Initiation

The road of trials. These are a series of (often three) ordeals that the hero must undergo to begin their metamorphosis. They could well fail at least one.

The meeting with the goddess. This is another highly symbolic step. The goddess represents the totality of knowledge; if the hero is not consumed by exposure to it, they are liberated by it. This is usually described in terms of the hero’s experiencing absolute, unconditional love. The understanding the hero gains leads to a “union of opposites;” the hero’s self-image begins coalesce as the hero gains awareness of the forces of life and death, of mortal and spiritual.

Woman as the temptress. Woman here is a metaphor for the temptations that may cause the hero to stray from their journey. The hero’s old-world origins are at odds with the new world, but the hero overcomes the urge to return to them.

Atonement with the father. This is the key point of the journey, in which the hero faces whatever entity has the supreme power in their life. The hero recognizes the darkness in his or herself and discovers the light. The hero’s old self is killed (literally or metaphorically) and the new self steps forth.

Apotheosis. A period of peace, rest, and bliss that the hero experiences before commencing the return home. Old cultural assumptions are finally broken, and old prejudices forgotten.

The ultimate boon. Although the hero has already achieved the real aim of their quest, this is where they pick up the object they set out to acquire. The boon is often a token for which the hero is now sufficiently pure to obtain. They must bring it back for the benefit of all.