Heroine Journey-The Call

Linda Stern of The Convocation of the Divine Feminine 
The Heroines’ Journey 
The First Step: The Call.

Good Morning and Welcome, I am Linda Stern and today I’ll be speaking about The Call on the Heroines’ Journey. 

So, what is The Call on the Heroine’s Journey?  It is many things but simply said it’s when something reaches out to us, to answer our longings, our desires, our itches, our goals.  The Call maybe an answer for a deep yearning in our soul…. A call the Multiverse or our Higher Self sends out to us that sometimes, for some reason, we just don’t hear.  I feel that if we could just be quiet enough in our lives, we would always hear our voice, always hear our Bliss- always hear our Call. 

But in many cases, for whatever reason, we don’t hear ourselves, so a “situation” develops, that makes us drop our normal way of living or being and we set off on our path.   

This situation, The Call, is the Divine Presence or perhaps our Higher Self  knowing  what we need or where we need to go and then setting up a situation that is tailor-made to call out to us personally to set us on our path, to reach our Higher Purpose, to fulfill our Bliss.   We are given and receive (and sometimes ignore) multiple Calls in our lifetime.  Sometimes they are huge and undeniable and sometimes they are quiet and easy to miss. But you can count on this.... they will return again and again if you don’t listen, spiraling around to invite you again to your destination. 

We are all so delightfully different that the Call comes in many different forms to reach each one of us.  There are those of us who just barely get a nudge and are off and running!  There are those who recognize the call and embark in a timely fashion. There are those who take information under consideration and make their moves….. cautiously. And there are some that refuse the call and then get increased pressure to step on the path. 

So, in the first circumstance there are those of us that barely hear a whisper and they are off running on “Their Call.”  Those amazing individuals may get the bonus of finding “magic” along the way with extra treasures of de-light!!  Perhaps it’s a way of seeing life – that every moment is a calling, that every moment is a pure gift to be learned from and then shared with the world.  Yes!! Hallelujah! 

I’m sure you can remember an instance that you jumped into something and perhaps someone said, “What on earth can she be thinking?” Well perhaps you weren’t thinking – perhaps you were following the moment with your heart, following your Call, following your Bliss. 

Amelia Earhart was one of those people- setting off daily from the age of 5 exploring her neighborhood with her sister. At the age of 23 she had her first flight in an open cockpit and never looked back. She encouraged women to hold fast to their beliefs, follow their hearts, and always dare to dream- she acted on her Call and was a mentor to support others to do the same.  She encourages us all to embrace our Call in the moment and forget fear.  After all it was Amelia that said, “If I should bop off, it’ll be doing the thing that I've always most wanted to do."  And as we know, she did.

But for most people, we need more of an invitation to step into our Higher Purpose, to seek our Bliss, to follow our Call. We lead a “normal” life and then some information comes along, or something happens that acts as a Call to head us off into some unknown direction ----where everything is about to change, whether we know it or not…… or whether we want it or not. This can come in many packages like our comfort being disrupted in our Ordinary World, or perhaps our health changes and makes us re-evaluate our present situation. Or perhaps we get an deep, inner longing to go on a quest, an adventure. Or there may be restlessness with the constraints of our normal life or sometimes the Call could be a threat to the peace of our family, our community. And the Call can be on many levels – physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, financial, relationships. You name it – as you get to do – and it is there.  Doesn’t sound as inviting as those who jump onto their Path; their Call with enthusiasm, does it?

Joseph Campbell said: “Destiny has summoned the seeker and transferred her spiritual center of gravity from within her known world to a zone unknown.”  Somehow, we are made aware of a place or a challenge or a longing that is totally outside our normal existence. This can be exhilarating… or it can be frightening and cause a temporary stall but eventually, as with all contained combustion, there is a larger spark that launches us onto our journey. 

The Bible is filled with Calls, for instance; God instructs Noah to build an ark, or in many places, angels reveal the path that one must follow, such as the Call Mary received from an angel about Jesus’ birth.  

Rosa Parks answered her Call one day on a bus. Through her resolve and faith, she became a pioneer that we all have benefited from. This is one element of answering our call that we all need to be aware of. It is not just us that benefit from our own Call, it is everyone around us in a beautiful ripple out effect.  

In the realm of the Divine Feminine, there are many stories of answering the Call. 

Inanna, hearing the Call, took a journey to the Underworld.  Imagine Her courage to follow Her Call through the Underworld with all its dangers.  Her descent is an example of spiritual initiation and the ultimate empowerment of voluntarily answering the Call.

Brigit, the Triple Goddess, answers the call to the Underworld each year to bring back the Light and Spring to our world. She faces the fears of not only Herself, but of humans to bring back the Light.

Even Sophia, the Being of Wisdom who lives in the spiritual realm beyond the earth answered a Call. The Call for Sophia to leave perfection all around her had to be significant.  I imagine that Her Call came in the form of a transcendent Light that she saw while gazing down on the Earth.  Drawn by her desire to experience it, she descended into the world of matter. 

Mary Magdalene, answered her Call in her life with Jesus, spreading the message of Love. With strength and purpose, she pledged her life to her Calling and brought balance of the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine in the ministry of Love with Jesus. Unfortunately, that message has been hidden by humans for thousands of years and is up to us to go on a journey, answer a Call to bring that Light back here.

For me it has taken courage to answer the Call, listen to my inner voice, to know that the life I am living, what I am doing, how I am Being in the world, is the right course for me.  For now.  I think I am one of those people that others look at and feel- “If she can do that, I can!”  It doesn’t matter what I am doing- I believe that I am supposed to be doing “It” with grace and joy – and that is my calling, for right now.

But what about the people who do not want to answer their Call?  When this happens, the ante is upped at the expense of the person …. or others so she’ll pay attention. Sometimes we intellectually know some new path is where our future lies, but we still stall.

We may not want to go because we may have to give up something- position, power, goals, comfort, responsibilities …our safety. Internal pressures may need to be powerful because answering the Call maybe too frightening and possibly threatens our existence.  So, we might need some increased actions such as worsening conditions or further attacks or in a more positive approach- encouragement from a mentor urging us, the seeker, to respond to our call. 

So, one way or another, we finally accept The Call- realizing that this is our destiny.  I say, if we are going to do it anyway, why not do it with enthusiasm, with joy, with gratitude and do it sooner better than later!   Danger maybe a part of accepting the Call- and realizing that is the first step on the road to becoming a true hero or heroine. But stepping out of our fear to go on your journey is powerful.    As Joseph Campbell said: “The cave you fear to enter, holds the treasure you seek.” 

Mother Teresa, Joan of Arc, St. Catherine of Siena- all these iconic women answered their call in a way that encourages us all. But I find it inspiring to look around me and see the regular people who have answered The Call in their everyday life.  I have a friend who sold everything – her home and business, even her clothes- and moved to another country to pursue her dreams. Another friend knew in her heart that the financially rewarding job she had was not fulfilling her soul, so she followed her Call, quit her job and is now making a nice living following her heart. I have friends who follow their Call and hearts in spiritual traditions outside the norm to seek their divine peace. And a person we all know followed her heart and mind and established this community.  I am inspired by all their willingness to answer a call that they did not know would turn out perfectly. But they did it anyway. A Quiet Knowing? Inspiration? Courage? Who knows, but they did it, they answered their Call, they followed their bliss. 

I feel that the Divine Feminine calls to us all in many ways to fulfill our potential. She lovingly guides us to step into our destiny, our wisdom, our strength, by surrendering inward to find a more authentic power.  She encourages us to be still enough to hear our truth, to hear our Call. Our next move is already there, already beckoning us to our Higher Calling- Follow that spiral into your heart, into your being and you will hear your Call- trust your inner voice!  It may not be logical, but it will be tailor made just for you to step into your Higher Calling. And it will not be just you that benefits from you Accepting Your Call – it will be all of us.  

As Paulo Coelho said in The Alchemist, “When you want something bad enough, the entire universe conspires to help you get it." 

And as a great Mentor, Jesus, said:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” 

A DEEPENING RITUAL FOR ANSWERING THE CALL:

As a deepening, I’d like us to take a moment to just Be. To be quiet and receptive enough to hear our Call. So, breath in slowly and sweetly. Let’s all quietly connect to our heart space and see a beautiful spiral connecting your inner world with the outer world. See it in beautiful colors that speak just to you. Maybe these colors don’t exist in this reality – maybe they do. All your cells in your being are co-operating. All your cells of your being are excited with anticipation. 

Now imagine yourself as a child at the age where you knew that anything is possible- no limits.  That anything you ask for, you will receive. An age of innocence where being blissful is the way you are. 

Now imagine a Joy filled day- where you expect to receive a precious gift- a precious gift of your Call. The Call will come to you in your own very special way. It will be particular to you so that you know it is –just-for-you and it will lead to your bliss. You recognize this leaning of your heart, and you accept it and say, “Yes!” to the Call, “Yes!” to Life, “Yes!” to the Multiverse, “Yes!” to You! 

See your gift, Your Call, come to you in whatever form it is and accept it with gratitude and joy.  Believe that this is an exact fit for you now and be grateful.  Sit with the gift of your Call and bond with it, name it and treasure it.

Now take the gift, Your Call and bring it back here to this reality. Bring it back in every cell of your being to celebrate this moment and your Call, to celebrate your path to Bliss. Come back to this sacred space knowing in your heart that in your Being, in your Heart, you have received the most precious of gifts, Your Call.