The Hero and Heroine's Journey With Kirsten Oates and Patrick Boland
Mar 13, 2024
auto_awesome
Explore the transformative power of the hero's journey in personal growth. Reflect on embracing challenges and loss as gateways to authenticity. Discover insights from executive coaches and spiritual directors on falling upward and spiritual exploration. Dive into the role of mentors, somatic practices, and cultural grieving in the journey towards self-discovery and healing.
Embracing challenges and loss can lead to personal growth and reveal our true selves.
Understanding collective sin and grace is crucial for mythologizing personal stories and moving away from victimhood.
Facing adversities on the hero's journey can foster personal transformation and a deeper connection with oneself.
Deep dives
The Theory of the Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero's journey, originally outlined in his book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces,' suggests a universal narrative underlying stories from various cultures and times. This theory deeply influenced Richard, leading him to connect it with chapters from his own book 'Falling Upward' as 'The Hero in Heroin's Journey,' emphasizing the significance of leaving the old and going on a quest to create something new.
The Journey of Falling Upward and Pathologizing vs. Mythologizing
The episode delves into the concept of intergenerational trauma and salvation, highlighting the idea that individuals are both products of their ancestors and creators of subsequent generations. Richard emphasizes the importance of moving away from pathologizing individuals to understanding collective sin and grace, advocating for mythologizing personal and societal stories rather than focusing on victimhood or a cult of innocence.
Exploring Homecoming and the True Self
The discussion touches upon the concept of 'home' as the journey towards one's true self. Home is portrayed as the inner essence, the soul's true nature, the comfort of being in alignment with one's authentic self and divine purpose. Through adversity and trials, individuals are compelled to confront challenges that threaten superficial identities, paving the way for an ultimate return to one's essential, beautiful self, embodying the interconnectedness of personal evolution and the cosmic pattern of change.
The Journey Through Adversity and Transformation
Embarking on the hero's journey involves facing adversities and challenges that lead to personal transformation. This journey encourages individuals to let go of the need to control situations and accept reality as it is. By trusting the process and recognizing the love and support from within, individuals can navigate through the cycle of suffering and growth, ultimately finding healing and a deeper connection with oneself.
Guidance and Tools for the Journey
Navigating the hero's journey requires embracing various tools and practices to aid in personal growth and healing. By incorporating practices such as sighing, stretching, smiling, and gentle touch, individuals can regulate their nervous system responses and shift towards a state of calm and safety. Similarly, engaging in deeper spiritual connections and contemplative practices can provide a foundation for facing challenges and finding internal strength and guidance.
In this episode, we're joined by Kirsten Oates and Patrick Boland as we continue our chapter-by-chapter exploration with Chapter 2: "The Hero and Heroine's Journey." Patrick Boland and Kirsten Oates, cohost of our sister podcast, Turning to the Mystics, join CAC staff, for a heartfelt conversation. Together, they explore the transformative power of the hero's journey. They talk about the role it plays in our personal growth, emphasizing how embracing challenges and loss can be doorways to our truest selves. Before we dive in to the interview, we catch up with Richard at his hermitage to hear his reflections on the second chapter a decade after he originally wrote it.
Patrick Boland is an Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant and Psychotherapist. He is the author of The Contemplative Leader and the co-author of Every Thing is Sacred with Richard Rohr. He lives with his family near Dublin, Ireland.
Kirsten Oates is the cohost of our sister podcast Turning to the Mystics with James Finley. She's a Spiritual Director and an Executive Coach who brings wisdom and insight into the intersection of spirituality and leadership.
Together with Richard, Kirsten and Patrick are the architects of our newest online course, Falling Upward: Life as a Spiritual Journey. You can learn more about that at our website.
Resources:
A PDF of the transcript for this episode is available here.
Grab a copy of the newly revised version of Falling Upward, with a new foreword by Brené Brown here.
To learn more about Patrick's work, visit his website here.
Access a free chapter from Patrick's book, The Contemplative Leader, on the hero's journey here.
To connect with Kirsten, visit her here, and check out her CAC podcast, Turning to the Mystics here.
Connect with us:
Have a question or thought about this season that you'd like to share with us?