I ran out to buy this book about two weeks ago after a wonderful post by my mentor, Shantrelle P. Lewis. I had never heard of the book, which is considered a classic, but, as I searched through the pages built upon womanly wisdom I was amazed at the style of writing and the sheer passion of each word that Clarissa Pinkola Estés had chosen. The article that introduced my mentor to the book was written in the June 2009 issue of Ebony Magazine featuring Jada Pinkett-Smith. It wasn't Jada's words that touched my mentor but her husband Will's.
excerpt:"Jada Pinkett Smith-Unscripted" June 2009 issue,Ebony Magazine:
When he first met her, he says, “I could see the range-from the White House to the ghetto. I could see the untapped resources. I just felt like I was looking from a helicopter shot at a mountain range and I can see the diamond two miles beneath the surface.”
Calling forth the diamond in Jada led Will to a book he calls “my understanding women bible,” (Women Who Run With The Wolves). "There is a Native American story in the book about this old hag. The story was called ‘Singing Over The Bones’ says Will. “And this woman was in this vast wasteland of all these broken bodies and bones. She was singing these bones back to life.”
“What I got from it is the idea that if you kill one part of a woman, you kill the whole, he explains. “The woman was singing over the other dead parts of herself and she was bringing the fullness back to life. She was an old hag because she had tried to kill certain parts of herself, and in killing those parts of herself, she killed the whole-the amount of resentment that comes in with women that try to kill parts of themselves to try to fit in their husbands’ limited view or try to squeeze into their husbands’ limited capacity.”
Will says he has worked hard not to hamper his wife’s spirit or development. “There is no other option if I want the full glory of everything my wife has to offer me emotionally, and spiritually and sexually, and all of that. If I want that then I have to increase my capacity for what I am able to handle from my partner.”
+Pick up your copy at your local bookstore or here
I read this book several years ago. It helped me shape my writing, art, and spiritual approach in my creativity. I also fell deeply in love with phases of a woman's life. The seven year phases was very helpful. The stories and wisdom were also very powerful. Wonderful book. Glad you are reading it. Holla when you return to DC. I will be free in mid September to connect.
ReplyDeleteAll of a sudden I feel the need to run out and by this book. I can't wait to see what wisdom abounds.
ReplyDelete@Ananda: I'll be contacting you soon so we can have yoga, tea and lunch :) I love this book!
ReplyDelete@Jessica: I say run out and buy it now! Let me know what you think so we can discuss :)
thanks for this. i'm gonna check it out asap.
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