The Heroic Journey : Myth, Psyche & Tarot

Chapter 3 - Supernatural Aid

"For those who have not refused the call, the first encounter of the hero-journey is with a protective figure. What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny." J. Campbell, 69, 71

GROWTH                 Lammas

Harvest,   Abundance,   Fruitfulness

Empress

The Empress represents eros (relatedness) and the nurturing qualities of the feminine. The hero who embarks on the journey to adventure will need to be able to recognize and accept help when it is offered—friends, family, pets, teachers, therapists, books, journal-writing, music, art, nature, myth—whatever works for her. The hero must also come to trust her own inner resources—creativity, self-nurturing, adaptability and that innermost desire to know and be known inspired by the Self, the Empress within.

The Empress is the Earth Goddess, in touch with her physical, sensual side. She is nurturing and loving, she represents beauty and creativity. The hero in touch with her inner Empress knows how to enjoy life, being in harmony with her natural surroundings she loves to feel joy and pleasure, and knows she deserves it! She finds ways to meet her own needs and is not afraid to ask for what she wants.

The hero may need to separate her own personal mother from this inner archetypal Mother before she can embrace her own inner mothering. Before she can give love and nurturing to others, the heroine needs to be able to give these to herself.

Wheel of Fortune

"Now and then it happened in my practice that a patient grew beyond himself because of unknown potentialities. When I examined the course of development in patients who quietly, and as if unconsciously, outgrew themselves, I saw that their fates had something in common. The new thing came to them from obscure possibilities either outside or inside themselves; they accepted it and grew with its help. In no case was it conjured into existence intentionally or by conscious willing, but rather seemed to be borne along on the stream of time (Jung, 1967)."

The Wheel of Fortune pertains to cyclic movements deep within the psyche that the hero needs to recognize in order to participate in her own psychic growth. The hero who moves with the unseen forces of the universe, who is in tune with her destiny, and aware of the synchronistic events that are guiding her life, will find that turns of good fortune are never very far away. She learns to 'go with the flow' of life, accepting its emotional ups and downs, its unexpected twists and turns, knowing that change can bring adventure, new growth, and unforeseen opportunities (serendipity). Here the heroine learns to respond from her center, rather than being swayed willy-nilly by changing circumstances outside of her control.

Star

"The hero who has come under the protection of the Cosmic Mother cannot be harmed."  J. Campbell, 71

Every hero possesses an inner instinctual drive toward self-actualization and wholeness. This archetype urges the heroine to reach for the stars, that higher Self which unites her with the cosmos. The Star invites the hero to live hopefully. She needs to trust that help will be there when she needs it most. Those who venture forth shall receive blessings: "the opening of a passageway between you and non-physical guidance (Zukav, 1990)." The Star woman encourages the hero to get in touch with this inner guiding light, the "divine spark" at the core of her ego: "The soul does not yet know that she will be called upon to redeem the holy spark which is in her by bringing it fully into consciousness (Singer, 1995)."

A self-actualized woman is pictured, one foot in the water, one on land, pouring the life-giving waters of the unconscious onto earthly reality. Her nakedness symbolizes Truth. Perhaps a ritual is taking place, a showing of gratitude toward the divine Self. The concentric circles in the water represent the hero's journey toward individuation and wholeness. This is a healing archetype. Help from a higher power is available—make a wish!