Finding Joe is a documentary about the work of Joseph Campbell and details The Hero’s Journey. I first heard of Joseph Campbell more than ten years ago when I moved in with a friend after separating from my wife. At the time I thought I was going the worst pain a human could endure. Separated and headed for divorce, I moved in with my friend and begun that ‘poor me’ stage of whining and complaining about how life is unfair to me.
My friend grabbed a book off the bookshelf and walked over to me. “Read this.”
I began to read this book titled Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion. It didn’t take long for me to realize how profound this book was. I could not understand how this author could know what I was going through and how I felt about it. I hadn’t told anyone except my closest friends!
This was my introduction to Joseph Campbell and The Hero’s Journey. Joseph Campbell pieced together The Hero’s Journey based on different mythologies, stories, and religions from around the world.
I did not stay on that path of learning and exploring who I AM. I wasn’t ready. I want out and got married again. That marriage failed. It was six years ago I decided to stop this repeating cycle of suffering and try to gain a better understanding of myself and my place in the world. I’m on a path of self-discovery that I now understand is The Hero’s Journey.
I was quite excited to stumble across a documentary called Finding Joe. I rented it off iTunes and watched it today. I am not a Joseph Campbell scholar but I feel Finding Joe is a pretty good introduction to Campbell’s work. Finding Joe does is introduce us to The Hero’s Journey, the one story within all stories that we all relate to.
Like many documentaries, Finding Joe centered around interviews of people discussing Joseph Campbell and The Hero’s Journey. Some of the people interviewed I recognized such as Deepak Chopra, Mick Fleetwood, Tony Hawk, and Joseph Marshall III.
Finding Joe shows the path the Hero takes along the journey and does a good job of explaining it. The Hero’s Journey of separation, initiation, and return. Throughout the interviews, the discussion is visually enhanced by children acting out what is being described.
Finding Joe shows how relevant Joseph Campbell’s work is, the Hero’s Journey metaphor is seen in movies, books, and art. Finding Joe explains the journey and why more people are not on the path to becoming the Hero. Finding Joe is both entertaining and informative. Finding Joe is a good introduction to The Hero’s Journey and a good reminder for those already on the path.
Have you seen Finding Joe? Have you read anything by Joseph Campbell? Do you Follow Your Bliss?