Reading your Life-Dream as a Hero's Journey

This is intended as a short-hand crib-note to make use of Campbell's Hero's Journey in your own dream working (3rd level).

The basic plot (from Vogler):

The hero is introduced in his ORDINARY WORLD where he receives the CALL TO ADVENTURE.  He is RELUCTANT at first to CROSS THE FIRST THRESHOLD where he eventually encounters TESTS, ALLIES and ENEMIES.  He reaches the INNERMOST CAVE where he endures the SUPREME ORDEAL.  He SEIZES THE SWORD or the treasure and is pursued on the ROAD BACK to his world.  He is RESURRECTED and transformed by his experience.  He RETURNS to his ordinary world with a treasure, boon, or ELIXIR to benefit his world.

The 7 archetypes:

HEROES 

SHADOWS 

MENTORS 

HERALD 

THRESHOLD GUARDIANS 

SHAPESHIFTERS 

TRICKSTERS 

In these, you could create a checklist to study just about any aspect of any life. Or simply print out this post to have it at hand in whatever is your "office". (It would fit on two sides of a note-card for your wallet or purse, for instance.)

As example, if your life is boring beyond all belief, was there a call to adventure which you didn't heed...?

As well, you may find yourself wearing masks for others - like the trickster or herald or mentor...

You can find this cycle in every single business cycle you enter, if you only look. Too often a product fails because it doesn't translate into an actual boon for mankind. But was there a trickster in the mix?

That is the first call: to look. (Only after that do you get the red pill, blue pill treatment.) But again, this is just a model. Use it or not. Treat it as you will. I'll readily assume any archetype you assign me. That's my job, it seems.

Luck to us all.