Clemsy:I'm mulling the idea that the underpinnings of our personal story is our personal myth.
Joseph Campbell: ( from " Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion " )Life only has meaning as a story. Otherwise, it's just a series of events.
Clemsy:The goal of the hero's journey is yourself; finding yourself.
I could not agree more with this particular approach on understanding personal narrative interpreted as one's biographical sense of individual destiny; and as a manifestation of the " Hero's Journey ". ( At least the way I see it. )What story do you live in?
From birth through the Rites of Passage to the Funeral. From Birthdays to Weddings; from Campfire Stories to The Wake of a close friend; it's all about creating an individual history and biography that has meaning and says to life: " I am here; I lived "; and through " this telling " I have meaning and value; ( whether told silently to oneself or aloud to others ); I am on a quest of seeking answers of a " journey to myself ". Is this a personal myth or story? ( I say " yes " to both. )
If you have ever had the sense of " mystery " speaking to you through an event or some simple moment or catalyst from which other elements are suddenly engaged with a sense of " destiny " then there may be a connection to this idea of creating your " own " story.
One of the oldest examples of a story's importance is the simple phrase: " Once Upon a Time: "
Here is one small chapter of " my story " about a ( 10 cent book ) from a yard sale:
It was a sunny day as I went to the mailbox. I reached in and found a package that my cousin had sent with a 10 cent book from a yard sale that was written by a distant relative whom I had never met.
My father had just died and while settling the family affairs my Aunt; ( his sister ); had come down to help. I did not know much about my families past and as the days went by questions began to arise about various matters concerned with his life and of course the families history. My mother had also passed years earlier so this brought up even more questions about matters I had never been aware of. And as the time began to unfold I began to realize there was much I did not know.
As she patiently began to unravel this background I began to have more and more questions concerning details and reasons and all kinds of connections about earlier generations as well as my immediate past. I was told about this writer who was related and that he specialized in regional cultural fiction; and was quite a recognized and establish author.
As the days melted into weeks and the family possesions were divided up and the house was sold; I felt the last pages were closing a chapter of my life that left me with a feeling of uncertainty about where my life was going. I had realities in front of me of course; but I began to feel adrift. Once I was resettled and fell into the day to day routine of normal work and reality some of this anxiety began to subside.
But as I walked back towards the new residence turning the pages of the newly arrived book I immediately began to get drawn into the story. It was a tale about the telling of a story; ( a family story ); told to a young college graduate by a distant cousin about his own families' history. It was a dark saga about a regional " Feud " full of revenge and murder, set against the backdrop of war; with all kinds of details about regional and cultural life related to where I myself came from. I got as far as the first chair available and began to devour the book.
The spark had been ignited; the flame had been kindled; implanting a hunger to know more about my cultural identity. I had been set towards a course on an adventure that lasted eight years. From family geneology to cultural background was only the beginning. Then more cultural history and literature, then parts of the Western Cannon, then a wider curiousity of Indian, Eastern, and Asian cultures. ( I even got a job at a vintage bookstore. ) Sometimes I had five or six books going at one time till one day I discovered " Joseph Campbell ". ( I will end here for the point I was trying to establish has been made. And what I am trying to say here is this is not about my personal experience so much as it is about the process itself. )
This of course is only a small part of a much larger story of my personal narrative or adventure which I will not go on about. But my point is that lookin back " now "; when I came upon that " lynchpin or catalyst " moment I had no way of knowing that a mystery adventure had been provided for which I had been asking; ( but unknowingly ). And had it not been for discovering Joseph Campbell I would not have been able to assimilate the process. And had it not been for the mechanics as vehicle of " Story " it not only would not have happened; it could never have happened. " Story " is what lead the experience!
I certainly can not speak for those who have their own interpretations regarding what " Story " is or the functions that it serves. But this is what I have found that has come out of my own personal experience; and hopefully it might be helpful to others that are exploring this topic.
Although this not as articulate as I would like; I hope this was a somewhat better attempt for this really great thread.
Thanks Clemsy