The Joyous Body: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

The Dangerous Old Woman series #3

by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés invites listeners to The Joyous Body. Here, she shares original stories, poems, and psychological commentary about the challenges, remedies, and ancient knowings of the holy female body, that which is not a dumb servant but a divine fellow traveler and consort. Six inspirational sessions celebrate and reclaim the mystery and power of the feminine form, exploring: How to Love the Body Truly ; The Midwife Exemplar: The Body as Radiant Being; The Old Woman as The Original Busy-and-Wise Body; The Great Silverbeards: Making Peace with the Body; Life Size story; The Body Bill of Rights; The Ice Queen: The Distorted Mirror ; I Tell Your Beautiful Body to You ; On remarkable life emerging from the midst of the wound; How the White-Throated Sparrow Came to the New World ; The Dancing Grandmothers. As the wise woman gathers years, like an ancient tree, she grows even more arms, even more flowers and fruits, explains Dr. Estés. She is more rooted, more vast, more sheltering developing her callings to be throughout life: maiden mother, medium, crone, elder, healer, teacher, artist, knowing woman. The Joyous Body welcomes all women to discover the body as Radiant Being ever ready to protect, guide, and support us on the journey of the soul.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Psychology, Spirituality, Feminism, Self Help, Womens

6 pages, Audio CD

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

An American poet, psychoanalyst and post-trauma specialist who was raised in now nearly vanished oral and ethnic traditions. She is a first-generation American who grew up in a rural village, population 600, near the Great Lakes. Of Mexican mestiza and majority Magyar and minority Swabian tribal heritages, she comes from immigrant and refugee families who could not read or write, or who did so haltingly. Much of her writing is influenced by her family people who were farmers, shepherds, hopsmeisters, wheelwrights, weavers, orchardists, tailors, cabinet makers, lacemakers, knitters, and horsemen and horsewomen from the Old Countries.

Reviews

[Emily]

I could listen to Clarissa Pinkola Estes read the telephone book. A very soothing and melodic look into how we can understand our relationships to our bodies, full of fairy tale retelling and references to the natural world and the author’s personal experiences.

[Cosmic Arcata · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful taped session. I found it healing. I enjoyed her very calming voice in contrast to the assertive and forceful voices out in the world. If it puts you to sleep then that may be what you need to take care of your body. Go with the flow.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarissa is so fun to listen to. Her voice is lovely and musical and she is such a good oral story teller. In dealing with the subject of the body, she leans into spirituality, myth, and oral tradition without eschewing facts or medical science. Body books can be treacherous because so many of them include unhealthy food & diet talk, or they're very ableist, fatphobic, or they overemphasize appearance in general. Clarissa steers remarkably clear of most of those things, though there are some tiny moments where she moralizes about food a bit or there's some implicit ableism. Overall her message is inclusive and empowering though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the listen.

[Luminea · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this poignant and powerful audio series, we are encouraged to see our body as a beloved consort and companion who enables our soul to fulfill its purpose and experience the sensuous experience of being alive. We are tasked to lovingly care for our body in return.

Through fairytales, stories, and personal anecdotes from her life, Clarissa Pinkola Estés draws many parallels between the human body and nature, such as birds and trees, showing the beauty of scars and the growth that emerges from wounding. As I listened, my body responded by smiling, swaying, tingling, and shedding some heartfelt tears.

I really enjoyed these tales of body acceptance and wisdom, embracing the aging process, and the reminder that we can choose to live a fully embodied life at any moment--it is never too late to fall in love with your body and nurture the golden light within.

As someone who has lived with chronic illness, numerous surgeries and scars, and various woundings of body and spirit, I found this series very moving and encouraging. I appreciate Clarissa's stories so much and look forward to listening to this again. 🌲

[Amy Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this Audible book as I found reading Women Who Run with the Wolves very tedious. Had I listened to the author read it, I am guessing that I would have enjoyed it much more.

This is truly a beautiful love letter to our bodies. The author reminds us that our bodies are our companions and our guardians. They are precious gifts that we must take care of just as we would someone else precious to us like a child. Their importance lies in what they can do for us, not about how they look. This is such an easy concept to forget.

One of my favorite quotes that she attributes to her Aunt was “Do unto yourself as you would do unto others”. Whoa. I will try harder.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a shame this work by Estes is only available as an audio book. I much prefer my words in print. But, if it’s by Estes that’s pretty much a guarantee for me that it’s going to be insightful, fascinating work and The Joyous Body does nothing to disabuse me of that conviction.

[Carla Ionescu · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of this author for many years I could not finish this audiobook series. It’s just rambling mixed with random stories that lead nowhere with no conclusion or message that is cohesive in any way.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love most of her books and this one is no exception. Here she talks about how to have a healthy relationship with your body. It's an amazing book. Too bad you can only get it in audio format, but I loved it!

[katie supermom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my relationship with my body

[faariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an audiobook comprising of 6 chapters, Dr Estes shares passed-down myths and old stories about the innate knowings, the collective challenges and the healing remedies of the female body. Presenting it as a respective and sacred companion to the mind and the soul, Dr Estes is able to restore the body to its holy pedestal.
She uses Jungian theory and personal experiences to explore themes of beauty, love, health, shame, resilience, nature, and spirituality.
Her voice is a warm and nurturing teacher, guiding listeners through stories, lessons, and contemplations. As in ‘Women Who Run With The Wolves’, she packs immense wisdom and truth into her work. It is medicine in itself, a healing antidote to the ever-worsening poison of the shaming modern over-culture.

[Pinar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Şimdiye kadar okuduğum/dinlediğim eserleri içinde en az beğendiğim bu oldu. İçinde faydalı veya iyi gelen esinlenmeler var.

Bedenimize çoğunlukla sevgilimize veya çocuğumuza gösterdiğimiz kadar özen göstermiyor olabiliriz. Bir sürü sorunumuz öncelikle kendimizi sevmemizle, bedenimize çocuğumuza gösterdiğimiz özeni göstermemizle çözülebilir. Ama mesela ilaçlarla kendimizi zehirlememiz yerine, organik beslenerek, "kendimizi severek" depresyonu çözebileceğimiz iddiasını gerçekçi bulmuyorum. Yani içimizin karardığı günlerde bir yardımı olabilir tabi ama ağır klinik depresyon için değil.

Biraz fazla ağır konuşmasına rağmen (1.6 ile dinledim) dinlemeye değer.

[Sarah Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series is so amazing. A continuous reminder of our own beauty and power as human beings. I loved the joyous body. Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes discusses and explores our bodies beauty and strength in ways we forget to with the cluttered and constant influence of the world around us. The Dangerous Old Woman series has been an empowering and positive reading experience for me as my life has been in transition. I find myself leaning into her grounded and personal story telling to see the strengths I possess within my own being. I would love to thank her, and I will read them again and again.

[PJ]

I didn't love this one as much as the first two in the series. I'm not sure why. Maybe because the ideas aren't very radical to me at this point in my journey, while the first two recordings in the series came to me at the right time in my life? But the idea of the body as a loyal consort has stuck with me.

Anyways, I liked hearing the archetypal stories and some of the meanings behind them and also Pinkola Estes' life experiences. She's had such a rich life. But I wish her "teachings" were more organized. I felt like threads were left unfinished or tangled.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a gorgeous experience that was. Her velvety rich voice, so soothing. She is the wise mother you didn’t have, imparting wisdom we should have received.

Nobody in modern culture will have survived the persecution of the body. Clarissa does an incredible job of realigning your soul with the physical body. Offering a new relationship built on reverence and love. Just beautiful. What an almighty gift she is to the human race, and women in particular.

[Alžběta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Pinkola Estes's every word felt like a much-needed hug for my soul, body and spirit. "The Joyous Body" is an exquisite collection of stories about the sacred wisdom and perfection of our bodies and how much we need to listen to them - rather than torture them with extreme diets or excess of ultra-processed junk food or too much or not enough movement.
Beautiful, moving and fascinating, "The Joyous Body" is a book everyone needs to hear.

[Sophie Maria Wojna · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be brought into such a beautiful space that is this book is a true blessing. We are taken on a journey of true exploration for the body and our relationship with it (how we listen to it and how we ignore its messages). My mind is still caught on some of the stories Clarissa has detailed in here, especially to do with the Snow Queen and her broken mirror. Goodness me, my mind has been fed!

I cannot recommend her work enough.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great orator. Took me a bit to get through this because I wasn’t always in the mood for it. Peaceful to read. Empowering, gentle, ancient perspective and stories. Anyone—women in particular—trying to cultivate a healthier, more cherished and respected relationship with the body should give this a read.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The audiobook format of this book is such a gift. It felt like a personal story telling session with Estés. As if she was sitting in my living room, sharing a pot of tea with me. These stories left me with a different way to relate with my body. Now seeing it as a separate entity, ally, friend on this journey of life with me.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this audio book. It is read by the author and is presented as a sort of casual lecture, where the author leaves a blessing for you at the end of each chapter. It’s very positive and uplifting. It challenges all the messages of our culture on what gives a woman value. I think all women would benefit from being exposed to different ways of thinking about womanhood and femininity.

[Elena Rego · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just about love everything she writes. That said this notion of the body as a consort is gorgeous and creates space for rewriting the relationship we have with our own bodies. She’s weaves the mundane and the mystic so beautifully through story. I could lose myself in these stories forever.

[Nadja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening to her read her own work is an immensely soothing, pleasurable experience...as is the words she speaks, keeping old ways of thinking and beingness alive. A beautiful ode to the female body at different stages of life.

[Devin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, soothing, comforting, inspiring and reassuring recording. Wise AND Wild. Highly recommended.

[Katja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal.

[Jozien Fokkert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't get enough of her stories and insights.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retreat - story time.

[Brandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought me life- I encourage reading (listening is soothing though) for everyone with deep and complicated relationships with their bodies.

[Deva Uta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an absolute joy to hear Clarissa' sharing her window true storytelling, laugh, and myths.

[TD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerising. I will come back to this over and over

[Elora Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes' voice is so important and this work is no exception. I'll be revisiting this for the needed reminders again and again.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divine