According to legendary mythologist Joseph Campbell, the most powerful narrative arch is the Hero’s Journey.
Campbell believes we are innately drawn to this story form because it satisfies our deep desire for purpose and meaning — We yearn for a life of heroic triumph.
The hero’s journey is used by many artists as the architecture for compelling storytelling. In fact, George Lucas openly ascribes Luke’s story in Star Wars as a hero’s journey.
In the West, a lesser-known hero’s journey is the Mahabharat. The Mahabharat is the longest epic poem every written. It’s an ancient Hindu myth that allegorizes the triumph of good over evil.
While the tale centers around the conflict between the two dynasties, the story is really about our lifelong struggle with the egoic self.
The conversation between Arjun and Krishna is the scripture the Bhagavad Gita, the foundational Hindu religious text.
Essentially, Arjun is the Everyman, a spiritual being having a human experience.
In each chapter of the Gita, Krishna addresses how to unleash the spiritual being within by describing the principles of reality and how we can embody our heroic purpose.
In the coming weeks, I’ll dive into these topics from a spiritual viewpoint that embraces all belief systems. This is not a religious podcast. It’s merely a discussion of self-empowerment and spiritual enlightenment.
In the next episode, I’ll discuss the first three chapters of the Gita and afterward expound on Krishna’s teachings by exploring the interplay of Ego, Soul, and Mind.
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The Hero's Journey Through the Bhagavad Gita