The Mythic Journey

The narrative of this book shares a number of characteristics with similar narratives found in myths, legends, dreams, psychological analysis, films, and art in ancient tombs. In these narratives, an individual makes a journey of profound spiritual transformation, often in conjunction with a dangerous physical journey. In broad terms, the various stages of this journey are similar from narrative to narrative - the traveler divests him/herself (sometimes willingly, sometimes reluctantly) of the worldly (things and knowledge alike), undergoes a series of trials (physical and spiritual and emotional), and encounters strange individuals (both allies and enemies). Along the way s/he faces challenges to his/her physical and emotional sense of identity, and emerges with deeper understanding (of self, of the self's relationship to the physical world, and of the self's connection with spirit). Often these journeys end in some kind of cave or cavern or...