Roadmap for

The Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey as presented by Bridging the Gulf is a 8-part series inspired by the ideas of Joseph Campbell and many others. Designed for adults and seniors, its didactic, interactive, and experiential elements can be structured for particular target audiences and organized for a variety of time constraints. The material presented on this website represents the basic orientation of each section. Click on pictures or words below to access pages.

The Hero's Journey:

Introduction

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled,

but a fire to be kindled."

Plutarch of Chaeronea,

1st century Greek historian

Part 1  

The First Initiation:

The Time of the Warrior Hero

"The call to adventure signifies that destiny

has summoned the hero."

Joseph Campbell, mythologist

Part 2  

The Second Initiation:

The Time of the Wounded Warrior

"In the middle of the road of my life

I awoke in a dark wood 

where the true way was wholly lost."

Inferno, Canto 1

A. Dante

 Part 3  

Tracking the Trickster

"The Trickster is the master of initiation . . ."

Beyond the Hero

Allan B. Chinen, M.D.

Part 4  

Gifts from the Wound

"Our story is not about heroism,

but about failure and repair . . ."

The Maiden King:

the Reunion of Masculine and Feminine

Robert Bly and Marion Woodman

Part 5

The Blessing

"If he could learn to love another

and earn her love in return

before the last petal fell,

the spell would be broken.

If not,

he would remain a beast for all time."

Beauty and the Beast

Part 6

Dawn

"Only letting go,

giving heart,

the great drum,

the great instrument of the wild nature, only that creates."

Women Who Run With the Wolves

Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Part 7  

The Third Initiation:

The Time of the Wounded Healer

"That’s what we storytellers do. 

We restore order with imagination.

We instill hope

again and again and again."

Saving Mr. Banks