Is the Hero's Journey® scientifically validated?
Yes. The Scientific American Magazine just published a major study that proves the far-reaching benefits of re-framing your life as a Hero's Journey®. According to the research, the Hero's Journey® is associated with enhanced well-being, greater life satisfaction, feelings of triumph, flourishing, and reduced depression. Read the article.
Where does the Hero's Journey come from? The Hero's Journey is as old as recorded history. It was the same powerful story embedded in countless legends and myths across millennia. American mythologist Joseph Campbell discovered that all heroic legends tell essentially the same story of courage and transformation. He named this monomyth — the Hero's Journey. Campbell believed that the reason that humans have carried this story for thousands of years is because we all need to learn how to find the hero within us. Filmmaker George Lucas said he based his Star Wars saga on the Hero's Journey. You can see the Hero's Journey clearly in many great stories from the Odyssey to Harry Potter, from the Wizard of Oz to Avatar.
How long are the journeys? They are about an hour. We recommend that you find a quiet time when you won't be interrupted, and that you only do one a week. There's a lot to absorb. Also, it's best to use a laptop to get the full impact of the experience.
Do you have research to prove Hero's Journey® Interative (HJI) works? Yes. We have two kinds of proof: psychological testing and detailed interviews.. In written surveys, users of HJI report heightened states of inspiration, insight, determination, and meaning. Users often call it: "inspiring," "magical," beautiful," "empowering," and "eye-opening." In research, users have been tested to measure increases in self-confidence and well-being. They increased their scores on the widely respected Personal Growth Initiative Scale by 123% after taking the HJI journeys. They showed an increase of 73% on the Meaning in Life Questionnaire.
Can I get my money back if I don't like it? Yes. We offer a money back guarantee for one week after signing up.
Why do meditators especially like HJI? HJI is a major innovation in guided meditation. It produces calmer neural states associated with guided meditation. Brain wave patterns typically shift from the faster beta waves of wakefulness to the slower alpha and theta waves of relaxation and meditation. HJI was designed by experienced meditators to deliver a richer experience. Traditionally, guided meditations consist of a voice, perhaps music, and sometimes a pretty picture of a sunset or a beach. HJI combines the techniques of guided meditation, with hypnosis, and utilizes the senses in a more comprehensive way. It uses story, archetype, immersive imagery, and personal identification to increase relaxation, creativity, and meditative calm. Users sometimes report a sense of entering non-ordinary states of consciousness, sometimes called altered states, for significant periods. In this state the mind makes deeper associations and you feel a greater sense of transcendence and connection.
What benefits can journalers expect from this? You will be able to journal more deeply and with greater access to your unconscious feelings and thoughts. You are prompted to journal while still in the deeply relaxed and reflective state evoked by your journey. Some people say it is like journaling while in a waking dream. Images that you've chosen in your journeys are provided to guide your journaling.
Can this help me in therapy or coaching? Yes. HJI can be used to deepen and enrich therapy. Often it can give you (and your therapist) deeper access to your innermost feelings and thoughts than are normally available via talk therapy. It is especially effective at enhancing your ability to take the lessons you're learning and translate them into life-change. Often psychologists and therapists report that they learn important things about clients that years of therapy never unearthed. Additionally, HJI tracks your progress with a series of tests from positive psychology. It also prompts you to journal about your discoveries in a set of customized field notes that appear after each journey. Afterward you can download both documents and send them to your therapist. In addition, we provide training to therapists in how to best utilize HJI. We invite your therapist to contact us at training@herosjourneyinteractive.com
Can I do the journeys more than once? Yes by all means. Some users take the journeys whenever they face a big decision or want to step back and take a look at their lives. Your results will be different each time. The system archives each journey separately. You can review, compare, and download any of your past journeys.
How secure is your system? The system was built with HIPAA-level identity protection, the same level required by the federal government when storing health information. Your results are entirely anonymized. No one can access them but you.
