When it comes down to it, The Hero with a Thousand Faces is about spirituality…but it's not about any one specific religion.
Campbell believes that the stories we tell are ways of symbolizing and connecting our souls to the cosmic oneness of the universe. Whether you call that God or Krishna or the Cosmic Hum, it's pretty much the whole enchilada…but because we're flawed individual beings with an inflated sense of self importance, we really get in our own way a lot as far as spirituality goes.
The Hero's Journey is kind of an entry point to more serious spiritual considerations, a way of easing us into the serious Very Deep Thoughts that are involved.
Questions About Spirituality
- How do the hero's deeds reflect a growing spirituality while on the Journey?
- In what ways does spiritualty enhance the hero during his or her journey? In what ways does it hinder him or her?
- What does spirituality mean according to Campbell?
Chew on This
Spirituality is a means the hero uses to attain enlightenment.
Spirituality is the goal of the hero's quest, not just a means to an end.