The Hero’s Journey_1: The Call to Adventure

What is "the Call"?

To me, the call is the expression of the essence/self and the desire to live authentically. It is the feeling of inner dissatisfaction, a sense of emptiness that emerges when all the patterns, defense mechanisms, and masks that have served us until now no longer do. I once described it as the moment when butterflies no longer flutter in my stomach. I had achieved almost all the dreams I had as a child and acquired everything I thought I wanted… but something inside me had gone quiet. How could I have known that my soul was gasping for air?

This numbness, as Joseph Campbell says, is a call for growth — a desire for transformation. It is an invitation to die. For me, it was a worldly love. For others, it may come as a relocation, a migration, or a loss.

These situations signal that something in the hero’s life must change. It’s a call to stop repeating old patterns — the system begins to struggle to maintain the past. A sense of tension, tremor, and excitement appears in the body because the shadow seeks to rise into consciousness and transform. Symbolically, this marks the birth of a new self, as Campbell describes at the end of the journey. This self might be a part of our potential we’ve never embraced, or a side of us we’ve suppressed out of fear. With this call, a new plan knocks on our door.

Why Do We Refuse the Call, and What Happens When We Do?

The ego, on the other hand, wants to know and control the outcome. We are not simple beings. With a limited mind and five senses, we cannot grasp the infinite. Some answers don’t reveal themselves instantly; they require time. Yet if we insist on understanding, we must accept that no problem can be solved at the same level of consciousness that created it — and this acceptance can bring some relief.

Fleeing the adventure is symbolically killing oneself or one’s potential. It means denying the essence and the self. The more we resist, the more reactive we become — eventually surrendering to fate. By rejecting the story, we place the blame on destiny, and the unconscious begins to rule us. Thinking we are at the center, if we fail to adapt to change and transformation, the hero is cast aside. They search for the problem outside, blaming others. Jung said, “The most tragic thing in life is not seeing that the problem lies within.” It is failing to recognize the tyrant, the abuser, and the savior inside ourselves.

Unfortunately, many of us tend to become slaves to others, escaping our own life plans. The call is, in fact, an invitation to turn the mirror inward and try to understand ourselves. On the other hand, an anxious personality often refuses the call — yet emotions like anxiety, fear, and panic are actually signals when read correctly. Refusing the adventure and projecting these emotions externally in search of a scapegoat is also an ego defense — because the ego avoids tension and seeks comfort. But when we accept the call and face the shadow, the wisdom that comes with maturity eventually crushes the ego’s plan.

When we receive the call, we are expected to live in alignment with it — to interpret events, people, and reasons through this lens and find meaning in them. Once internalized, the path becomes clearer. A guide of mine once said, “Know that this is a game — but play it seriously.” Experiencing the journey is beautiful. When we act in harmony with the plan, we grow. If not, we suffer more and end up serving the ego.

What Do We Do When We Receive the Call?

Becoming the observer of oneself, questioning oneself, viewing from a distance, turning oneself into the subject and object at once — these are essential elements of the journey. When we develop this, we break out of molds, free ourselves from biases, and grow. That’s why learning to read symbolically is important. Understanding ourselves and the system is vital. These are the kinds of answers found in an inner journey.

When the hero receives the call, they may ask themselves these shamanic questions:

• What is happening within me?

• Why did I feel this emotion, and where does it connect in my story?

• What do I need to see about myself?

• What part of my shadow have I suppressed or denied?

• What pain exists here?

• What must I accept?

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If we admire the system and understand that everything is meaningful and part of our development, we see that everyone is a tool — a catalyst for our growth. With this perspective, we can journey from a more relaxed, worry-free place, enjoying our authentic being.

Wishing you a journey filled with joy, ease, and love…