The Heroic Journey : Myth, Psyche & Tarot

Chapter 2 - The Call

The Call is "via the soul being stolen, mismanaged, disguised, disrupted, pre-empted or trodden upon, that some of the purest features of the psyche may rise up and begin to long for—call for—the return of that radiant companion and counsel." C. P. Estes, 2003

WISDOM                  Midsummer

The dark begins its rising.

High Priestess

In order for the High Priestess to release her sacred wisdom the hero must do as the Crone/Hermit do and listen to her inner voice. If she refuses to heed her inner Call a traumatic event or illness may interrupt her life. This archetype represents intuition and the collective unconscious:

"It is precisely the holistic nature of intuition that gives it its power. In your unconscious, you have a huge data bank of experiences upon which to draw, even though you aren't aware of most of them. You know much more than you think you know, and your intuition can enable you to access this dormant knowledge." Skye Alexander, 2006

The High Priestess embodies inner wisdom and sacred mysteries, she is veiled, her knowledge is hidden, and one has to listen very closely to hear her call. This archetype hints at inner mysteries hidden from consciousness, slowly and gently calling the hero to feel her depths, to experience her feminine wisdom. She is the oracle who receives knowledge and guidance from the unconscious realms, messages from the gods and goddesses. By staying open to the mysteries of life —intuition, dreams, emotions, sexuality, ritual and natural cycles (seasons, moon phases, menstruation, menopause)—the hero may find her own inner voice, her intuitive wisdom, her connection to the sacred and the unconscious. Here the hero may wish to consult her inner oracle (or the tarot) in order to see if the journey's timing is right for her and to secure the blessing of the goddess as she embarks upon this quest.

Children are often naturally intuitive. Unfortunately, sometime during adolescence, girls (and boys) tend to "fall asleep" to their inner voices, trying to fit into the world outside of them. Movies where the young heroine embraces her true nature, despite opposition: The Secret of Roan Inish, The Shipping News, Whale Rider. In these movies, the heroines choose to act on their own inner beliefs about what is possible, to hold fast to what they know and feel inside to be right. 

Hermit

The Hermit walks his own solitary path, the path of individuation, lighted by the Self, the star within his lantern. This idea of "fulfilment depicts a psychic state that can best be characterized as a detachment of consciousness from the world and a withdrawal to a point outside it, so to speak. Consciousness is no longer preoccupied with compulsive plans but dissolves in contemplative vision (Alchemical Studies, Jung, 1967)." As the hero's "animus," the Hermit personifies the archetype of the Old Wise Man or "superior guide" (see Emma Jung, 1957).

For girls in some cultures, separation and seclusion "occurs immediately after the first menstruation, hence it is individual; whereas boys are segregated in a group. The difference is explained by the fact that in girls the end of childhood has a physiological manifestation. However, in the course of time the girls make up a group, and they are then initiated collectively by old women who act as their instructors."   Eliade, 1957

The hero who listens to her own inner voice will find a guide to light her way. The Crone is the dark goddess, the Old Wise Woman at the crossroads, urging the hero to choose the path to self-awareness and personal growth. The hero who is not frightened by her loathsome appearance—the "hag at the well"—will be able to benefit from her wise counsel. The Crone encourages the hero to take time out for silence and contemplation; only by turning down the inner noise, can the hero know where she is. Self-reflection also helps the hero to learn from her past choices and experiences, and to act accordingly.

"Sometimes with humor, sometimes with bluntness and even harshness, sometimes with tenderness, she will both challenge and guide." Marion Woodman, 1996

Tower

"Flight from the dark infantilizes your spirituality, because the dark nights of the soul are supposed to initiate you into spiritual adulthood." Thomas Moore, 2004

If the hero refuses to heed the Call, an unexpected, upsetting life event may force her to embark on adventure, knocking out the ground from under her, dropping her into unfamiliar territory. She may experience a shock to her belief system or way of looking at the world. Perhaps something has been taken from her, and her quest is to get it back, or to learn how to live without it. Or, perhaps, the life she's been living has become intolerable, her spirit has no room to move, to dance; there is no room for her creativity.

As the hero watches her world crumble, she may be tempted to give in to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, giving up rather than moving through, and forward. Although change can often be painful, the hero must view her situation as a necessary process: "Imagine that your dark mood or the external source of your suffering is a large, living container in which you are held captive. But this container is moving, getting somewhere, taking you to where you need to go (Moore, 2004)." Movies to watch: You've Got Mail, Regarding Henry.

"When an unconscious content breaks through into consciousness, its duality becomes apparent and a conflict results. A choice has to be made. Values that seemed secure and unassailable become uncertain, issues appear confused; the solid ground, till then believed to be firm beyond any doubt, quakes and dissolves; and only after a new standpoint has been gained can a reconciliation be achieved and peace be re-established."  M. Esther Harding, 1947 (1973), p. 18