Rhiannon’s Reviews > Women Who Run With the Wolves > Status Update

6. "Fire animates, earth gives a sense of feeling". Our restlessness, yearnings, are reflective of the life/death/rebirth cycle (of the psyche and the wild feminine). Reconnecting with the wild moves us, changes us by altering our attitudes and "ways of seeing".

5the wild is denigrated and dark speculations are made about how dangerous the instinctual nature really is (parallel with witches and wolves). The "rational" and the destructive are touted as superior. This is also a battle waged in the psyche between negative complexes and the wild spirit, continually. We must bring the dark part of the psyche, the id to light to diminish its power over us. It must not hold us back

4. We are never "alone", the psyche always shadows its own processes. The animus watches over the spirit as a loving presence. Its a dynamic place with constant life/death/rebirth. The conjunction of opposites (animus/spirit) creates energy and insight bridging the otherworldly and the worldly.

Parallel with kintsugi : themes of love and restoration. The spirit is repaired but transformed, invested with new insight

3.Initiation is the process by which we turn from our natural inclination to remain unconscious and decide that whatever it takes suffering, striving, enduring - we will pursue conscious union with the deeper mind, the wild self. In wandering we resurrect a new life.

The unconscious nourishes us during our darkest times, plumping us psychically and maintaining a continual ripening. We eat that which we will become.

2. The spirit is pushed over the edge by the psyche who wants to protect itself from negative complexes. Renouces the wild, creative. At first, we feel helpless until we're awakened through shedding of tears. We descend to reconnect with our wild selves peeling back perceptions and defenses. Until we reach the underground forest, the ancestral underworld of female knowing. Far from distractions we are reborn

The original wound- exchanging our knowing, wild nature for something that seemed rich but is hollow. Surrendering of the passionate, creative, instinctive. Lost sovereignty over her own life. The wound is caused by a devastating underestimation of the self & thus she becomes a target and allows others to siphon off her light. Feels "safer" being snared rather than taking the risk to transform/ be(come) oneself

Shame cuts us from ourselves, our unconscious and others as a defence mechanism. Can't access adjacent parts around the wound. Impacting our behaviour (rage, sadness, physical pain, torques) and choices.To heal, we need to verbalise the shame, cleanse the wound again and again. The whole while, psychic life continues underground thus manifesting in dreams. Once uncovered, we emerge deepened, acknowledged & renewed.

In understanding the personal or collective roots of anger we heal, gain knowledge. Transforming into new energy. To do so we must exercice compassion for self and others. The process is likened to climbing a mountain- steps to mastery. Includes feeding the psyche and reaching the summit, the wild self. Face the traumas, personal deaths to understand our hurt. Protect one's territory but be accessible & engendering.

Creativity:
Having so much passion, needing to do it. As we create, we are created. But the river that flows through, nourishes us can become polluted leaving us unfocused. Because of negative complexes or neglect. Polluted means lacking of trust in one's process, ideas. Strengthened by full consciousness, action, boundaries, rest, regrouping, nourishment and warmth. Wild cycles. The wild psyche will hurl us to move.

The psyche has its own cycles, doing and solitude, creating and incubating. Time spent in the soul, alone, all one, at home. Home is a sustained sense that allows us to experience wonder, peace and freedom. Here she feels entirely in and of herself this time spent here sustains her, gives her tools, fire: for nourishment, innate drive & burning down. Must learn to return otherwise repeatedly trapped and wander lost