JOIN USJoseph John Campbell was born on March 26, 1904. He died on October 30, 1987. He was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the human experience. Campbell's magnum opus is his book titled 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' in which he discusses his theory of the journey of the archetypal hero found in world mythologies. Since the publication of his work, Campbell's theory has been consciously applied by a wide variety of modern writers and artists. His philosophy has been summarised by his own often repeated phrase: "Follow your bliss."
Campbell spent the better part of his life studying myths from different parts of the world. His observations were profound, incisive and extraordinary as they provided penetrating insights into the purpose of human existence. Campbell explores the theory that important myths from around the world which have survived for thousands of years all share a fundamental structure, which Campbell called the monomyth.
"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder:fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man".
Campbell describes 12 stages along this journey. The hero begins in the ordinary world and receives a call to adventure. If the hero accepts the call he must face tasks and trials. At the core, the hero must survive a severe challenge. If he survives, the hero may achieve a great gift which often results in the discovery of self-knowledge. The hero must then decide whether to return with this boon to the ordinary world, often facing challenges on the return journey. If the return is successful, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world.
Among other consequences, Campbell's work led him to conclude that human beings are born into this universe to discover their own bliss. This is a unique gift that only human beings are privileged to receive. He was profoundly influenced by the Vedantic description of sat/chi/ananda or absolute being, consciousness and bliss. A scholar of rare distinction, his work still exercises a powerful influence in several domains in the arts and the sciences.