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

Abyss Crossing of the Threshold Call to Adventure Supernatural AidReturn The Journey

A public transformation Societal Heroic deeds are visible to many

Separation from the feminine Identification with the masculine Road of Trials Boon of success Awakening to feelings of spiritual aridity Initiation 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 journey inward The female journey is a journey of self discovery Focus upon emotional transformation Finding 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

Daughter sees her mother as vulnerable, self loathing or powerless Cultural distortions of female body cause a disconnect Daughter separates herself from perceived negativity She is cutting off key parts of herself which will need to be resolved later in the journey (loss of integrity or balance)

Connection with father figure and outward forms of power Masculine role is heroic with freedom Father affirms a young girl’s sense of self

The journey towards adulthood and overcoming many myths: Dependency Inferiority Contentment through the affirmation of others

Focus on product instead of process. There is a struggle to achieve which becomes an addiction. One is never satisfied

Spiritual aridity feeling 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 ”

Moving 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

Listening to one ’ s intuition. Returning to the sense of self that was there before a focus on achievement.

looking 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 ”.

Identifying 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.

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

Read 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?