Women healers,beauty and the beast and the old wise ways
Well I've been reading the art of enchantment (artofenchantment.net)still,It saves me from despair most mornings but the mysteries are quite elusive at the moment,I can't feel it all.I researched "women as healers" yesterday morning and found two good books "woman as healer" by Jeanne Achterberg and "witches,midwives and nurses" which is very feminist.Both of them speak on witchcraft - that witches were just old wise woman healers - innocent and persecuted by the church.But I dreamt of three different lives as a witch in Europe and believe me we were anything but innocent,it's not just the church that found witches evil,but nearly all fairy tales and most tribes have a concept of the malignant witch.To say that witches were just sweet old healers I think is very mistaken.But a wise women tradition it was,and the loss of those old ways and wisdoms is an enormous loss.But for the evil they reigned down, I suppose that was the casualty.I dont get upset about things like the rise of patriarchy,Christianity,or the colonisation of countries I think everything is meant.I think when you have an intricate understanding of fate,you see how everything has it's time and comes,it's all meant to unfold that way.But certainly our rage and fury against it is meant too.
I do get tired in my readings on everything of finding nothing but "scholarly" very reasoned,objective work on women as healer or any other topic,this citation and that,all very distant,removed and unpoetic. If the women's healing tradition was anything,it was intuitive,subjective and wise,not reasoned and objective and I feel quite sad that women still think their only credibility relies on using masculine reason as much as possible and neglect their all knowing,wise,feminine,intuitive voice when they write.I really do wonder when the feminine intuition will rise again over reason.I see psychiatry and it's DSM bible as the latest incarnation of the Malleus Maleficarum destroying all our women healers,mystics and shamanesses etc with excessive logic and science,again that rule over the feminine intuition that has visions,that sees signs,that is prophetic,that knows spiritual phenomena.But do feminists shriek over our Joan of arcs that are locked up and medicated, not really.It us something to think if Joan of Arc was alive today she would be on a barrage of drugs and locked in a ward.
I've also been watching beauty and the beast trying to understand its symbology,my mind use to decode everything easily,I lived in a world of connected symbols now it just sweeps over me.
I know our beast represents the uncivilised,wild,uncouth,dark aspect,when I was first contemplating it last year and just wondering about it I came across a poem purely by accident,a great synchronicity - the universe was certainly lining up a message about embracing the beast - the poem goes :
"And all the little monsters said in a chorus:
You must kiss us.
What! You who are evil,
Ugly and uncivil.
You who are cruel,
Afraid and needy,
Uncouth and seedy.
Yes, moody and greedy.
Yes, you must bless us.
But the evil you do,
The endless ado.
Why bless you?
You are composed of such shameful stuff.
Because, said the monsters, beginning to laugh,
Because, they said, cheering up.
You might might as well. You are part of us.
."
To find that poem right when beauty and the beast had been showing up as a mythology in my life and dreams is something.I still have a hard time kissing the monsters and facing up to my darker aspects,as I'm sure belle did in beauty and the beast. I do invite a little wilderness in my life though - disorder,chaos,the wild,I don't reject it.The enchanted rose in the film to me seems like a symbol of the divine feminine and it's wilting petals the last remnant of feminine principles in the world,there is quite alot written on the rose as symbol of the divine feminine.The hag that curses the beast but who is actually a great beauty reminds me of the legend of the Cailleach and the goddess Bride who transform into each other,Cailleach the hag of winter becomes Bride the hope of Spring.Oh fairy tales,legends,myths they go too deep in the bone for reasonable explanation, but the world of symbolism and intuition is truly my world,the world I comprehend best,but is so devalued and neglected in our culture.Much wisdom is lost in our neglect of it,reading everything at the surface level only,literally, as is the default of most, and not abiding anymore by the old ways,old stories,old proverbs,old symbols,old arts or 'seanchas' as the Irish call it.Traditional cultures where everything is still storytelling,song,dance,theatre,art still live with symbols and the wisdom they contain.I suppose there are the Jungians in our culture who I'm grateful for,who study and pursue the symbolic world.I still feel completely compelled toward an authentic life as dark as this time has been it has brought me into what is vital,most important,the most valued and worth numbering your days against.I don't feel anymore interest in a false or so so life that isn't in accordance with what my soul believes or wants.I feel gratitude for the deepening of my spirit through all my tribulations, but that's not to say that really I would like the new year to release me from them because I certainly do.Heres hoping for an authentic,wise and well 2018.
I do get tired in my readings on everything of finding nothing but "scholarly" very reasoned,objective work on women as healer or any other topic,this citation and that,all very distant,removed and unpoetic. If the women's healing tradition was anything,it was intuitive,subjective and wise,not reasoned and objective and I feel quite sad that women still think their only credibility relies on using masculine reason as much as possible and neglect their all knowing,wise,feminine,intuitive voice when they write.I really do wonder when the feminine intuition will rise again over reason.I see psychiatry and it's DSM bible as the latest incarnation of the Malleus Maleficarum destroying all our women healers,mystics and shamanesses etc with excessive logic and science,again that rule over the feminine intuition that has visions,that sees signs,that is prophetic,that knows spiritual phenomena.But do feminists shriek over our Joan of arcs that are locked up and medicated, not really.It us something to think if Joan of Arc was alive today she would be on a barrage of drugs and locked in a ward.
I've also been watching beauty and the beast trying to understand its symbology,my mind use to decode everything easily,I lived in a world of connected symbols now it just sweeps over me.
I know our beast represents the uncivilised,wild,uncouth,dark aspect,when I was first contemplating it last year and just wondering about it I came across a poem purely by accident,a great synchronicity - the universe was certainly lining up a message about embracing the beast - the poem goes :
"And all the little monsters said in a chorus:
You must kiss us.
What! You who are evil,
Ugly and uncivil.
You who are cruel,
Afraid and needy,
Uncouth and seedy.
Yes, moody and greedy.
Yes, you must bless us.
But the evil you do,
The endless ado.
Why bless you?
You are composed of such shameful stuff.
Because, said the monsters, beginning to laugh,
Because, they said, cheering up.
You might might as well. You are part of us.
."
To find that poem right when beauty and the beast had been showing up as a mythology in my life and dreams is something.I still have a hard time kissing the monsters and facing up to my darker aspects,as I'm sure belle did in beauty and the beast. I do invite a little wilderness in my life though - disorder,chaos,the wild,I don't reject it.The enchanted rose in the film to me seems like a symbol of the divine feminine and it's wilting petals the last remnant of feminine principles in the world,there is quite alot written on the rose as symbol of the divine feminine.The hag that curses the beast but who is actually a great beauty reminds me of the legend of the Cailleach and the goddess Bride who transform into each other,Cailleach the hag of winter becomes Bride the hope of Spring.Oh fairy tales,legends,myths they go too deep in the bone for reasonable explanation, but the world of symbolism and intuition is truly my world,the world I comprehend best,but is so devalued and neglected in our culture.Much wisdom is lost in our neglect of it,reading everything at the surface level only,literally, as is the default of most, and not abiding anymore by the old ways,old stories,old proverbs,old symbols,old arts or 'seanchas' as the Irish call it.Traditional cultures where everything is still storytelling,song,dance,theatre,art still live with symbols and the wisdom they contain.I suppose there are the Jungians in our culture who I'm grateful for,who study and pursue the symbolic world.I still feel completely compelled toward an authentic life as dark as this time has been it has brought me into what is vital,most important,the most valued and worth numbering your days against.I don't feel anymore interest in a false or so so life that isn't in accordance with what my soul believes or wants.I feel gratitude for the deepening of my spirit through all my tribulations, but that's not to say that really I would like the new year to release me from them because I certainly do.Heres hoping for an authentic,wise and well 2018.
Total Comments 3
Comments
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Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
~LCPosted 12-31-2017 at 07:58 AM by MrRational
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Who is the author of this quote? BEAUTIFUL and such a perfect reply comment to Katiethegreat's post.Posted 11-02-2018 at 10:44 PM by JennyLind56
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Your quote reminded me of this magnificent story that I have always loved but have forgotten about. This short story is posted below (and you can read the story below called The Cracked Vases if I ever stop rambling).
Anyway just a week or so ago, my car died right on the overpass of a bridge and had to be left on a busy road. So I had no car and no way to get to work. And now just today as an indirect result over losing my car, the new manager we have fired me OVER THE PHONE. I handled it graciously--a calm came over me--it was surreal.
So I've been beating myself up and so very scared of getting kicked out of my apartment which would obviously be the next awful thing to happen since now I have no money to pay my rent. I know this seems as though I am going off topic but honestly, everything is relate-able since this morning when I found out I was being fired. It's actually just a test for me. I really was quite bitter at first and I wanted to fight for my job back. Instead I remembered that no one ever sees the clear, full picture and to always perceive bad happenings or handicaps or whatever you perceive as negative as opportunities for better things to come along OR it is a way for positive results which ultimately if you can listen to your inner voice, leads to a better and happier life. Never EVER stop believing in your own abilities.
THE CRACKED Vases
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole
which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and
while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water
at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the
cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on
daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in
his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor
cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was
able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the
water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load
because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to
your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work,
and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion
he said,
"As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful
flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun
warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered
it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had
leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its
failure.
The bearer said to the pot,
"Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but
not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your
flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the
path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate
my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have
this beauty to grace his house."Posted 11-02-2018 at 11:02 PM by JennyLind56
Updated 11-02-2018 at 11:04 PM by JennyLind56 (typo)
