In the time when women ran the world and the world returned the favor, Mothers of every tribe took the girls who no longer walked in young girl’s bodies into the forest, into The Stillness, and taught them to catch their song. Once a song was in its rightful hands, the girl took possession of it and taught it to the Women. This was her first act as a Woman and a statement of her allegiance to her Higher Self and to her community.
When the Women could sing her song in all its perfect beauty, they returned to their community and, together, they taught the girl’s song to the Men. This was how a girl learned to fully occupy her song and make a home within herself she could depend on.
When she had her first blood, when she wove her first basket, when she married and when she had children, and when her own Mother died, the community gathered around her and sang her song to her. When her time came to leave this world, the community stood at the Old Girl’s bedside and sang her into the Great Mother’s arms.
There was one other occasion when her song was sung. If at any time in her life she broke with what was sacred to her, the entire community circled round her and sang her song. They did this because they knew that the remedy for any misstep, for any wrong thought, is the remembrance of our True Identity, that when we hear our song, we cannot continue to dismiss what is sacred to us.
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As an Art Therapist, a writer, a storyteller, and writing coach, I am convinced each of us has always known there is something “special” within us—at least, always hoped this was the case! Rather than go into the forest, rather than catch and sing our song, or tell our story, we fill our days with thoughts and feelings that keep us small, that reinforce—and embed--our worst fears within us. This causes such a clatter within us that we cannot hear our song or discover our true gifts.
There is a beautiful affirmation from the teachings of the great yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, that reminds me of what is special in us all:
“I am submerged in eternal light. It permeates every particle
of my being. I am living in that light. The Divine Spirit fills me
within and without.”
Close your eyes. Stand in the forest. Repeat this affirmation over and over in your mind until you can hear your song in The Stillness. Teach it to your tribe. Share the bounty of who you are. I want to hear your song.
Margaret Wolff is a writer, storyteller, art therapist, and retreat leader. Her work celebrates the ways in which the collective wisdom and storytelling reveal the truth and beauty of our inner lives and connect us—heart to beating heart—to each other.
COMING HOME: Finding Shelter in the Love and Wisdom of Paramahansa Yogananda (White Pearl Press, May 20201), is a curated collection of 14 modern-day stories of spiritual awakening that reflect “the most creative and transformative experience life can offer—developing an intimate partnership with the invisible God of one’s heart.”
Available wherever fine books are sold.
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