7. This is Your Call to Adventure!
How not to miss it and complete your Hero’s Journey.
*Ring.. *Ring..
*Ring.. *Ring..
Pick up! Pick up!
Aww… No worries. You’re gonna get it next time.
Next time? Next time for what? Will there be a Next Time?
Love your Pain
A couple of years back I had this tooth infection. I’m not one to take pills from the start because of my stubbornness. So, I first tried numbing the pain with alcohol. Then, for the next couple of days, I took 3 kinds of pills. They would increase in intensity and dosage. Before switching to antibiotics, my face had gotten twice the size it normally was. One of the mornings, I cried myself up at around 5 a.m. and robotically went to a non-stop drugstore.
Few days later, upon feeling better, I would express my frustration to a friend. I ironically stated I had absolutely no clue why this also had to hurt. He genuinely answered:
Well, pain’s how your body lets you know there’s an infection somewhere.
I cracked a smile.
Pain is the *Ring-Ring of your body. It tells you there’s a problem on Aisle 7, behind that muscle you’re wrongly using during the workout. Physical pain is the call to heal your body.
And following the same logic, emotional pain is the call to heal your soul. As it is clear now, suffering is only a call to action. Nothing to fear from. On the contrary, it’s just something to be aware of.
I would go even further and say that everything we dislike is a mild expression of pain. For me, anything bitter, such as grapefruit or medicine, is a nightmare. Definitely pain inducing. On a lower level, of course, so I would tolerate it.
The Hero’s Journey
Any dislike is an indicator of a lack of congruency. Nonpotimal parameters. To which we respond by adjusting either the environment or ourselves.
Generally, we spit something that would sicken our stomach; we hold our breath around disgusting odors; we leave a room where the noise is loud (except clubs); we loathe at greasy stuff. We adapt. So that we could go back to our comfort zone — where we best function.
For my example above, it was alcohol first, then pills and, finally antibiotics. I adapted.
Now, if you look closely, that’s how every single story starts — with something the main hero dislikes. And can you guess how the Hero becomes aware? Indeed, with a Call to Adventure.
This Call to Adventure concept belongs to Joseph Campbell — an American mythologist and writer. As main subjects, he studied comparative mythology and comparative religion. Basically, he addressed any kind of stories focused on the main character and his/her journey.
Thus, he came up with this:
A 12 Steps Sequence that can apply to the heroes of any stories — from regular people, to Neo or Harry Potter or Frodo or Luke Skywalker, to Jesus or Krishna. We all go through it one way or another. We all experience these stages at different intensity levels.
- The Ordinary World — the Hero’s current context. The Status Quo. The Comfort Zone.
For Neo it was the actual reality in which he was a programmer.
For Harry Potter, the same, the actual reality where he was adopted. - Call to Adventure — the Hero becomes aware that there’s a Special World.
Neo has a talk with Trinity where she hints him about Morpheus.
Harry learns of it on his eleventh birthday, from Hagrid. - Refusal of the Call — the Hero denies the existence of a Special World, or doubts the messenger.
Neo doesn’t want to go to the club where he was to meet Trinity until he sees the White Rabbit tattooed on the girl’s shoulder. And then again, before meeting Morpheus. When in the car towards him, Neo chickens out when Trinity pulls a tracking device out of his abdomen and wants to leave. That’s one of my fav moments of the movie — Trinity stops the car and points out: “You know that road. You know where it leads.” End scene.
After reading the Invitation Letter to study at Hogwarts, Harry tells Hagrid “I can’t be a wizard. I’m just Harry.” - Meeting the Mentor — the Hero meets the visionary, usually an authority “in the field” of world traveling who aids the hero with training, advice, or tools. You know the saying “When the pupil is ready, the master appears”.
Neo meets Morpheous who trains him to differentiate between reality and the Matrix.
Harry meets mr. Ollivander. He’s not necessarily a mentor, but a key person without which Harry wouldn’t be able to move on with his story. No magic wand, no wizard. - Crossing the Threshold — the Hero leaves his comfort zone for the unknown.
Neo takes the red pill.
Harry is chosen by the Voldemort’s twin wand. - Tests, Allies, Enemies — the Hero goes through several tests, forms a team of allies and learns of his enemies.
Neo gets to know Morpheus’ team. His challenges come in the form of training programs: he learns Kung Fu and battles Morpheus; he tries to jump from one building or another.
Harry teams up with Ron and Hermione and distances from Malfoy. A few of his challenges: Platform 9 3/4, becoming a Gryffindor, the troll in the dungeons, etc. - Approach — the Hero and his team prepare for the Big Challenge to come in the Special World.
Neo keeps training, the trip to the Oracle, planning their first immerse into the Matrix as a team.
Harry, Ron and Hermoine have to pass Fluffy (the three headed dog), Devil’s Snare (a strangling plant) and Wizard’s chess to keep the Sorceror’s Stone away from Voldemort. - Ordeal, Death & Rebirth — the Hero usually faces his greatest fear.
Neo proves he’s completely accepted his destiny. He now believes he’s The Chosen One. So, he goes back to save Morpheus from the Matrix. He steps into his identity.
In the 1st movie, Harry proves he’s completely part of the Special World when playing Wizard’s Chess. After Ron had sacrificed himself, Harry urges Hermione to take him to the infirmary, accepting to fight Voldemort on his own. - Reward — the hero gets a prize for having faced his fear
Neo gets to save Morpheus and send him back to the ship. But he remains in the Matrix.
Harry gets to save Ron from any possible injuries. But he remains to fight the Dark Lord. - The Road Back — the Hero now tries to get back to the Ordinary World
Neo fights so he himself can come back from the Matrix.
Harry fights Voldemort on his own. - Ressurection — the Hero goes through another death & rebirth moment, only this time, it’s more intense and it comes with the final resolution.
Fighting the agents, Neo actually dies and comes back in the Special World stronger and faster.
After facing the Dark Lord, Harry now knows he can defeat his opponent. It would only be a matter of time. It is later on in the series, at their final confrontation, when Harry actually dies and comes back. - Return with Elixir — the Hero has learned his lesson. Changed, “upgraded”, he returns to the Ordinary World.
Neo manages to get back to the ship as The Chosen One, with new abilities.
On his way back to the Ordinary World, Harry realizes he has won precious friends and a place where he feels safe.
Both Matrix and Harry Potter are among my favorite movies especially for this journies the main characters take. On top of everything, I specifically chose The Matrix because they use those kick ass Nokia phones from back in the days… remember?
For the *Ring *Ring, I mean.
Your Call to Adventure
Now, we watch movies and love the stories because we identify with the heroes. We watch them and, for a while, believe that we can Change Our Own Stars. That we are the Chosen Ones of our own Stories.
And we’re right! We are.
We are meant to be the Heroes in our stories. And go ourselves through the 12 stages. Our special worlds are nothing but Our Own most Daring Versions of Success.
Now, I’ve identified two main problems that keep us from going on with our stories:
- We miss our Calls to Adventure. We think they’re supposed to be as obvious as they are in the movies. Or similar to the very least.
- We keep hold of the ordinary World. We keep turning back. (But this is for another story)
The main difference between movies and reality is that the first are fiction. So, in movies, the Special World is fictious. That’s what highlights the differences between the two.
So, the main reason for which we either miss our call or keep hold of the ordinary world is because we’re blind to the differences between the two.
Unfortunately, we can’t live in both worlds at the same time.
But both Neo and Harry are non-believers, at first. And what do they do? They keep going.
Anything you don’t like is a Call to Adventure!
The fact that you’re not pleased with your job. The fact that you don’t feel comfortable to be yourself in your relationship(s). The fact that you don’t like what you’re doing. Or where you’re living. Or even your roomates.
The fact that you feel like you’re choking. As if you were dizzy. Or tired all the time. As if everything would oppose you.
Or that you don’t like yourself. In fact, any lack of self love is a Call to Adventure. The fact that you’ve gained a few extra pounds and don’t like it. The fact that you keep putting yourself down in your mind. The fact that you’re eating chips and icecream instead of proper meals. No, frozen pizza still doesn’t count as a proper meal. The fact that your house is an intentional mess… for several months now. The fact that your only trips outside are the ones to the local store, for more wine. The fact that binge watching is a euphrmism for your entire free time. [Insert Your Fact Here] Etc.
Those are ALL Calls to Adventure! So… Are going to be the Hero of your Own Story?
*Ring.. *Ring..
Hello?
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