ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE   (on a hero's journey)

Just like the white rabbit came to me in synchronicity, so did the concept of The Hero's Journey and Joseph Campbell. The phrase "a hero's journey kept sticking in my head", Hugh Jackman mentioned Joseph in an interview attached to "The Fountain" - an amazing dvd I watched, I stumbled on Jean Houston (a friend of Joseph Campbell's) on twitter, talking about the hero's journey relating to Lance Armstrong. I bought the book "A Hero with A Thousand Faces". I realised I was on a hero's journey. I was answering my call, following my bliss. What was my call? Fairly cliched, but simple - a quest for TRUTH. On a soul level I chose bipolar as my vehicle for the journey. Within that, I would discover many things, slay several dragons and much more. If you were to explore my blog, you will find stories of SURRENDER, DETACHMENT, GRATITUDE, FORGIVENESS, DISCERNMENT............. many biggies! Separation, initiation and return which is a simplified summary of "the journey".

Of course, in the true sense of the adventure, I came across an amazing film called "Finding Joe" made by a guy named Pat Solomon : www.findingjoemovie.com 

Since understanding the whole "Finding Joe" concept, Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung message, so many things are making sense to me.... like why the idea of metaphor and mythology have also intrigued me during the course of my life.

This is the one story in my quest for truth that has played out in ways that can only lead me to the belief that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE and that there is something so magnificent guiding my path and dare I say “our” paths. And at this point, I might add that anyone who minimises the truth of what is labelled “bipolar” by just calling it a chemical imbalance in the brain (which is also what they say about schizophrenia) does NOT know what they are talking about. I can only speak of MY journey ... as this is all I truly know.... but I’m of the train of thought which says “what is in one is in the whole”..... and that statement in itself takes a lifetime of understanding. My experience of it started with a book by Edgar Cayce. After (literally) a ride of a lifetime, I now have an understanding of that. The fact that Paulo Coelho’s bestselling novel “The Alchemist” which begins with the prologue The Narcissist was intriguing to me, and broadened my concept of how things are (in my world).

Alice in Wonderland and the Piano Man:  As a student of earth school, it is interesting to look back and recognise the “teachers” who appear in our lives. Who would have guessed that a guy who door knocks in order to “flog” his cds would be a teacher for me?  Most of the tracks on the albums were beautifully played piano music both originals and covers. But I stumbled across a few with lyrics which always gets my attention. One song was called “Apollo’s Party” and one verse goes like this... “I’ll meet you in wonderland Alice, where the flowers grow wild in your hair. It was a wasted time. It was a brave new design. As Aquarius grows, a new garden we’ll share. See the dream, young Alice – through the looking glass... beyond the nightmare”.

You may ask why this is particularly important?? Well – as synchronicities play out – the next 2 nights on ABC radio when I couldn’t sleep, they were reading the story of “Alice and the Looking Glass”. Around that time, also I was inspired to purchase Yusuf Islam’s latest album “Another Cup” – front picture was a cup and saucer. Then there was the night I spoke on the phone to my friend and she told me that she often looked at clouds and their shapes. It made her feel good! That night I sat up in bed and examined a painting on my wall which she had done for me. It is a seascape with clouds. I thought to myself “that is a white rabbit!” I started to sense a bit of a theme!

  The next day, I relaxed to watch a dvd which had been lent to me by a friend. It was a French sub titled movie called “Amelie”. In that film, the little girl is shown taking photos with her camera. I was watching it and somehow a “knowing” came over me as she pointed the camera at a CLOUD shaped like a RABBIT. Yep – it’s true!!! Lock me up!!..... oh – that’s right – the doctors think I don’t need them anymore (sorry God – shadow kicking in!!!). Also – at that time – lyrics in a song which my son recorded went “.... I’m falling...... I’m running....”  Back then, it was all too much for me – connecting the dots, too many messages coming too fast. It was 2007 (I still had a way to go in knowing how to deal with the bipolar manias) and I ended up in hospital. In hospital would you believe there was a bipolar patient named Alice?

 In observing her and her ego, I learned much about myself. It’s a strange feeling to watch your behaviours exhibited in another person.When I came home after a couple of weeks in hospital the thread continued when someone recommended on face book a dvd called “Down the Rabbit Hole” which I watched and learned much from (quantum physics) – the observer etc. Also one day a sign saying the Matrix led me to watch that movie as well... You get the drift.......

 But this was the start of a very important insight which led me to Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Jean Houston, Joseph Felser.... and so many others who have already tuned in to the importance of mythology and the hero’s journey. I will pick up a book at the exact right page which leads me along the yellow brick road (Wizard of Oz). The mind blowing thing about the psyche (which Jung excelled in) is in one of my first highs, played out in another story; I spotted some crimson red shoes in a shop window and just had to point them out to my friend. I can’t explain why, but it is one of many examples of not understanding why something is so important in the moment like red shoes and the word “home”, for example. One night a few years ago I woke up having dreamed about these sparkling red (Dorothy-type) shoes.

 A few weeks later as I walked through a shopping mall, I spotted those shoes in miniature in a display case. Just as I saw them, the song “Back Home Again” by John Denver was playing in the shop next door. Red shoes/ home – there is a message in that. That message has played out in several stories for me. You probably wouldn’t call that a synchronicity so much as a serendipity (which means a happy accident, or a pleasant surprise). In the 1990’s I wrote a story about how I’d looked outside of myself for answers and described the many ways I had done so up until then.... but that the answer was WITHIN ME. All these years later I think I am getting that message very much through the understanding of mythology and how it relates to the psyche. And much of my journey HAS been WITHIN ...... my MIND.... I've had to conquer the mind and learn when and what to trust......

Recently – I had reached a stage where I was confused about ego – how it plays out in my life. It is for sure that the experience of bipolar is a metaphor for that question.... so I have brought myself to that question again which has haunted me for many years. I emailed one acclaimed professor and author and another guru who had helped me along the way – especially with dealing with my shadow archetypes (which I’ve written about). Interestingly, they both believe it is necessary to have an ego and that me writing very personal stories is ok. Both times I read their messages and my gut instinct told me they were wrong. I’ve worked very hard and have tuned into MY psyche which tells me (at least for me) I need to totally surrender my ego. That is what I need to do. That is what my whole life has been leading to..... and (as I tell everyone) – you have to be true to yourself. In all honesty THAT is all we really know.

Lately I feel that there are new age solutions and ideas coming at me from all angles. Even gurus who have taught me important truths are disagreeing with each other on what comes next........ which makes me smile.  If nothing else I have learned the importance (for me) to stay balanced, stay centred in myself and my gut instinct.... to TRUST (and I do)... too much has happened for me to doubt. Like Carl Jung said when asked if he believed in God – “I know. I don’t believe”. I know and I  have come to believe.. “In God we Trust” (see the story in my last blog)

So – what I have been preaching (oops = shadow!!) for years about the world as I see it, there are way too many CONTROL FREAKS (controlling behaviour stems from fear). As a collective consciousness, we need to SURRENDER. What is in ONE is in the whole.... so I’m going to say it starts with me!!!!

As I’ve mentioned in another short blog – in my “Pocket Guide to Chakras” by Joy Gardner-Gordon she says that the 7^th chakra with excessive chakra energy is demonstrated in conditions of psychotic, depressed or manic-depression (bipolar). 

I won’t spell out what it describes as the characteristics of a balanced 7^th chakra..... but it’s good reading. And to all you souls out there who have struggled (especially with bipolar 1) with psychoses which is driven on by amazing synchronicities which your EGO then drives further (and maybe you think you are omnipotent – which I totally understand – been there!!!! – I’m usually a prophet lol):-

 I’m here to tell you IT is a gift, if you can SURRENDER and DETACH FROM OUTCOMES (the ego will want you to attach to outcomes but I believe that is the DRAGON you HAVE to slay).                                                                                                                                                                                 On the other side (as Joseph Campbell would say) is bliss.

Find your heart, connect it to your mind and you will see that ANYTHING is possible.

Carl Jung

Look in the centre........ look inside.....