Process and Benefits

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THE HERO/INE’S JOURNEY

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The Hero/ine's journey I offer is a variation on the classic Hero’s Journey. Joseph Campbell called this journey a monomyth, because the basic story has been extremely popular in every culture around the world from the earliest stories ever told to the present-day best-selling novels (and many biographies) as well as the blockbuster movies.

"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man." Joseph Campbell

The reason for its enduring popularity is that it is not only an excellent fictional device, but it is also the basic structure of most transformative life transitions.

My version is based on thousands of hours of research on a wide range of topics including the ancient wisdom traditions, and cutting edge science as well as transformational life experiences --my own and that of many others.

This journey focuses on immediate first steps for you.

I am guessing you don’t have time right now to spend months or years on this journey --although you could certainly use it for a lifetime if you wanted to deepen into it. There are options that range from doing less than an hour a week to doing a deep dive every day.

I also made it more in-line with emerging paradigms of a more balanced masculine and feminine way of showing up in the world. And I added some practical and playful elements to make it both powerful and fun.

Week 1 - Understanding the Journey:

Overview of Hero/ine’s Journey and why it is useful as a transformational tool during difficult life transitions. Also, reflections on your old story or the “Ordinary World” as it is referred to in The Hero/ine’s Journey. Exploring how you got there and discovering the gifts you bring that will help you.

✨Benefit✨ - When you are able to reframe what is happening in the context of this story, it shifts your perspective from feeling powerless and perhaps victimized by random events, to seeing a larger purpose, which activates hope for the future. Discovering in retrospect the clues that you may not have recognized at the time helps amplify your intuition. Discovering your unique gifts (including some you may not have recognized as gifts) will help you immeasurably on this and all future journeys.

Week 2 - Gathering Your Allies:

Preparing a team to accompany you on the journey. Practical step by step suggestions for how to build a support network. This includes mobilizing your current friends and/or family and/or community. Finding or creating new allies and mentors — in person and /or online. Locating appropriate helping professionals - even with few resources. And even creating an internal set of allies that will always be with you.

✨Benefit✨ Deliberately assembling a team is absolutely essential. If you don't have a strong support network, building one can seem daunting, so it helps to have a guide to assist you in creating this vital component in your journey. It may be only a small number or it could be a big community, depending on your circumstances and needs. Even if you already have a good support network, intentionally calling them to join you on the adventure with specific instructions as to how they can be of the most support to you will be helpful for both you and them. This is a reciprocal exchange. Although you will learn how to exercise your muscles of receiving, you will also be giving to them. And if there is any way that you have even the smallest capacity to volunteer in some tiny way, you will learn how this will be of enormous benefit to you.

Week 3 - Crossing the Threshold:

How to consciously take the step from your old life into “The Space between Stories”. And if you are already in this “Special world”, how to go back and step over the threshold again as a sovereign hero/ine who is choosing to go on this adventure. You probably did NOT choose it consciously, and I will help you re-frame it in a way that reclaims your power.

✨Benefit✨ When you exercise your ability to choose your circumstances, with the understanding that even seemingly random and painful events can be beneficial, you feel a sense of sovereignty. During this step you will be exploring how to take a seat of dignity and serenity --even in the midst of chaos. Any actions you take from that place are far more likely to take you to a more beautiful New World than reactions from feeling like you were shoved or dragged into this in between world by your hair! You may not have any physical power over some of the circumstances, but paradoxically surrender and vulnerability are hugely courageous and one of the strongest ways to show up.
Discovering ways to embrace your passage and rightful sovereignty and power AND humility and vulnerability is a tricky balance, but one you can achieve.

Week 4 - The Special World:

"The Special World" is what Joseph Campbell called that place after you have crossed over the threshold from your ordinary world and before you return Home. There are many names for this place. One of my favorites is what Charles Eisenstein calls "The Space Between Stories". It is that place in between where an old world or an old way of life has ended and the new one is still an elusive mystery.

✨Benefit✨ The rules of navigating this magical and potent, creative place are completely different from the ordinary world, but once you begin practicing these seemingly counterintuitive (actually highly intuitive!) ways of steering, you will begin to discover the astonishing power and gifts that are to be found in this realm.

Week 5- The Road of Trials/Facing Your Dragons/Entering the Cave:

Why this road is essential for your evolution and how to navigate it as well as surprising strategies for dealing with the “dragons” you will find there. And how to survive the darkest times to prepare you to find the treasures.

✨Benefit✨ The road of trials is not an easy one. The dragons can be dangerous. And yet there is nothing you will encounter there that will not ultimately help you — understanding this is key. The process of discovering this on your own can be a confusing, slow and painful one, so having guidance and support really helps. You will also lean how to turn a fire breathing dragon into an ally while still keeping safe boundariesHaving evidence of both of these truths will give you courage, strength and comfort.

Week 6 - The Grail:

This is the unique boon or blessing that you came on this journey to find and share.

✨Benefit✨ When you find your version of the Holy Grail or Golden Fleece, it will serve not only you for the rest of your life, but your team and everybody you encounter in your life’s journey from that point onward. And this gift will also ripple out endlessly into the world. So it's a pretty big benefit!

Week 7 - The Return Journey Home:

We will co-create a ritual or celebration to mark your passage back to the Ordinary World --which is both a return home and paradoxically a New World that you could not have previously imagined.

✨Benefit✨ We rarely take time in our culture to pause and celebrate our successes, or for that matter to honor our failures. This sacred pause helps to remind you of everything you learned, and to discover deeper levels that you might not have noticed in the midst of the journey itself, as well as give you a landing pad from which to survey your gifts before launching into the New World. When you celebrate the gifts you found, it strengthens the power of those gifts and reaffirms your sovereignty. Celebrating is a way to step joyfully over the threshold into your New World.

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Cumulative Benefits of the Hero/ine’s Journey

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When you believe that challenging transitions are random and harmful, this belief triggers your biological survival conditioning, which in turn triggers neurological, physiological, psychological chain reactions in your brain, body and behaviors.
Rather than continue this predictable sequence by what seems logical (working hard to figure out a sensible plan, fix your problems or at least find a fix for the pain), taking this illogical path of first divining meaning and finding gratitude from whatever has happened will completely shift your experience.
It brings hope and a whole lot of magic – which can actually be validated by countless real life stories and an abundance of fascinating scientific data.
Choosing to dive into the discomfort via the mythical realm may seem like a strange idea, but there is an alchemical transformation that occurs for those who have the courage and faith to take this journey.
It will also activate your right brain, amplify your intuition and greatly enhance the creativity that you need far more than you need logic when you are in that Special World. Your magnificent, logical left brain is extremely useful in our ever accelerating fast-paced Ordinary World -- it just doesn’t work well in the Special World. You can’t think your way out of that place.
One thing to keep in mind is that you may have already crossed over that first threshold or dived into the cave or even found your Grail but perhaps don't recognize yet, using the structure of this journey.
I cannot guarantee that you will have a total transformation in 7 weeks. Although this is certainly possible, this is not a linear journey with a clear map. It is more like a spiral or labyrinth and has many layers.
Once you have shifted your perspective and have experienced all of the steps once, you will have a completely different way to navigate your current transition and all the ones you will encounter in the future.

Your Three Choices for the Journey:

All Three versions of the Seven Week Hero/ine’s Journey offer the same basic ✨

magic elixir✨

, but it comes in different containers.

I am well aware that those who are on this journey often have financial constraints so I have created three levels.

If you are self-directed and/or require the most affordable option, there is the

Rose Goblet

This is a seven-week exploration of how to navigate your current life transition using the framework of the Hero/ine’s Journey.
You will receive a document at the beginning of each of the seven weeks via email with seven creative, playful and/or practical activities, from which I recommend you select two -- one that calls you and one that challenges you. You can certainly do them all as long as you don’t get overwhelmed, but you may be better served by going through the seven weeks and then starting over choosing new ones the next time around.
There are also extra credit options of links from me and various other teachers (which will include readings, recordings and videos) to explore for each day if you are inspired to learn more.
I highly encourage you to join a private Facebook group where you can connect with me and others on the journey.
Phone support with me is available for an additional fee of $50.00 per half hour which you can set up through my online scheduler.

Sliding fee from $50.00 – $200.00 for the full 7 week Journey (see below)

If you want all that is in the Rose Goblet with the addition of a one hour call before you start so I can customize the offerings for your unique situation, personal preferences and learning style, you may prefer the

Silver Chalice

. This option also has email support from me.

Sliding fee from $250.00 – $400.00 for the full week journey(see below)

If you know you will need extra support and want all of the above plus a 45-minute private call per week, then the

Holy Grail

is for you.

Sliding fee from $450.00 – $900.00 for the full 7 week journey (see below)

I have done a lot of different programs, so I know what I am offering here is worth more than the highest prices on the upper end of the sliding scale. But in the interests of making this easily accessible, I am experimenting with an introductory low price and a very wide sliding fee scale. I trust that you will honor your true needs (and also mine????) in selecting a price.

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If you feel called to join me on this adventure,

(or you did not consciously choose an adventure but want a

caring, playful and savvy guide for navigating this in-between place where circumstances landed you!)

I would be honored to be your ally.

I am looking forward to hearing from you and assisting you with turning this "space between stories" into an experience that will yield unexpected treasures!

Due to my ongoing Heroine's Journey on the road of trials involving ????the dragons???? of technology, and the elusive magic button for signing up, you're going to have to work a little bit harder to gain access to your treasure! Until I get it figured out, please send me an email at

michelle@sparksandleaps.com with the subject heading of Ready for Adventure or Curious (if you have questions).