Refusing the Call of the Hero's Journey

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According to Joseph Campbell, a common theme among those who are called to the Hero's Journey is the Refusal of the Call. When faced with the daunting challenge to step out of his comfort zone, the hero often flinches, doubts, or runs the other way. Both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo did it before going to rescue Princess Leia. Even Jesus toyed with the idea when he asked God if there was any way this cup could be taken from him.


The Hero may find several reasons to refuse the call to adventure. He may bring up familial obligations. He may not think he has what it takes and has intercepted someone else's call. He may simply be selfish. Or he may be afraid. In all actuality, whatever reason he may cling to, it is usually based in fear. Indeed, whenever one of us shirks from a challenge, it is often fear which motivates us.
Perhaps we are afraid of letting down our loved ones or losing their respect. Perhaps we are afraid that we are unable to succeed so we opt not to even make an attempt. Perhaps we are afraid of losing out on something which is dear to us, to let go of our security blankets. Or perhaps we are afraid of our own success.

Marianne Williamson puts it extremely poignantly in her book A Return to Love when she quotes A Course in Miracles and states, "’Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

For each of us, in whatever adventures we may be called to, no matter how big or small, let us remember that we are never given a problem to face without the means to achieve it. Though we may flinch, or balk, or run the other direction, let us realize that we truly do have the power to face any challenge and accept the success we envision.

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A strange place to start a philosophy...

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When I was an evangelical Christian, we had a system by which we would share the Gospel of Christ with others (although it is based on a book written by Paul). We called it the Romans Road.

The first step on the Romans Road is taken from Romans 3:23 – “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” In one sense, this seems to be a starting point of shame, something I once considered to be a horrible place to start a philosophy. However, on the other hand, it is a tenet of equality. For if we look out into the world around us, when we often see people who enrage us with their selfishness, stupidity, fear, and violence, this verse reminds us that we are all in the same boat.

We have all forgotten the spark of divinity which resides within us. As Marianne Williamson put it, in archery, to "sin" is to miss the mark, and we have all done it. Not one of us has been at our best one hundred percent of the time. Very few of us fully dwell in the Presence of God.

So as we make our way down this road of life together, let's remember that we've all fallen at one time or another. Let's give each other a hand up when we're able instead of opting for the compulsion to shame.

I also find it an interesting correlation that the first of the Buddhists’ Four Noble Truths is that “All Life is Suffering.” While the rest of Noble Truths and the steps along the Romans Road differ greatly in their unfolding, they both start with the idea that we are lacking, handicapped, and in need of a new understanding.

I’ll be writing more about the rest of the Road as well as the Truths in later blogs, but I wanted to point out that two of the largest religious traditions in the world start out in relatively the same place. And while I want very badly to dismiss the idea that we are lacking and realize the perfection of the Universe, I can’t help but look around at the state of the world and realize at least some truth to this idea.

We’re engulfed in wars and battles of ideologies. We’re wreaking havoc on the environment. Our economic system is in turmoil. We’re almost defined by our addictions. And I just have to wonder if it is our nature to live our this idea of our necessary suffering and separation from God, or if our belief in this idea is creating the fact for us.

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