It has come to my attention that there is a beautiful story that could serve as medicine for many women, as I witnessed in my practice the other day!
So, I thought I would share it here in a blog and see if any of you other NEW MOMS could connect with it as well.
This is a story that comes from the beloved book – Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I did a conference call with Pam England (Author of Birthing From Within) who told this story as medicine so beautifully that I hope I too can do it justice. Pam England’s teachings of Birthing From Within are glorious!
While you read this story imagine your birth and it’s after math. Relate to the idea of wanting one thing and receiving another.
It could have been something good or bad.
How have you processed it and integrated it into the “New You” – “The Mother”?
Imagine being called home or accidentally finding it!
Hope you enjoy the story…
The Selke People
There once was a lonely fisherman. He was so lonely that he had deep crevasses from where his tears fell. He was out fishing one evening and as the sun set and the full moon rose, he was heading back home when he paddled by a bluff and he heard women’s laughter and song. He thought to himself ‘I wonder if this could really be the Selke People.’ He knew it only in legend. The Selke people are known to live dual lives – above and below the waters! In their skin they are graceful swimmers but out of them they are human in form. Curious the fisherman climbed to shore and hiked up the path to observe. What he found was astonishing – 5 beautiful women dancing, their bodies glistening in the moonlight. It was the most beautiful thing he ever saw and felt so lucky to have this experience. As he decided to go home he moved and he tripped over something. When he looked down to see what it was he realized that it was a seal skin and he knew then that he didn’t have to be lonely anymore. He took the skin and brought it home. He hid it above the door jam, he stuffed it right in there and he waited…
The women were filled up by joy and innocent play and decided to go home. Each one slipping their seal skin back on and slipping away – HOME. Except for one, she searched and searched for her skin and could not find it. Starting to feel really uncomfortable it soon sunk in that she was stuck and started wandering the woods, naked and cold, not knowing what to do. She stumbled upon a cabin in the woods and quickly knocked on the door. The old man answered the door and the woman said
“Please sir, I have lost my way and need to find my skin so I can return to my home. Can you help me?”
The old man was not an evil man, just lonely so he lied and said
“I’m sorry for your loss but I have not seen your skin. You must be cold and hungry why don’t you come in and you can warm up and feel better.”
The woman knew that it was imperative to find her skin but she was cold and hungry and knew not what to do so she entered the mans house and felt warm and cared for. Not much time passed as the old man offered for her to stay as long as she needed and that he would marry her and care for her always if she wanted! This did not sit well with the woman because she longed to go home and be with her kin. On the other hand she had no where else to go and felt bereft to agree to the old mans kind offer to marry her and care for her.
Years passed and the woman began to decay. Her eyesight became so poor that she was almost blind, her skin began to crack and her beautiful tresses began to fall out. Oh, how she longed to go home and swim in the cool dark waters of the sea.
One day an unsuspecting storm blew in out of nowhere. So violent was the storm that it shook the whole house and in one big swoop blew open the door and shut it hard! The woman was so afraid that it took her a moment to realize what had happened and when she finally looked on the floor by the door she saw something familiar lying there. When she approached it the object even smelled familiar.
Could it be?
Could it be the skin she lost so long ago? Although, it looked familiar, as she slipped into it and discovered that it didn’t fit the same but it was indeed her long lost skin! Excited she opened the door and sprinted as fast as her seal body could carry her to the waters edge and slipped into the long awaited sensation of HOME!
Is there a call HOME for you?
What part of the story resonated with you?
What character resonated with you?
Sometimes, when we don’t get the birthing that we want there is a thief lying in wait to steal our expectations or our “skin”. Not because they are evil but because they are trying to do what’s best for them. Then we have to grieve (the storm) that loss to retrieve our skin. There will always be a thief when we least expect it and are joyfully celebrating who we are and change our life forever.
The question is “how do we integrate it and celebrate all of it as a process to become whole once more?”
Warmly,
Jennifer Gargaro RMT/BFW Mentor