the journey. In LOTR, Frodo arrives at Mount Doom and must destroy the ring. In SW, Luke destroys the Death Star. Upon completion of the Ultimate Conflict, the hero dies (either symbolically or in reality) and gains new powers or influence. If he is still alive, he then uses those powers to benefit others. In The Matrix, Neo dies so that through his death, humanity can survive. In SW, Luke becomes a Jedi Knight and assumes the role of Protector for others. In LOTR, Frodo returns to the Shire and becomes a wise leader. The story can end there, but sometimes the hero begins a new journey.

What has all this got to do with martial arts? Have we not just described the making of a Black Belt?

The hero (our student) receives the call in some manner. He encounters someone who tells him about martial arts training, or he sees a martial arts movie and decides he wants to learn. He accepts the call by visiting a school and deciding to train there, and crosses the threshold when he attends his first class. His instructors then assume various roles to him: Mentor, Protector and Gatekeeper, as we judge his progress at belt tests. As the tests get harder, the student becomes more knowledgeable until the day arrives that he tests for his Black Belt. Do you remember that day? Didn’t it seem like your instructor was trying to kill you? That’s what we do – it’s the Ultimate Challenge. When the challenge is overcome, the student dies as a colored belt and is reborn to a higher level as a Black Belt. He then assumes some of the roles, such as Mentor and Protector, to the lower belts, while at the same time beginning a new series of journey to instructor and eventually Master.

And have we not described life in general? All through our lives, we are faced with challenges which we have to overcome. As we do, we gain in knowledge, wisdom and power. Eventually, we die and hopefully at the time of our death, we have made the world a better place for others.

Where are you on your Hero’s Journey?

 

Blotan Hunka

Master Black Belt
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
20
I tend to think of life as the journey and any skill like MA that you pick up along the way as that "knowledge, wisdom and power" you gain to help you in that journey. I would hesitate to call MA iteslf a true journey. Too much attention on one aspect of "the way" can become obsession.

I do like Campbells stuff though. Many things can be seen as microcosims (sp?) of the heros journey. But, as I see it, theres the "heros journey" and theres the "HEROES JOURNEY" if you can understand me.
 

Christina05

Green Belt
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Messages
176
Reaction score
3
I agree to disagree Sometimes in MA there is to much emphasis on The way and yes I agree it can become some what obsessive. But I find myself disagreeing with the MA is not a true Journey, Because everything can be viewed as a true journey depending on the person. Some people devote their whole lives to MA For example Monks, They give up everything to achieve that higher level of enlightenment who are we to say that it is not a true Journey. I also agree that MA is and can be use as tool that some of us pick up on the way for different reasons to help us in the journey of life. Either way just my take on it.
 

qi-tah

Brown Belt
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Messages
436
Reaction score
1
Location
Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
I'm sure a lot of ppl out there would identify with one's journey in the martial arts being a "hero's journey", and i agree that the archetype of the hero is a powerful one that resonates with just about everyone in some way. Having said that, everyone's "hero path" is going to be unique to them, it's their story, and not every martial artist is going to see their practice in these terms. For me, my hero's journey is my evoloution as a painter and artist, and trying to make a living out of that. MA is just something i practice every day, something to absorb rather than conquer. As a freind of mine said a while back "Tommorow is just another day to begin again". :asian:

Interesting topic!
 

Blotan Hunka

Master Black Belt
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
20
I agree to disagree Sometimes in MA there is to much emphasis on The way and yes I agree it can become some what obsessive. But I find myself disagreeing with the MA is not a true Journey, Because everything can be viewed as a true journey depending on the person. Some people devote their whole lives to MA For example Monks, They give up everything to achieve that higher level of enlightenment who are we to say that it is not a true Journey. I also agree that MA is and can be use as tool that some of us pick up on the way for different reasons to help us in the journey of life. Either way just my take on it.

Monks are not devoted to martial arts. They are devoted to whatever spiritual way they practice. Zen, Shinto, etc. Martial Arts are just a discipline that they use to help them on that path. Again martial arts are guideposts long "The Way". They are not "The Way" itself.

When I was in my teens I thought that MA was "The Way" too. As I aged and got some live experience and saw the world and some things that "opened my eyes". I began to see the "forest for the trees" so to speak. But thats my personal experience. Others will be different, but I would advise against looking for "yourself" in something that is probably really just a small slice of the experience that is life.
Respectfully. :asian:
 

Blotan Hunka

Master Black Belt
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
20
I'm sure a lot of ppl out there would identify with one's journey in the martial arts being a "hero's journey", and i agree that the archetype of the hero is a powerful one that resonates with just about everyone in some way. Having said that, everyone's "hero path" is going to be unique to them, it's their story, and not every martial artist is going to see their practice in these terms. For me, my hero's journey is my evoloution as a painter and artist, and trying to make a living out of that. MA is just something i practice every day, something to absorb rather than conquer. As a freind of mine said a while back "Tommorow is just another day to begin again". :asian:

Interesting topic!

Good post and mirrors pretty much exactly my opinion on the matter.
 

Shotgun Buddha

Brown Belt
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
426
Reaction score
6
Location
Dublin/Navan/Sinking hole in ground
Martial Arts are something we do because we enjoy it, or because its useful. Im utterly obssesed with learning and training in all things combat related, but that shouldn't be my defining characteristic as a person. I don't think we should judge people on their dedication to martial arts, so much as their dedication to other people.
Just my two cents.
 

MartialArtHeart

Green Belt
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Messages
104
Reaction score
4
Location
Milky Way
The MAs may not be the way for you... but they are The Way for me. Everything in my life has gained a greater meaning through the MAs. They are my life, and ever shall be. There is nothing else.
But that is just my path. Yours may be much different.
 

Blotan Hunka

Master Black Belt
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
20
The MAs may not be the way for you... but they are The Way for me. Everything in my life has gained a greater meaning through the MAs. They are my life, and ever shall be. There is nothing else.
But that is just my path. Yours may be much different.

Im going to do a little soothsaying here. This is the first post of yours I have noticed. I am going to guess that you are 17...maybe 18 years old. Female (from the dancing turtle line).
 
OP
Balrog

Balrog

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
482
Location
Houston, TX
The MAs may not be the way for you... but they are The Way for me. Everything in my life has gained a greater meaning through the MAs. They are my life, and ever shall be. There is nothing else.
But that is just my path. Yours may be much different.

And your path is your Hero's Journey. Everyone's journey is different and unique to that person.
 

Latest Discussions

Top