JournalWho are your heroines? Tell me about the women you admire and respect. Explain your choices.

Abyss

Crossing of the Threshold

Call to Adventure

Supernatural Aid

Return The Journey

The Hero’s JourneyA public transformationSocietalHeroic deeds are visible to many

Separation from the feminine

Identification with the masculine

Road of Trials

Boon of success

Awakening to feelings of spiritual aridityInitiation and

descent to the realm of the goddess

Urge to reconnect with the feminine

Healing the mother/daughter split

Healing the wounded masculine

Sacred marriage

The Heroine’s JourneyThe journey inward

The female journey is a journey of self discovery

Focus upon emotional transformationFinding balance in an unbalanced society

The first six stages are led with the mind (intellectual journey)

The last four stages are led with the heart/soul

SeparationDaughter sees her mother as vulnerable, self loathing or

powerless

Cultural distortions of female body cause a disconnect

Daughter separates herself from perceived negativityShe is cutting off key parts of herself which will need to

be resolved later in the journey (loss of integrity or balance)

Identification with the masculineConnection with father figure and outward forms of power

Masculine role is heroic with freedomFather affirms a young girl’s sense of self

Road of trialsThe journey towards adulthood and overcoming many myths:DependencyInferiorityContentment through the affirmation of others

Boon of successFocus on product instead of process. There is a struggle to achieve which becomes an

addiction. One is never satisfied

AwakeningSpiritual aridityfeeling out of synch with one’s self. The river of creativity has dried up Painful stage that causes one to transform. Beginning to look “down and in” rather than “up and

out”

Initiation and DescentMoving into a different state of being. Feeling of sadness, undirected. This descent has a task to recover the discarded parts of one’s self

that were originally lost. Often looked at as depression but this descent is necessary as a “call

of the soul”. Creating oneself anew and undertaking these challenges.

Demeter/Persephone myth “Shattering the mirror” of the feminine occurs in separation and then

needs to be put back in order. It will invariably strengthen the individual and clarify their sense of self.

Lots of work needs to be done at this stage. A reexamination of one’s values

Urge to reconnect with the feminineListening to one’s intuition. Returning to the sense of self that was there before a focus

on achievement.

Healing the mother/daughter splitlooking at one’s ability to express feelings. Grief comes from a recognition of the loss. Accepting who the mother was and identifying with her

place in her time. Sense of compassion. A need to learn about “being” instead of “doing”.

Healing the wounded masculineIdentifying what denies your limits. What is the driver in oneself that causes loss?

Then…Find the positive aspects of masculine nature (protecting

oneself, taking action, developing an internal man with heart, developing compassion for oneself).

Growing an internal, supportive father. Developing a benevolent, loving aspect of one’s

masculinity.

Sacred marriageIntegration of masculine and feminine. Finding balance between masculine and feminine.Integrating all aspects of one’s nature.

Maureen Murdock articleRead and annotate for her ideas regarding this journey

Create a gist statement on the back of this article which responds to the following question:What is the major difference between the hero’s journey and the heroine’s journey? What did you find most important about this difference?