Show Notes
In this episode, we explore how Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey finds fresh relevance in the lives of today’s high school seniors. Our guest, Robbie Blasser, has developed a powerful way to bring Campbell’s work directly into the classroom—helping students navigate the challenges of growth, change, and becoming.
Robbie is an English and Religious Studies teacher at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California. Holding Master’s degrees in both Social Philosophy and Teaching, along with a B.A. in Theater Arts, he brings an interdisciplinary approach to education. A lifelong lover of storytelling, Robbie first discovered Campbell’s ideas through Star Wars, and that early spark grew into a deep exploration of myth, mind, and pedagogy.
In his classroom, Robbie encourages students to “see the whole board”—to recognize connections between literature, neuroscience, philosophy, and myth. This unique perspective led him to consider how the Hero’s Journey aligns with modern brain science, and how students can use this mythic framework not only to interpret stories but also to rewire their own behavioral patterns during times of transformation.
In this conversation with JCF’s Michael Lambert, himself a veteran high school educator, they explore what it means to help students face the unknown, reshape their habits, and find courage at life’s thresholds.
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Joseph Goldstein is one of the pioneering figures in bringing Buddhist meditation and insight practice to the West. A cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts, Joseph has studied and practiced meditation since 1967 under the guidance of teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. He has led insight meditation retreats around the world and is the author of numerous books, including Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma, Insight Meditation, and The Experience of Insight. He has also coauthored books with Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield.
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