In 1987, Joseph Campbell was interviewed by journalist, Bill Moyers – who wrote about the experience in his book, The Power of Myth. Here are some excerpts:
Moyers: “How do I slay that dragon in me? What’s the journey each of us has to make, what you call ‘the soul’s high adventure’?”
Campbell: “My general formula for my students is ‘Follow your bliss.’ Find where it is, and don’t be afraid to follow it.”
Moyers: “To Campbell, the end of the hero’s journey is ‘not the aggrandizement of the hero. The ultimate aim of the quest must be neither release nor ecstasy for oneself, but the wisdom and the power to serve others.’ One of the many distinctions between the celebrity and the hero, he said, is that one lives only for self while the other acts to redeem society.”
“‘In that sense, I said, ‘unlike heroes such as Prometheus, we’re not going on our journey to save the world, but to save ourselves.’ Campbell’s response was: ‘But in doing that, you save the world. The influence of a vital person vitalizes. The world without spirit is a wasteland.'”
Are you following your bliss? Are you committed to being a “vital person”? How do you feel about the idea that by following your bliss, you can play a meaningful part in saving the world?