March 10 The Hero's Journey

The Wanderer’s journey leads away from home into the unknown. The journey is a search for healing of the self and the world.
Wanderers are pulled onto the journey by a feeling that something is missing, although they may be unable to name it. They may feel trapped, as if they are in a cage. They sense they no longer fit into their lives, or maybe that they have never fit. They escape from a world that seems hostile or empty.
In the fairy tale, the prince goes looking for Cinderella, visiting every home in the kingdom to see who will fit the glass slipper. When he arrives at Cinderella’s house, he finds that one of the stepsisters has cut off part of her foot in an attempt to fit into the slipper.
This is what many of us do. We cut off part of ourselves in an attempt to fit into the role we are trying to fill. Parts of ourselves are numb or missing because we don’t accept them or we fear that others won’t approve of them. When we are the Wanderer we search for our missing parts; we seek wholeness.
Many people avoid going on the Wanderer journey. They may be obsessed with safety or bound in fear. They may be afraid that the journey would change them, and they are probably right. They forget that life is supposed to be an adventure.
Eventually the Wanderer returns from the journey, bringing answers to problems, answers that were not available at home. These solutions bring new life to the kingdom. But the hero gains the treasure only by going on the quest. The prince would never have found Cinderella if he had not gone looking for her.