It was captivating, I was so enthralled in the story. I wanted you to find the painting upon your return, I wanted the painting to arrive safely, and by the end I was like “I want to see this painting for myself”
Wonderful words and as always wonderfully linked to an aspect of the hero’s journey. Really good stuff, Priya.
Thank you, Michael, for reading, and sharing your thoughts! I didn’t want to add a picture of the painting- I just wanted to evoke what feels mysterious to each of us.
Priya ... I know it was the right thing to do ... but I was yearning to see the painting and trying to remind myself that it's already in my head because you so successfully placed it there.
Joyce, thank you for your comment. I’ve debated sharing a picture of the painting, but I think we all have our own ideas of what the mystery looks like and I didn’t want to take away from that.
I loved this post, and I continue to think your entire framework for Ten Thousand Journeys is so clever! i enjoy reading about your hero's journey as you guide us through Campbell's steps.
For some reason Priya, this post brought me to tears. In a good way. Touched me deeply as I wait for my goddess to fully arrive. Whether by motorcycle, van or divine intervention. Lovely piece of writing. Thank-you.
I love the way you are framing and personalizing this journey. This captivated me. Your descriptions are so vivid and evocative, I’m attached to that painting. I’m curious - how aware were you at the time that this was indeed a visitation from the goddess. The quotes are well curated tho I did squirm a bit in one place. I’ll copy it to another comment. Thank you for bringing us on your journey! So generous.
Okay, two things - first, I’m with Jung that the goddess is incarnate in every *person,* not only women. Second, this borders on cringey: “Then the heavenly husband descends to her and conducts her to his bed—whether she will or not.” 😳🫢
Thank you, Julie. I intentionally didn’t attach a picture - I think what is vast and mysterious may look different to each person and I wanted to preserve/ reserve that as a fill-it-with-is-mystery-to-you.
I wasn’t aware of anything until the delivery time- there were traffic noises all around and I remember being really frightened. For that moment, I felt tiny, insignificant and powerless in the face of something I may never understand.
I want to offer my perspective on Campbell: if we think of all of it as archetypal, it can also be interpreted as life situations happen to us and many times, whether we want it or not.
Hi Priya, I echo what Michael said in that your anecdote is beautifully written. I'm imagining your fiction writing is beautiful in this way too. I enjoyed how you repeatedly wrote, "We..." yet never revealed the other person. My imagination created a partner for you, but by not revealing who the other person in the "we" is, you successfully created a tension in the writing that pulls the reader forward. Beautiful craft.
I'm also interested in your study of The Hero's Journey from the female perspective, as Joseph Campbell writes it from the male perspective, and as you may guess 😁 I would offer that both perspectives are needed. I appreciated this, in particular: "The goddess energy is best described as an archetypal energy: benevolent and nourishing as well as all-powerful and destructive. In the context of the hero’s journey, it is the complementary archetypal energy that the hero (male or female) is missing/doesn’t have, but needs to progress. It can be represented by a person, situation, or object."
Thanks for sharing your journey with us Priya✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
p.s. you may appreciate this from the book, The Power of Myth, which is a transcription of conversations between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers: "The idea of the Goddess is related to the fact that you’re born from your mother, and your father may be unknown to you, or the father may have died. Frequently, in the epics, when the hero is born, his father has died, or his father is in some other place, and then the hero has to go in quest of his father."
The Power of Myth (p. 208). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
I loved your story of finding the painting of the goddess, and how you related it to the hero's journey. And now I am curious to see the painting too! I do hope you will share it in a future post, or on Notes?
Thanks for reading and for your comment, Shinjini! I wonder if sharing the painting will take away the magic because our experience with art is so subjective! It’s currently in my parents home in India.
Priya, your anecdote was so well-written!
It was captivating, I was so enthralled in the story. I wanted you to find the painting upon your return, I wanted the painting to arrive safely, and by the end I was like “I want to see this painting for myself”
Wonderful words and as always wonderfully linked to an aspect of the hero’s journey. Really good stuff, Priya.
Same here! I’m dying to see that painting.
I’m glad I’m not alone!
Thanks Julie :)
Thank you, Michael, for reading, and sharing your thoughts! I didn’t want to add a picture of the painting- I just wanted to evoke what feels mysterious to each of us.
I think you nailed it Priya. It’s a testament to how good your writing is that it evoked that feeling in us.
Your kind words are much appreciated, Michael!
Priya ... I know it was the right thing to do ... but I was yearning to see the painting and trying to remind myself that it's already in my head because you so successfully placed it there.
Joyce, thank you for your comment. I’ve debated sharing a picture of the painting, but I think we all have our own ideas of what the mystery looks like and I didn’t want to take away from that.
I loved this post, and I continue to think your entire framework for Ten Thousand Journeys is so clever! i enjoy reading about your hero's journey as you guide us through Campbell's steps.
Thank you, Jason! I think I’m feeling my way through the hero’s journey and some stages hit harder than others.
For some reason Priya, this post brought me to tears. In a good way. Touched me deeply as I wait for my goddess to fully arrive. Whether by motorcycle, van or divine intervention. Lovely piece of writing. Thank-you.
Thank you, Kim. I’m honored.
I love the way you are framing and personalizing this journey. This captivated me. Your descriptions are so vivid and evocative, I’m attached to that painting. I’m curious - how aware were you at the time that this was indeed a visitation from the goddess. The quotes are well curated tho I did squirm a bit in one place. I’ll copy it to another comment. Thank you for bringing us on your journey! So generous.
Okay, two things - first, I’m with Jung that the goddess is incarnate in every *person,* not only women. Second, this borders on cringey: “Then the heavenly husband descends to her and conducts her to his bed—whether she will or not.” 😳🫢
Maybe referring to the “refusal” part of hero’s journey, but yikes. No means no?
The language is cringey and dated.
Thank you, Julie. I intentionally didn’t attach a picture - I think what is vast and mysterious may look different to each person and I wanted to preserve/ reserve that as a fill-it-with-is-mystery-to-you.
I wasn’t aware of anything until the delivery time- there were traffic noises all around and I remember being really frightened. For that moment, I felt tiny, insignificant and powerless in the face of something I may never understand.
That’s amazing. It sounds epic!
I want to offer my perspective on Campbell: if we think of all of it as archetypal, it can also be interpreted as life situations happen to us and many times, whether we want it or not.
Yes. I tend to get too literal, and forget that everything is freighted with metaphor.
Hi Priya, I echo what Michael said in that your anecdote is beautifully written. I'm imagining your fiction writing is beautiful in this way too. I enjoyed how you repeatedly wrote, "We..." yet never revealed the other person. My imagination created a partner for you, but by not revealing who the other person in the "we" is, you successfully created a tension in the writing that pulls the reader forward. Beautiful craft.
I'm also interested in your study of The Hero's Journey from the female perspective, as Joseph Campbell writes it from the male perspective, and as you may guess 😁 I would offer that both perspectives are needed. I appreciated this, in particular: "The goddess energy is best described as an archetypal energy: benevolent and nourishing as well as all-powerful and destructive. In the context of the hero’s journey, it is the complementary archetypal energy that the hero (male or female) is missing/doesn’t have, but needs to progress. It can be represented by a person, situation, or object."
Thanks for sharing your journey with us Priya✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
p.s. you may appreciate this from the book, The Power of Myth, which is a transcription of conversations between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers: "The idea of the Goddess is related to the fact that you’re born from your mother, and your father may be unknown to you, or the father may have died. Frequently, in the epics, when the hero is born, his father has died, or his father is in some other place, and then the hero has to go in quest of his father."
The Power of Myth (p. 208). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Thank you so much, Camilla. Sometimes the words write themselves. I am familiar with the quote from The Power Of Myth and it’s a good one!
Yes, we can be a conduit for the words, but in addition to that, the craft of your writing is very polished and beautiful✨🌟💖🙏🏼🕊
You honor me, Camilla. Thank you!
I loved your story of finding the painting of the goddess, and how you related it to the hero's journey. And now I am curious to see the painting too! I do hope you will share it in a future post, or on Notes?
Thanks for reading and for your comment, Shinjini! I wonder if sharing the painting will take away the magic because our experience with art is so subjective! It’s currently in my parents home in India.