Spiritual Archives

Rescue From Without: The Hero’s Journey Is Aided

What happens during the rescue from without the stage of the hero’s journey? Why does the hero require external help? The rescue from without stage of the hero’s journey is the step where the hero requires aid from a powerful external benefactor to escape the realm of the supernatural and return home. A hero will be in this situation when he has won the ultimate boon through trickery and is been chased by gods seeking to recover what was stolen. Read on to discover more about the rescue from without stage of the hero’s journey.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Perfectionism Kills Creativity

Is your tendency towards perfectionism getting in the way of your ability to be creative? How does perfectionism hinder creativity? One of the greatest mental obstacles to creativity is perfectionism. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to attain perfection in the creative realm—there will always be a way someone can find your work lacking. It’s therefore pointless to strive for perfection and better just to create something imperfect and put it into the world. In this article, we’ll look at how perfectionism kills creativity and how not to let it get in the way of

Return With the Elixir—The Hero’s Homecoming

What happens in the return with the elixir stage of the hero’s journey? Is it dangerous for the hero to return to the secular world? The return with the elixir stage of the hero’s journey is the step where the hero returns to the secular world with the divine boon in hand to be shared with his people. However, a returning hero faces the danger of losing the spark of divinity due to the banalities of ordinary human existence. This is why the mythical Aztec god-king Moctezuma never set foot on the ground to avoid being sullied by the un-sacred

Creative Challenges Are a Part of the Creative Process

What are some of the most common obstacles you encounter when creating? How do you deal with these challenges? No matter what creative pursuit you take on, there will always be attending annoyances. Developing an ability to cope with irritants and unpleasantness is as much a part of your job as a creator as actually creating. In this article, we’ll discuss how to handle the inevitable creative challenges you’ll encounter on your creative journey.

How to Reframe Your Thoughts for More Positivity

How to Develop a Positive Sales Attitude

Do you often find yourself stuck in negative thinking patterns? What can you do to train your mind to think more positively? According to Joseph Murphy, the author of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, negative, self-sabotaging thoughts can block the flow of Universal Consciousness into your life. When this flow is blocked, you are more likely to attract negative experiences into your life. In this article, we’ll explore specific methods you can use to reframe your thoughts for more positivity.

The Folly in the Hero’s Quest for Physical Immortality

What is physical immortality? How does the quest for immortality end for the hero? Physical immortality is everlasting life, a state that allows a person to cheat death and maintain conscious thought. For a hero, the quest for immortality always ends in failure because it goes against the purpose of the hero’s existence, which is the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. This is why mythical heroes like King Midas faced misfortune when he chose worldly possessions over spiritual insight. Read on to discover more about the foolishness in any hero’s quest for physical immortality.

Your Creative Genius Is Outside of You

Do you believe everyone has a creative genius inside? Or do you think creativity is the prerogative of the lucky few? In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert advises that you view your creative genius as an entity that exists outside of you which occasionally graces you with visits. This perspective, she says, helps you to hang on to your creative freedom over the long term by reducing personal responsibility for brilliance. In this article, we’ll explore Gilbert’s concept of creative genius.

Nassim Taleb: What Drives Virtuous Behavior?

What drives virtuous behavior? How can readiness to take risks reflect one’s ability to do good deeds for others? According to Nassim Taleb, having your skin in the game (the willingness to take risks and make sacrifices) is a necessary ingredient in any good deed imaginable. Without skin in the game, virtuous behavior that appears honorable on the surface is, at best, cheapened and ineffective, and at worst, inauthentic and malicious. In both cases, Taleb argues that the risks of skin in the game prove that you are what you claim to be. In this article, we’ll explore Taleb’s notion

Apotheosis—The Hero’s Journey Leads to Nirvana

What is apotheosis in the hero’s journey? How do cultures typically depict this stage of enlightenment? The apotheosis stage of the hero’s journey is when the hero conquers his fears and the bounds of consciousness to reach a divine state. Ancient cultures often depict this figure of ultimate enlightenment in both male and female forms. For example, ancient Chinese lore embodies both masculine Yang and feminine Yin. Read on to learn more about the Apotheosis stage of the hero’s journey.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic Is the Realm of Creativity

How does Elizabeth Gilbert define “Big Magic”? Is creativity a prerogative of the lucky few or can anyone learn to be creative? In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert argues that creativity is not just a domain of a few brilliant professional artists, but rather an enriching way of life anyone can adopt at any time. If you embrace, creativity, she says, you’ll experience “Big Magic”: a mystical or spiritual force of creativity that brings joy and purpose. In this article, we’ll explore four keys to a good relationship with your creativity and “Big Magic” or Creative Sorcery.