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           Throughout my life I have taken many journeys, which have ultimately defined who I am today.  The journeys I

 have taken have gone from short and simple to being more serious and complex.  Ever since I was little, I have been

answering the calls and facing the road of trials on my journeys. (History)

            One of the journeys, of my childhood, that I can remember very clearly was when I was just five years old.  My

aunt Sue took me to visit my aunt Kathy and cousin Clayton.  Being an only child at the time, I was not use to people

taking their attention off me.  I started acting up and throwing temper tantrums, so I got sent to go take a nap in my

aunt’s spare bedroom.  At this point in my life, I would say I was the innocent archetype.  I still needed people to care

for me and keep me safe. (Pearson, 1991)  As I was lying in bed, I felt the call to get attention from my aunts.  After

thinking about what to do, I snuck out of the bedroom and went into the bathroom.  The first challenge I faced was

being too short to reach the medicine cabinet. (History)  I found a stool to stand on and reached up to the cabinet to

see what I could find.  The first thing that caught my eye was baby powder, so I grabbed it and headed back to the

bedroom.  When I got back to the bedroom, I poured the baby powder all over my aunt’s antique porcelain dolls.

            After I completed my task, I went out to the living room with a guilty conscience.  I was well behaved the rest of

the time and got the attention I wanted.  The following morning my mom received a call from my aunt Kathy crying

and explaining what I had done and how much of a mess I created.  The end of this journey started the beginning of a

new journey.  I had to regain my aunt’s trust.  At this young age, after being punished for my actions, I learned a

valuable lesson about respect and responsibility.  As a child, fairy tales were an important part of my life.  In all of the

fairy tales we see the hero character and the evil character.  “In the traditional fairy tale, the hero is rewarded and the

evil person meets his well-deserved fate.” (Fong, 1997)  I was punished for my actions and learned from my mistakes. 

I eventually regained my aunt’s trust, but not until after I worked hard to prove I was truly sorry.

            As I grew older I took the lesson of respect and responsibility with me.  However, as I moved into my teenage

years I lost some of that lesson.  I was changing into a young adult and felt I could make my own decisions.  At this

point in my life, I would say I was the warrior archetype.  In Awakening the Heroes Within, the goal of the warrior is to

win, get your own way, and to make a difference through struggle. (Pearson, 1991)  I was all about winning at

everything I did.  As I look back on this part of my life, it seems that I was just trying to show off or prove something

to myself.  I really don’t think I knew what I wanted.  My parents, especially my mom, had a hard time keeping up with

me because I was always starting fights with them to get what I wanted.

            A couple years later, right before my fifteenth birthday, my grandmother passed away.  My whole outlook on

life completely changed and I also changed as a person.  This was when I had my awakening of life and death.  My

archetype changed from being a warrior to the shadow innocent.  I was always in denial of what had happened.  I also

blamed others for what happened. (Pearson, 1991)  It took me a long time to quit being selfish and realize she was in a

better place.  I could keep her alive in me by living every day of my life in her memory.  I also think that I showed

signs of the orphan archetype.  After my grandmother passed away, it was like my safety and security was taken away.

  I felt powerless and needed someone to give me back my feeling of safety and security. (Pearson, 1991)  This was

 when my mom, meeting with the goddess, came to be my best friend. (History)  She helped me get through this hard

time, and in turn this made my mom and me closer.

            When I came to the realization that I could live through my grandmother’s example, it was like coming out of

the belly of the whale stage of the monomyth. (History)  Even though I found that I could live in her memory, I still

doubted how I was going to go on without her in my life.  Many of the lessons she taught me and stories she’d told

helped make me the person I am today.  One thing she taught me was to always be kind to others, because it will make

you a better person and make others better people as well.  My grandmother lived by this and was a beautiful person

inside and out; which shows that this rule is true because she made me a better person.

            My next journey came a year later, before my sixteenth birthday.  The guy I had been waiting on finally asked

me out.  To this day, Jordan and I are still together, but we have faced many obstacles and trials along the way.  At

first, I was so excited about having a boyfriend because this was my first serious relationship.  However, a month after

we got together, he had to leave to go to college.  After he left, I got some of the feelings of abandonment and

insecurity back from my innocent and orphan archetypes. (Pearson, 1991)

            Time passed and we stuck it out through the tough times of a long distance relationship and not getting to see

each other as much as we would have liked.  After seven months of being together, Jordan bought me a ring and

promised we would be together forever.  On this journey this ring acts as my supernatural aid. (History)  When I wear

this ring it is like Jordan is here with me.  I know that he will always be there to love and support me in all that I do.

            The toughest trial we faced, on our journey, came when he found out about something that had happened in my

past.  The guilt I had built up from keeping a secret from him was destroying me inside.  I know I was the lover

archetype, at this point, because of the fear of loss of love. (Pearson, 1991)  I did not want to lose him and was afraid

the truth would make him leave me. The next step, after he found out, was trying to regain his trust.  I related this to

the orphan trying to regain safety. (Pearson, 1991)  Overcoming this milestone on our journey, helped make us a

stronger couple.  Our journey together is not over.  We have faced other obstacles that we overcame with confidence

and faith in each other to help one another through.

            The most complex journey, in my life so far, was leaving home to come to college at IUP.  I have already talked

about this journey in my blogs, but this is the journey I am on right now and will be on for the next couple years.

            My senior year of high school I was thinking about where I wanted to go to college.  I thought about a few

colleges, but IUP was always my number one choice.  Even though it was ultimately my choice, my dad kept

pressuring me to apply to Steven’s Institute of Technology.  If I would have applied and got accepted, I would have

been eligible for a full ride scholarship; however, I would have had to change my major.  I knew I would not be happy

there, so I sent my application to IUP.  At the end of October, I received my call to adventure when I got my

acceptance letter.  My dream of going to college was becoming a reality and I was starting to doubt my decision.  I had

a part-time job and I knew that I could work there.  Also, a part of me was nervous about leaving home. (History)

            My supernatural aid came during the summer when my family and boyfriend gave me the encouragement I

needed to take this journey I had been called to. (History)  The rabbits in Watership Down use stories of El-ahrairah as

 a form of comfort and also get ideas for their own journey. (Adams, 2005)  I also knew in my heart that I did not want

to work a part-time job the rest of my life.  Through all the support I got and trusting my heart helped me choose to

take this journey.

            After deciding to follow my journey path, I was faced with crossing the first threshold. (History)  My first

threshold I crossed was leaving home and moving to Indiana.  This was the biggest change I had ever experienced.  I

entered a whole new world I had to adjust to.  Hazel and the other rabbits crossed their first threshold when they

decided to leave the warren.  They made this choice even though the Threarah refused the call and wouldn’t take

Fiver’s warning seriously.  The rabbits crossing the river would be a threshold too because they were going into a new

world of adventure. (Adams, 2005)

            The next stage of the monomyth is the belly of the whale. (History)  My belly of the whale moment was the first

week of being at IUP.  I hit rock bottom coming to the conclusion that I was here alone.  Everyone I was close to was

 gone and I had to continue on my own.  I had a hard time meeting new people because I just shut everyone out of my

life.  In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell says, “at the bottom of the abyss comes the voice of

salvation.” (Campbell, 1988)  I thought this was a great way to describe the belly of the whale.  You have to search

within yourself and discover what is holding you back and fight off the dragons within you before you can move

on. (History)   The light in my belly of the whale experience came when I realized I wasn’t alone.  I had the support of

my family and boyfriend, who were so helpful on my journey.  I also came to the realization that I was being my own

dragon.  I searched the darkness within myself to find my fear of disappointment.  Overcoming this obstacle helped

me gain the confidence I needed to continue my journey.  After this experience, I think this is when the creator

archetype became dominant.  I came to the conclusion that I could create my own reality and create

myself. (Pearson, 1991)

            On my journey, I faced a lot of obstacles and trials. (History)  I had to keep up with the work in my classes in

order to get good grades.  I was trying to keep my boyfriend’s trust, because of me being so far away was just as hard

 on him as it was on me.  I also faced the trial of getting involved in different organizations; which was hard for me

because I can be very shy when meeting new people.  In Watership Down, the rabbits faced many trials throughout

their journey.  All their attempts were to get to a safer place.  The rabbits had to face being out in the open, and making

 it through and escaping from the dangerous warrens. (Adams, 2005)

            On my journey, I had a couple experiences of meeting with the goddess. (History)  My mom would sometimes

send me cards with encouraging messages that would help me stay focused on my journey.  I also kept the memory of

my grandmother.  I still remember all the lessons she’s taught me.  What she has taught me helps me make decisions

on my journey.

            Along with the goddess there is also a temptress that tempts you from the true path. (History)  I didn’t really

have a temptress, but I had my own thoughts that tempted me from my path.  Being away from home and having the

freedom of making my own decisions, there were a lot of temptations.  A couple temptations that crossed my path

were skipping class to sleep in and avoiding doing homework.  I always kept in mind my ultimate goal of getting good

grades.  As we saw in Into the Woods, Little Red Riding Hood was tempted by the wolf.  She strayed from her path and

it led her to things she would have never experienced.  She was always told to never stray from her path.  Sometimes

when you stray from the path you can learn from your experiences and discover new ideas and information you

would have normally not have known if you always stuck to the path. (Lapine & Sondheim, 1991) 

            As I discussed earlier my father and I didn’t see eye to eye when it came to choosing a college.  When my dad

saw that I was finally happy here; he was also happy for me.  He is supportive of me and all the decisions I make.  I also

saw the atonement with the father in the book Siddhartha.  Siddhartha sees his father’s reflection in the river.  When

Siddhartha’s son decided to leave right after he’d met him, it made him think of how his father must have felt when

Siddhartha decided to leave his home. (Hesse, 1951)

            My moment of apotheosis came when I made the Dean’s list. (History)  My family and boyfriend were so proud

of me.  This moment gave me the confidence that I can do anything with hard work.  This also helped me prove to

myself that this is where I belong and that I am following the path my heart wants me on.  I am on the second step of

this long journey.  I am now a sophomore and am being faced with new trials and obstacles.

            Each of these journeys throughout my life make up the person I am now.  My dominant two archetypes are the

lover and creator.  With the lover archetype, I always follow my bliss on my journeys.  My heart helps lead me on the

path I want to take.  The creator part of me allows me to take my bliss and create my life and my identity. (Pearson,

1991)  All of my journeys build off each other and have ended up creating the journey I am on now.  As I continue my

 life, I will continue taking journeys and creating my life and who I am.

 

 

 

Works Cited

Adams, R. (2005). Watership Down. New York: Scribner.

Campbell, J. (1988). The Power of Myth. New York: Anchor Books.

Fong, K. (1997, December). The Effect of Classic Fairy Tales on Readers and Society.

Hesse, H. (1951). Siddhartha. New York: Bantam Books.

History, H. o. (n.d.). The Heroic Monomyth. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00212/monomyth.html

Lapine, J., & Sondheim, S. (Directors). (1991). Into the Woods [Motion Picture].

Pearson, C. S. (1991). Awakening The Heroes Within. New York: HarperSanFrancisco.