The Heroine's Journey

Today we began a discussion with guest presenter Johnett Scogin about Maureen Murdock's book. At the group's request this blog has been refreshed so that you can continue your discussion in the Comments to this post.

Here is the handout that Johnett provided with questions for us.

Questions for consideration from (and inspired by) The Heroine’s Journey Workbook.
• Separation from the Feminine, in which a woman searches for an identity in a masculine-defined culture
o How did you feel about yourself as a female child?
o What parts of yourself were/were not allowed expression when you were a girl?
o What was your relationship with your mother like? Your father?
o What messages did you get from your parents about being a woman?
• The Road of Trials, in which she challenges the myths of female inferiority, dependency, and romantic love
o What are ways in which your Inner Critic serenades you with deficits?
o Visualize your Inner Critic as clearly as you can. Draw him/her. Name him/her. Send him/her on vacation.
o What is the gift of yourself that you bring to your family, friends, community, work, yourself?
• Spiritual Aridity, a feeling of having lost herself in her struggle for achievement
o When have you experienced a time of “losing your inner fire”?
o In what ways have you sacrificed parts of yourself to the masculine principle and/or to achievement?
o (Read about Iphigenia and Agammenon or “The Handless Maiden”)
• Initiation and Descent, a period of drawing inward and looking for the lost pieces of herself
o At what times have you heeded the call to draw inward and descend?
o What did that time teach you? Who were your allies or gatekeepers along the way?
o Like Innana, at each step of the journey, what did you give up? What did you reclaim? What did it mean to you?
• Urgent yearning to reconnect with the Feminine and heal the Mother-Daughter Split
o What is your sense of yourself as a woman at this time in your life?
o How do you balance your different roles?
o How do you nurture your body, your soul, your feminine nature?
o What is your relationship to the Earth, to Nature, to gardening?
• Integrating and healing the wounded parts of her inner Masculine
o Who are/were the important men in your life and what did you learn about the masculine from each of them?
o Identify the parts of your masculine nature that you are comfortable and uncomfortable with.
o How do you cultivate the healthy aspects of your masculine nature?
• The Sacred Marriage, which occurs as she learns to integrate and balance all aspects of herself.
o What are the core beliefs that created your family myth? What parts have you played? What parts have you rejected?
o If you created a set of marriage vows to cement the relationship between your masculine and feminine natures, what would each promise the other?
o What is the new myth you are creating for yourself?