Francesca, this is so beautiful. I absolutely agree and can feel how strong this is in you. I am holding it with you. Thank you so very much for reading commenting and having such a liberating vision for all.
I absolutely LOVE witnessing HER being weaved serendipitously with one another ! Just posted mine on Kali as yours was coming in. This actually brings my dream alive - a few years ago I dreamt WE were weaving threads above space on our New Earth 🌍 WE THE HUMANS - beyond humans . It is this weaving I’m witnessing
I’m caught in the vortex of the One song enchanted by us all! Gratitude to you
Prajna, I'm new to your Substack, and I love this essay. It is so beautifully expressed, and thank you for posting this.
I was brought up Jewish, and I fled this misogyny for a more spiritual belief system. Now for your question:
Does a woman, a writer, an artist, or a creator of any kind need to suffer to create meaningful art?
I am an artist and poet, a self-identified Creatrix, who believes that a creator does not need to suffer to create meaningful art. Whether art is meaningful or not is really up to the viewer. That being said, I have suffered through breast cancer and, as a result, am working on an art series that portrays nude women who are young going through a breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, etc. One of my essays that discusses voicelessness is here https://bethlgainer.substack.com/p/finding-my-voice
I know my nudes will offend some people, and I don't care at this point. I believe this art series will resonate with those women affected by breast cancer, as well as their loved ones.
So in this case, I did have to suffer to create such art. However, my landscape paintings are not a result of suffering, but my hope is they still bring joy to the viewer.
Thank you so much for this. I’m glad to hear that you don’t care if people are bothered by your art nudity.
That’s a great answer to the question. It’s a wonderful exploration as many creatives are described often as not only being highly sensitive, but sometimes teeter w bipolar. And it is these emotional ups and downs that impact their art and writing.
I can say it is true for me when I actually have a deep experience of something I feel I can write about it with more clarity or if I see my children go through something, etc. my work with other people. Is it necessary? I don’t know, but it definitely contributes to the art.
Perhaps other art is developing the skill of an artist?
I love your response. Thank you for the conversation.
Coming to this essay today, I feel like I've stepped away and it pulled me back. I loved this one so much. I immediately checked out your website and signed up for your newsletter. You're the only person in the last few years I have done that for. I feel authenticity rolling off you through substack, and your website.
So I'd like to answer these questions you posed.
What is the vision that is calling you forward?
I intend to go back to my place of birth which is a place full of despair and addictions. I hope to find peace there, and show other's the way. I hope to help people who are lost in their primal prisons see the power of following their intuition. Help create community full of divine reciprocity.
What is the archetypal fire that lights you up?
I feel as though I am a little bit of all of those archetypal women. I see myself in your writing. Your words and intension behind them show me a mirror. It is as if I believe that I'm unformed clay, without the education to articulate myself, but when I read what you write, I think "No. I am formed and reformed and it is by the hands of my inner woman and she doesn't need to be educated to know what she is doing."
I didn't realize you had asked us to contribute books. See I skim sometimes hahaha. Okay, I'd like to add "Wise Child" by Monica Furlong, and "Triad" by Mary Bartlet Leader. Both of these books came to me on the wind, guided to me by my inner spirit. They are both hard to come by, but I was meant to read them. I paid $1 at a Library sale for Wise Child, and I found Triad in a free bend at Second in Charles. I read them many years ago, and they need a reread. However, both of these books I chewed through, and digested, which is not true of all books I read. They both still stick with me after all this time. I own them both, and I'll be rereading them soon.
Thank you so much for this inner response. There are so many different kinds of education. I like to think of the architectural work that I do in the medicine work as well as learning an ongoing school of life. Not head knowledge.
I like this idea of being unformed, formed, and reformed – shaped by our lived experience, but never quite finished . I can see that you would be in all of these archetypes, and there are more to explore.
Thank you for the books. I’m gonna look into those and add them to the list. I can’t remember if you put the Author down as well and if it’s a woman. ?
Yes, they're both women. I think you'd really like them both. Triad supposedly inspired the wonderful song Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac. It's about a woman in a horrible life, suddenly being possessed by a witch. There is a moment in the book much like your cliff moment you spoke of in the past. When I read that essay, I was immediately reminded of this book.
The other book, Wise Child is about an orphan child becoming initiated into the magical life by her adopted mother, the outcast and medicine woman of the village.
“Does a woman, a writer, an artist or a creator of any kind need to suffer to create meaningful art?” This is the question that jumped out at me. All beings suffer –and often it’s our suffering that alerts us to the need for personal change. Suffering can be a doorway into what needs our attention. Suffering can morph, it can texture our hearts and grow our sense of compassion.
Like you, Prajna, my first experiences with the nature of God was exposure to all that was masculine; and as a female I was supposed to “know my place,” and my place certainly wasn’t a seat at the table. It was only in my fifties that I began to embrace what I’d always known, but had been afraid to speak: Women are free and sovereign souls, baptized in the blood of the feminine cycle and purified in the heart of a divine mother who heals and inspires. To that end, I pray to a Mother/Father God; allow myself to be taught and held by the forest and rushing waters; and learn the essence of growing old with grace from the Grandmother Oaks.
The vision that calls me is that of the sacred crone, the enchanted old woman, who know that the trees hold our stories until we are ready to tell them. I have both suffered and celebrated to get here and no experience, no person and no thing was ever wasted in forming who I have become and am still becoming.
Sending you love and appreciation for the good work you do in the world.
Hello Stephanie, I enjoyed reading every word that you just wrote. Yes suffering invites, personal growth and spiritual transformation. For me it’s often been medicine, initially it may not seem like it is, of course.
I love that you pray to God, the mother and God, the father and are in touch with the wisdom of the oaks, etc. so much beauty in your words. I celebrate with you thank you.
From my personal perspective, this is one of your best essays. Well written, cohesive, straight to the heart…
I’m gonna spend some time with the archetypes and the shadow sides of them. I noticed both in me as I read through them and I want to make this more “plain” within me.
Awww, Lila, that is good to hear. I think I am sifting through history to bring us up to date. Knowledge is power and giving voice to the women that went before fuels us. Thank you so much!
A beautiful compilation dear Prajna! I love how you honored each divine feminine archetype. I can see myself in all of them. This is a piece to refer to many times. I have been feeling an essay brewing of naming my spiritual teachers only to realize so many of them are men. Are they in touch with their divine feminine? Many of them are yet when confronting one of them about his roots and their denial of them I realized that there is no time to put anyone on pedestals for answers. And even though I’ve been told that we have all the answers within, I am only now believing it. At the same time, we need our coven of feminine power to convene in community for validation and support. For we are strength and divine love itself and this is the energy to cover Gaia with for all beings to blossom in this magnificent life here and now.
Beautifully said. I remember when I looked at my bookshelf and had a hard time finding women spiritual teachers—then I moved the men aside, dug in and found them everywhere. I listened to a popular male teacher today for a hot minute, he kept talking about the angles that give birth to us, he could not reckon with the mother archetype. No time for that anymore. Thank you, let me know when your essay is up. Love, P
What an inspiring, deep and touching post. So much of it resonated with me and reflects my own thought on the topics. Thank you. I want to do you justice with a longer response but do not have the capacity just at this moment. I will spend some time reflecting and come back to you ❤️
Hello Maria, Thank you for reading. I would love to hear more of your reflections. This is how we do it: tell our stories and share them forward. Thank you!
Prajna, I read it in the train and am still processing. I liked it very much, but cannot find the energy today to write the response this essay deserves.
You are so sweet. I am noticing that I’m spending much more time on these essays because I need to process so much in between and an evolution is happening along the way it’s intriguing to me. Take your time. Enjoy.
Thank you so much, Robin, I really appreciate you. I hope you like it. There are many insights that get gathered along the way in the comments are amazing.
Powerful post today Prajna! Synchronistically speaking, my post came out today too, on the Dark Feminine. Many common themes. We are on the same page! These energies are strong right now, they are not entering the closet and closing the door. Beautiful to see all the wondrous feminine archetypes you mentioned, each one powerful in their own expression. All I can say is "Hail to the Divine Feminine! May she show us ourselves, and may we live up to what is revealed!"
Thank you so much, what a job it was more worth than putting together a book but it’s defining the next chapter, which is great. Thank you for having a look.
My first run in with the catholic church was just 6 years old ...father macnamara told me that my ambition to be the pope when i grew up was not possible as i was a girl. So i kept asking why cant i be the pope, response...because you are a girl....this went on and on hilarious looking back..bewildered man...why not indeed! There is still time 😂
I write square peg women here on substack. Relaunched this wednesday 5th as its previous incarnation was a hot mess..might be of interest. Women who in big or little ways say no to round holes @drlucymmorleywilliams
Archetypes i do love kim krans does a fantastic deck
I just finished my first read of this and know I’ll be back for a second. So much resonates here- I loved how you included the shadow of the archetypes. The universe nudged me to sit with the movie ‘Damsel,’ with Millie Bobbie Brown, the first half of this year, as I explored deeper integration within the shadow and light of the feminine journey, reclaiming my voice. It’s a good watch :). Thank you for this powerful exploration!
Yes I saw it. I recently watched Molly Bloom. It is supposedly based on a true story, it shows a woman doing her best to claim power over powerful men. I didn’t know if I was going to like it, but there are many good examples in there.
Francesca, this is so beautiful. I absolutely agree and can feel how strong this is in you. I am holding it with you. Thank you so very much for reading commenting and having such a liberating vision for all.
💚🌹💚
I absolutely LOVE witnessing HER being weaved serendipitously with one another ! Just posted mine on Kali as yours was coming in. This actually brings my dream alive - a few years ago I dreamt WE were weaving threads above space on our New Earth 🌍 WE THE HUMANS - beyond humans . It is this weaving I’m witnessing
I’m caught in the vortex of the One song enchanted by us all! Gratitude to you
So beautiful. Thank you so much for this. I’m going to hop over agreed Kali as soon as I can. I feel you/we weaving it forward.
Thank you I appreciate you 🌹
Weaving it forward ahh yes !i felt that in my veins … thank you!🙏
Yea in the veins
thank you so much for sharing. I appreciate you.
Prajna, I'm new to your Substack, and I love this essay. It is so beautifully expressed, and thank you for posting this.
I was brought up Jewish, and I fled this misogyny for a more spiritual belief system. Now for your question:
Does a woman, a writer, an artist, or a creator of any kind need to suffer to create meaningful art?
I am an artist and poet, a self-identified Creatrix, who believes that a creator does not need to suffer to create meaningful art. Whether art is meaningful or not is really up to the viewer. That being said, I have suffered through breast cancer and, as a result, am working on an art series that portrays nude women who are young going through a breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, etc. One of my essays that discusses voicelessness is here https://bethlgainer.substack.com/p/finding-my-voice
I know my nudes will offend some people, and I don't care at this point. I believe this art series will resonate with those women affected by breast cancer, as well as their loved ones.
So in this case, I did have to suffer to create such art. However, my landscape paintings are not a result of suffering, but my hope is they still bring joy to the viewer.
Hello Beth,
Thank you so much for this. I’m glad to hear that you don’t care if people are bothered by your art nudity.
That’s a great answer to the question. It’s a wonderful exploration as many creatives are described often as not only being highly sensitive, but sometimes teeter w bipolar. And it is these emotional ups and downs that impact their art and writing.
I can say it is true for me when I actually have a deep experience of something I feel I can write about it with more clarity or if I see my children go through something, etc. my work with other people. Is it necessary? I don’t know, but it definitely contributes to the art.
Perhaps other art is developing the skill of an artist?
I love your response. Thank you for the conversation.
I’m gonna have a look at your essay soon!
💚🌹💜
Coming to this essay today, I feel like I've stepped away and it pulled me back. I loved this one so much. I immediately checked out your website and signed up for your newsletter. You're the only person in the last few years I have done that for. I feel authenticity rolling off you through substack, and your website.
So I'd like to answer these questions you posed.
What is the vision that is calling you forward?
I intend to go back to my place of birth which is a place full of despair and addictions. I hope to find peace there, and show other's the way. I hope to help people who are lost in their primal prisons see the power of following their intuition. Help create community full of divine reciprocity.
What is the archetypal fire that lights you up?
I feel as though I am a little bit of all of those archetypal women. I see myself in your writing. Your words and intension behind them show me a mirror. It is as if I believe that I'm unformed clay, without the education to articulate myself, but when I read what you write, I think "No. I am formed and reformed and it is by the hands of my inner woman and she doesn't need to be educated to know what she is doing."
I didn't realize you had asked us to contribute books. See I skim sometimes hahaha. Okay, I'd like to add "Wise Child" by Monica Furlong, and "Triad" by Mary Bartlet Leader. Both of these books came to me on the wind, guided to me by my inner spirit. They are both hard to come by, but I was meant to read them. I paid $1 at a Library sale for Wise Child, and I found Triad in a free bend at Second in Charles. I read them many years ago, and they need a reread. However, both of these books I chewed through, and digested, which is not true of all books I read. They both still stick with me after all this time. I own them both, and I'll be rereading them soon.
Hey Moss,
Thank you so much for this inner response. There are so many different kinds of education. I like to think of the architectural work that I do in the medicine work as well as learning an ongoing school of life. Not head knowledge.
I like this idea of being unformed, formed, and reformed – shaped by our lived experience, but never quite finished . I can see that you would be in all of these archetypes, and there are more to explore.
Thank you for the books. I’m gonna look into those and add them to the list. I can’t remember if you put the Author down as well and if it’s a woman. ?
💚🌹💜
Yes, they're both women. I think you'd really like them both. Triad supposedly inspired the wonderful song Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac. It's about a woman in a horrible life, suddenly being possessed by a witch. There is a moment in the book much like your cliff moment you spoke of in the past. When I read that essay, I was immediately reminded of this book.
The other book, Wise Child is about an orphan child becoming initiated into the magical life by her adopted mother, the outcast and medicine woman of the village.
They're both really beautiful books.
Okay Moss
They sound wonderful. I definitely want to read them and add them to our list the cannon we are building book by book.
The Triad is rather difficult to find since it has become associated with Stevie Nicks. I hope you find it :)
Hmmm, I will look for it. Why because associated with Stevie Nicks? Do say more. Thank you!
“Does a woman, a writer, an artist or a creator of any kind need to suffer to create meaningful art?” This is the question that jumped out at me. All beings suffer –and often it’s our suffering that alerts us to the need for personal change. Suffering can be a doorway into what needs our attention. Suffering can morph, it can texture our hearts and grow our sense of compassion.
Like you, Prajna, my first experiences with the nature of God was exposure to all that was masculine; and as a female I was supposed to “know my place,” and my place certainly wasn’t a seat at the table. It was only in my fifties that I began to embrace what I’d always known, but had been afraid to speak: Women are free and sovereign souls, baptized in the blood of the feminine cycle and purified in the heart of a divine mother who heals and inspires. To that end, I pray to a Mother/Father God; allow myself to be taught and held by the forest and rushing waters; and learn the essence of growing old with grace from the Grandmother Oaks.
The vision that calls me is that of the sacred crone, the enchanted old woman, who know that the trees hold our stories until we are ready to tell them. I have both suffered and celebrated to get here and no experience, no person and no thing was ever wasted in forming who I have become and am still becoming.
Sending you love and appreciation for the good work you do in the world.
Hello Stephanie, I enjoyed reading every word that you just wrote. Yes suffering invites, personal growth and spiritual transformation. For me it’s often been medicine, initially it may not seem like it is, of course.
I love that you pray to God, the mother and God, the father and are in touch with the wisdom of the oaks, etc. so much beauty in your words. I celebrate with you thank you.
From my personal perspective, this is one of your best essays. Well written, cohesive, straight to the heart…
I’m gonna spend some time with the archetypes and the shadow sides of them. I noticed both in me as I read through them and I want to make this more “plain” within me.
Well done! ✨✨✨✨
Awww, Lila, that is good to hear. I think I am sifting through history to bring us up to date. Knowledge is power and giving voice to the women that went before fuels us. Thank you so much!
And we thank you for loving us this way! ❤️
It's a mutual collaboration that I find very exciting!
Gosh! Yes! Collaboration is electrifying…so good…so good…
A beautiful compilation dear Prajna! I love how you honored each divine feminine archetype. I can see myself in all of them. This is a piece to refer to many times. I have been feeling an essay brewing of naming my spiritual teachers only to realize so many of them are men. Are they in touch with their divine feminine? Many of them are yet when confronting one of them about his roots and their denial of them I realized that there is no time to put anyone on pedestals for answers. And even though I’ve been told that we have all the answers within, I am only now believing it. At the same time, we need our coven of feminine power to convene in community for validation and support. For we are strength and divine love itself and this is the energy to cover Gaia with for all beings to blossom in this magnificent life here and now.
Beautifully said. I remember when I looked at my bookshelf and had a hard time finding women spiritual teachers—then I moved the men aside, dug in and found them everywhere. I listened to a popular male teacher today for a hot minute, he kept talking about the angles that give birth to us, he could not reckon with the mother archetype. No time for that anymore. Thank you, let me know when your essay is up. Love, P
What an inspiring, deep and touching post. So much of it resonated with me and reflects my own thought on the topics. Thank you. I want to do you justice with a longer response but do not have the capacity just at this moment. I will spend some time reflecting and come back to you ❤️
Hello Maria, Thank you for reading. I would love to hear more of your reflections. This is how we do it: tell our stories and share them forward. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing @Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay
Prajna, I read it in the train and am still processing. I liked it very much, but cannot find the energy today to write the response this essay deserves.
You are so sweet. I am noticing that I’m spending much more time on these essays because I need to process so much in between and an evolution is happening along the way it’s intriguing to me. Take your time. Enjoy.
"Lean into the fire. . ."
Amazing insights, as always, Prajna. Saving to come back and read in more deeply when I have a few quiet moments.
Thank you so much, Robin, I really appreciate you. I hope you like it. There are many insights that get gathered along the way in the comments are amazing.
Powerful post today Prajna! Synchronistically speaking, my post came out today too, on the Dark Feminine. Many common themes. We are on the same page! These energies are strong right now, they are not entering the closet and closing the door. Beautiful to see all the wondrous feminine archetypes you mentioned, each one powerful in their own expression. All I can say is "Hail to the Divine Feminine! May she show us ourselves, and may we live up to what is revealed!"
Oh and your website if wonderful - great job!
Thank you so much, what a job it was more worth than putting together a book but it’s defining the next chapter, which is great. Thank you for having a look.
Yea yea yea sister
Thank you and I look forward to reading your post
My first run in with the catholic church was just 6 years old ...father macnamara told me that my ambition to be the pope when i grew up was not possible as i was a girl. So i kept asking why cant i be the pope, response...because you are a girl....this went on and on hilarious looking back..bewildered man...why not indeed! There is still time 😂
Hilariously painful 💚💙💚
I write square peg women here on substack. Relaunched this wednesday 5th as its previous incarnation was a hot mess..might be of interest. Women who in big or little ways say no to round holes @drlucymmorleywilliams
Archetypes i do love kim krans does a fantastic deck
I just finished my first read of this and know I’ll be back for a second. So much resonates here- I loved how you included the shadow of the archetypes. The universe nudged me to sit with the movie ‘Damsel,’ with Millie Bobbie Brown, the first half of this year, as I explored deeper integration within the shadow and light of the feminine journey, reclaiming my voice. It’s a good watch :). Thank you for this powerful exploration!
Hi Erica,
Thank you so much for your comment and reading
I think I saw Damsel, is Robin White in it also?
I love this exploration. Thank you for joining me.
Yes, it does have Robin White in it :). Glad to be here!
Yes I saw it. I recently watched Molly Bloom. It is supposedly based on a true story, it shows a woman doing her best to claim power over powerful men. I didn’t know if I was going to like it, but there are many good examples in there.
Thank you
I'll add it to my watch list! I've been really loving exploring themes within film lately- thanks for the recommendation!