Navigating the Heroines Journey
As I delved into this week’s readings, I couldn’t help but think about the patterns I’d seen among leaders that brought me to this doctoral program. No matter what initial goal or challenge they wanted to work on, at its core was a need to be seen, heard, and accepted. Despite the diversity of individuals I’d encounter, our conversation around their challenges would inevitably circle back to a common theme: an internal struggle with identity. It didn’t matter if they were in their first professional roles or CEOs of companies, each wrestled to grasp a deeper sense of who they are and why they exist. Both questions are vital to what Joseph Campbell claims is a universal quest for fulfillment and wholeness that he illustrates in his book, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.”
Campbell argues that mythology not only reflects the world around us but also shapes our understanding of reality and helps us discern our place within it. He suggests myths are maps and offers a framework called The Hero’s Journey, which rests upon three main parts: separation — initiation — return. [1]
Diagram of the Hero’s Journey
The Hero’s Journey has influenced a variety of leadership programs I’ve participated in as well as which I’ve led. What’s powerful about the framework is that it allows each one of us to be the hero in our own story and provides an overview of what to expect along the way, which can be reassuring when trials come.
I appreciate how this book points to the larger journey of what it means to be human and spirit, highlighting how we must learn to hold the two at the same time, without attachment or strife but simply navigating from a place of abundance in light. Whereby one no longer believes the lies of separation but recognizes our true nature as love. “The ultimate experience of love is a realization that beneath the illusion of two-ness dwell identity: ‘each is both.’ [2] The core message of the Hero’s Journey is that of a discovery of Oneness.
Yet critiques of the Hero’s Journey, like TD Storm’s observation in “Why the Hero’s Journey May Not Be Right for Your Story,” challenge its universal applicability.[3] Maureen Murdock provides a feminist lens through the Heroine’s Journey where the main conflict is internal, between the competing masculine and feminine nature within oneself. [4]
In my journey of guiding leaders through their own inner explorations I’ve always been vocal about how spiritual this work is. However, over time I began to realize that without a specific rooting in one’s faith, through a personal relationship with God, people could only go so far. When I think about the leadership challenge of inadequacy and misplaced identity, I’ve often wondered if one can ever truly grasp who they are without first understanding whose they are.
Campbell states “The hero is the man of self-achieved submission. But submission to what? That precisely is the riddle that today we have to ask ourselves and that it is everywhere the primary virtue and historic deed of the hero to have solved.” [5] For me, it’s only by returning back to what I know about God and who the Word says I am that I have been able to find peace from the voices that attack my sense of my worth and value.
But how do you help people explore this question of ‘submission to what?’ and become comfortable in the act of obedience required in submission while living in a world where these words have been used for centuries to strip people of their dignity, silence their voice, and oppress them?
Attempts often feel surface level unless we really drop into an understanding of the radical nature of Jesus, the fullness of the Kingdom of God, and the authority we’ve been given as co-creators and inheritors of that Kingdom. This means a deep dive into the supernatural to bring heaven on Earth through miracles, signs, and wonders, doing all that Jesus did and more, as indicated in John 14:12 [6]
But where do we find support for this type of journey? Leadership programs offer one route but they can only take us so far. Churches or spiritual formation programs offer another but they too are often ill-equipped to move us to the realms that God has for us, and sadly some even set us back on our journeys by planting a seed in our minds of a God who doesn’t love, welcome and meet us where we are.
While struggles of wholeness, purpose, worth, and belonging are universal, I feel particularly called to a deeper exploration of how they impact women of color since we know that these issues only become further pronounced and more complex when marginalization is present. Thus my doctoral work centers on Reclaiming Identity and Power: Navigating the Intersection of Faith, Social Justice, and Self-Care Among Women of Color in a White-Supremacist, Capitalist Patriarchy.
Still curious as to whether any story arcs take into account the unique experiences of women of color, I stumbled upon Victoria Schmidt’s revamp of the Heroine’s Journey, where she expands the journey Murdock first introduced, adding more layers of depth through nine key stages. [7]
I was surprised by how closely this journey outlined what I’d intuitively known and witnessed. It was also a powerful visual of what stage the women were at before our worlds collided and of the role of community. Here, each woman must do more work on their own before being met with the support of a collective of sisters who serve as mirrors, reflecting back her true nature. What I also appreciate about this story arc is that the “reward” during the return stage is spiritual, and internal and creates a ripple effect. “They know themselves better and are committed to mutual interactions with their world.”[8]
Victoria Schmidt Heroine’s Journey
Indeed this offers a lot of food for thought as I move forward in my research. However, it still doesn’t integrate the supernatural power of God through partnership with the Holy Spirit, in the way that is needed. As the semester continues, the question I will focus on addressing is what role community and collective healing play in the reclaiming of identity and power for Women of Color, and how can this be integrated into a faith-based framework that aligns with their unique experiences?
[1]Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2008), 23.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Storm, T. D. “Why the Hero’s Journey May Not Be Right for Your Story.” Storm Writing School, October 20, 2017. https://www.stormwritingschool.com/why-the-heros-journey-may-not-be-right-for-your-story/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=4660938.
[4] Brunken, Jason. “Mr. Brunken’s Online Classroom – the Heroine’s Journey.” mrbrunken.happykids.taipei, December 9, 2016. https://mrbrunken.happykids.taipei/middleschool/news/theheroinesjourney.
[5] Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2008), 23.
[6]The Holy Bible. London: Hodder And Stoughton, 1992.
[7]“Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s Heroine’s Journey Arc.” The Heroine Journeys Project. The Heroine Journeys Project, March 19, 2015. https://heroinejourneys.com/heroine-journey-ii/.
[8]Ibid.
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Akwese
7 responses to “Navigating the Heroines Journey”
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Akwese, I love this… “Attempts often feel surface level unless we really drop into an understanding of the radical nature of Jesus, the fullness of the Kingdom of God, and the authority we’ve been given as co-creators and inheritors of that Kingdom. ” This idea could probably take a whole book to unpack. I have been reflecting on the Trinity and how a person shaped by the Trinitarian dance would demonstrate more of this life in their leadership. Being and function are inseparable.
How could we make what you describe normative in the development of Christian leaders?
Oh, Graham, you ask a great question! I too wonder this same thing. You mentioned being and function as inseparable and I think that’s key. The way I’ve been thinking about it is as embodiment — how do we truly embody what we say we know and believe?
When I think of your question of how to make this more normative in the development of Christian leaders, my mind automatically goes to two things:
1. centering the training around a community of praxis where leaders journey together for a good chunk of time. I almost want to say we need to invite people into a commitment that serves as a way of being together for the long haul, maybe a 2-year container with regular touchpoints that provide a safe space to reflect on and practice how one can live their values in action and anchor in the faith 🤷🏽♀️
2. learning to host the Holy Spirit should be central to teaching. I believe we need to help people get in tune with the Spirit of God within them. The Holy Spirit was sent as our Helper and thus how can we expect to have any type of meaningful change without relying on this partnership. I also think so many people struggle to tangibly feel the Spirit at move in their lives so it important to focus on experiences. If I’m not mistaken I think it was you who said something along the lines of making God come alive which I love. What does an alive God look like? feel like? taste like? sound like?
When I was young, maybe in elementary school I remember going to services where we’d be invited to ask for a word from God and then wait on the Lord and and share anything we heard. Simply having time to soak in the Spirit with encouragement to share, regardless of whether you felt God clearly speak or not, provided a training ground to grow in confidence of my ability to hear God by simply tuning my ears to the variety of ways in which the Spirit speaks, without dismissing or downplaying. Overall we must train our leaders to expect God to respond in profound ways and then trust that He will!
I sensed your full engagement in “the larger journey of what it means to be human and spirit, highlighting how we must learn to hold the two at the same time, without attachment or strife but simply navigating from a place of abundance in light.” Your words remind me of one of my favorite films directed by Mira Nair. In her tale set in 16th century India, the heroine, Maya, is on a journey of coming to understand real love, “the hardest task of all, the work for which all other work is but preparation….where each become both.” Can you share some lessons you have you learned on how to hold that tension between human and spirit, where each become both?
Oooh Erica, I see you’re coming with the hard questions 😉
Hmm…I’m going to do a bit of a free write on this below
When it comes to lessons I’ve learned on how to hold the tension between human and spirit:
– hold it lightly, as it wasn’t made to be firmly gripped
– holding this tension is both hard and easy. Hard in the flesh but easy in the Spirit.
– that the key is to remember and cling to that which is real. This goes against everything we’ve been taught in this world so it’s important to remind yourself regularly that ” this is countercultural work”.
– that everything is actually quite easy and there are no real issues. What makes it hard is that so much of my flesh wants to hold onto the lie rather than rest in what’s true.
– that I only suffer to hold both when I forget to see with my spiritual eyes and instead use my physical.
– it requires detachment and surrender, both of which are continual
– that grace upon grace must be regularly given to yourself
– that bringing laughter and a childlike curiosity to this dance makes it fun
-that God made us both spirit and flesh and so there is no “bad” or “wrong” part of me I need to be ashamed of or try to rid myself of.
– that God made humans with intentionality to bring His name glory so my role is to care for this body so it can be used as a vessel.
-unapologetically doing what God calls you to do is how we would all activate greater levels of faith and thus strengthen our spirit man
– we are spirit first and foremost.
– when all feels exhausting and overwhelming, fall on your face and make a joyful cry to God!
-that miracles are daily occurrences that simply require a willingness to allow God to change the way you see
Ha okay, I’m going to leave it there for now. Thanks for that fun exercise! I can tell we’re kindred spirits here. What might you have to add?
I feel like you provided a summary I need to print out and post on my bathroom mirror as a daily affirmation! Maria Tartar also enlarges Campbell’s view to include the heroines journey in “Heroine with 1001 Faces.” I haven’t read her book but perhaps it could add a thought to your question about “community and collective healing play in the reclaiming of identity and power for Women of Color.” I will be following closely as this question will come up in my research as well.
Ha! Yes do it! I have so many affirmations all over my walls and its amazes me the impact they make in helping embody my beliefs and intentions ❤️
Thank you for this book recommendation! I’ve just found it on Amazon & will have my cousin bring it with her when she comes to visit 😉 I was actually really blown away by Victoria Schmidt’s revamp of the Heroine’s Journey. It too hits at the role of the collective and really invites Spirit into the framework as well. I’ve been geeking out on it actually and am shocked I hadn’t previously been aware.
Will you remind me of your NPO and share your research question?
Because of the expectation to assimilate in predominantly white nonprofit organizations, Black women experience greater isolation, dissociation and burnout than their white peers.
How do Black women’s experiences in predominantly white nonprofit organizations compare to their white peers, and how does faith impact their ability to thrive in such environments?