Learn the MonoMyth
The MonoMyth is a chart that likens a story metaphorically to a human experience.
More popularly but not originally called the Hero’s Journey, the MonoMyth was developed by a Mythologist named Joseph Campbell. At first it was found very useful in story creation and the Film Industry, the MonoMyth branched out as a useful tool for therapeutic purposes in order to help uncover the stories built into and lived out by an individual’s unconscious.
- Story Development - mostly the progression of stages in stories, myths and film. It also sheds light in the psychological development of characters and thus the audience or person watching or participating in the story.
- Psychological Development - the stages of therapy an individual experiences while dealing with therapy or the experience of life. It seems that these themes are so heavily embedded in our unconscious that no matter what, we are in a form of narration at all times.
- Rituals - symbolically assisting in this psychological development, rituals have been used to manifest a particular stage in one’s own hero’s journey or development. It is a way of speaking back symbolically to the Unconscious and representing the needed change so it can happen. We still maintain this today or we abandon Weddings altogether.
- Other Usages - because the MonoMyth is so second nature to our consciousness, it has been used in a plenitude of other practices.
- Corporations have used the MonoMyth or Hero’s Journey to help their workers re-envision their role in the company.
- Educators and Lawyers have used it to aid in the metaphorical communication to students and juries. Since so many cultures in previous times taught solely with story, it is very easy to communicate using Myths as metaphors when one can see how to apply them.
- Religions depend highly on their metaphors to convey wisdoms or truth which are almost unapproachable any other way unless one has had the experience referred to by the metaphor.
Articles about the MonoMyth
- History of the MonoMyth
- Joseph Campbell’s MonoMyth (Hero’s Journey)
A MonoMyth.org Chart example of Joseph Campbell’s MonoMyth (later called the Hero’s Journey) displaying the stages of progression of the MonoMyth/Hero’s Journey along with descriptions of each stage, the common themes and motifs.Also a beginner’s guide to how to find the MonoMyth or Hero’s Journey in a Novel, Play, Film or any Story for that matter.
Mythological Study Groups
There is a growing number of Mythological Study Groups in the world. Many are sponsored by the Joseph Campbell Foundation but others can be found on Yahoo Groups! or Meetup.com.
Recommended Readings
 Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes |
Our recommendation is that this is the best book as far as learning by example how to unravel hidden wisdoms in Myth and apply them to life. Don’t let the gender distinction fool you. |
Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion by Diane Osbon |
A compilation of Joseph Campbell’s Esalen lectures from the early 1980s. Highly read-able and also easy to take in pieces, a great recommendation (and daily meditation book.) To see how Campbell’s mind works is truly fascinating and his speaking is much easier to digest than his writings until his ideas are more grasped. |
 The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell |
The pioneering work of Campbell which first introduced the MonoMyth as the patterns in stories and human experience through all time. Focuses on the themes of the MonoMyth, not so much the stages. Full of story examples and Campbell’s poetic writing voice. A classic above all. |
