How Joseph Campbell deeply influenced 1000s of lives..

Dearest Darling Friends, 

Joseph Campbell's THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES, may turn out to be the most influential book for 1000s of people. It has influenced me.

After reading this book, I arrived at two conclusions.

1. ‘There is nothing great about being great. It is simple.

2. I CAN live a great life.’

Christ, Gandhi, Valmiki, Prophet Mohammed, Vivekananda, Hercules, Superman, Steve Jobs, Buddha, true heroes and imaginary heroes, all lived the pattern laid out in this book.

Filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Coppola say, they owe their successes to the ageless pattern that Joseph Campbell identifies in the book.

Campbell studied stories of heroes across the horizon of time and civilizations. He concluded, THEY ARE ALL BASICALLY THE SAME STORY…just that they have been retold in infinite variations.

Amazingly, these stories often reflect simple universal personal concerns like ”How can I overcome my life problems and be happy?"

Just reading the pattern laid out by him is an experience that has a way of changing life. Mine did.

I have taken the liberty of amending his pattern’s outline slightly. Here is that amended version.

1) The HERO has a routine (in most cases boring) life.

2) The HERO experiences a call to do something ‘never done before’ (a challenge).

3) The HERO is reluctant. (It may be because of comfort zone or fear or its simply its not HIS problem).

4) The HERO is encouraged by a wise man / woman / friend / teacher or by a personal tragedy.

5) The HERO has self doubts. (Someone’s sacrifice or sage advice nudges him/her ahead).

6) The HERO encounters challenges and complications. (He gets unanticipated assistance).

7) The HERO reaches the destination of his adventure. (with some sad losses).

8) The HERO endures the supreme ordeal. (Here the readers / audience are rooting for him).

9) The HERO overcomes the unsurmountable challenge. (Yeahhhhh).

10) The HERO emerges from the battle, transformed by his experience. The world is better off because HE / SHE won!

The pattern is capable of unending variations without losing any of its magic.

As I mirror the steps expounded in the book, I am able to see where I am STUCK and what I need to do to move to the next step. Hurdles and challenges, that were frowned upon earlier, now look like necessary ingredients in my journey of a Hero’s life. Wow! Simple, isn’t it?

Which step are you at? 1 or 2 or 3 or 4? Ahaaa. This LSM can be your point number 4!

The world is waiting to hear your story. It is waiting to see your face as one of the thousand faces of the HERO.

May you too live the HERO’s life.

With love, prayers and best wishes,

naren