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Posts Tagged ‘Hero’s Journey’

Hold On, Hold On

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on July 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Entangling– At Principle Gallery

Centuries of husbandry, decades of diligent culling, the work of numerous hearts and hands, have gone into the hackling, sorting, and spinning of this tightly twisted yarn. Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; and where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.

–Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)

Was reading some Joseph Campbell and came across this passage and it immediately struck me as another way of looking at the Entanglement paintings from my recent Principle Gallery show.  Perhaps the twisting bands of ethereal energy as I see them are also representative of the twists and turns of the hero’s journey. It’s the story of human’s existence, one that takes them through a winding and often dark labyrinth filled with dead ends and numerous paths that seem to be leading to one’s desired destination only to be found to have led the traveler even further away.

And then when we are exhausted and filled with fear, all hope drained away, we take a turn on the twisting path and we find ourselves facing the light that gives us hope, the light that energizes and illuminates all that is behind and before us, showing us the unity of all things.

Hmm. Got to think about this a bit more.

Here’s this week’s Sunday Morning Music. Not sure it exactly fits the theme. I think it might. but it doesn’t really matter since I like this song and wanted to hear it this morning. It’s from one of my many favorites, Neko Case. This is Hold On, Hold On.

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A Return to Heroism

Posted in Influences, tagged on March 16, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Oath of QuietIn the last couple of days I’ve written about heroism and how I see its qualities in everyday lives.  Being a blog, there’s a superficiality to such an examination, as there is to anything written off the cuff.  I’m never sure if I’m fully getting across my point .

I think the main thing I want to say is that we are living in a time where some of the basic qualities of the hero, compassion and empathy, have come to be seen as weakness.  We live in a culture that has over the last thirty or so years come to think of greed and self-interest as signs of strength.

Until we can restore compassion and empathy to their rightful position as the hallmarks of the strong and courageous, we will continue to linger knee-deep in the cesspool created by our allegiance to greed and our refusal in taking personal responsibility for for our actions.

That is the gist of what I’ve wanted to say.  I’m sorry it’s rhetorical and painted with a broad brush but I think this is a basic philosophical problem  and needs to be addressed at the broad brush level, starting from the bottom up, with people taking responsibility for the world immediately around them, living each day with their eyes open.  Living with charity and empathy for others.

I know it sounds simplistic, even naive.  That is just another product of  being immersed in a “get mine” world.  Without empathy, everything that challenges your worldview must be belittled or destroyed.

And that’s where we appear to be…

So. let’s try to see the strength and courage in living an empathetic life. Okay?

If you can agree to do that I promise to not preach tomorrow…

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Legendary Heart

Posted in Influences, Painting, tagged , on March 14, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Legendary HeartThis is a painting from a few years back that always sticks in my memory.  There are many things I like about this piece, many things which I think make it notable but the part that sticks most with me is its title. It’s  Legendary Heart.

I suppose the title visually came from the shape of the tree’s crown or maybe it was something in the atmosphere of the piece that suggested the name.  I’m not sure exactly except to say that I have always seen something quite heroic in this piece.

What do I mean by that?  What is heroic?

Oh, it’s easy to define heroism in terms of combat or competition, the obvious examples for displays of courage and bravery.   Soldiers racing forward through a hail of bullets to capture an enemy, a fireman climbing into a burning building to rescue a child or even a competitor fighting through injury to bring their team victory– all are truly heroic.

To me however, this piece speaks to the root form of heroism,  the element that defines all heroism, from the most glorious to the most mundane  everyday variety that often  goes unnoticed.  

I’m talking about self-sacrifice.

Heroism is the giving of  yourself to and for others.  Whether it’s a soldier or rescuer risking their safety so that others may be saved, a parent putting aside their own self interests for the benefit of their children or person who sacrifices their time  and  fortune for the betterment of those who truly need their help– all are heroic in terms of self-sacrifice.  Heroism is not about amassing accolades or wealth.  It’s about amassing a wealth of spirit and that that can only be achieved, paradoxically, through giving, not taking.  It’s about shedding the greed and meanness of spirit that dwells deep within us, side by side with our sense of charity and courage, in some cases pushing aside these better traits and overtaking our characters.  We are living in a time where this has happened all too often.

The heroic is in compassion and empathy, not in domination of any sort.  It is in having the courage to let the better parts of our character shine.  

We could all use a little of this courage.  I think many of us are always on a sort of hero’s journey, trying to find this bit of good while fighting back our baser demons.  Occasionally, even momentarily, it appears to us and we feel nourished, strengthened  enough to continue forward.

That’s what I see when I look at this painting.  Oh, it’s a striking image but it’s the message that I glean from it that makes it stand out and whenever I see this painting, on a computer screen or in my mind, I am reminded to keep moving forward.

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