Tuesday, August 14, 2007



CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTES

My latest guru, and she's a W-O-M-A-N! God, how I've been looking for women gurus! Not only that, she is a specialist in post-traumatic stress!

I'm only on my first one of what I know will be ALL of her books. Women Who Run with the Wolves was first made into an audio that became an underground bestseller before finding a print publisher. Women are STARVED for stories of other women, real women, women that "get it." This book is a delicious feast to the starving masses. She says, so beautifully, so articulately, so poetically and inarguably, what I've been trying to say. Women are wild! We are tired of being caged! We are tired of the ties that bind! We are MORE than, in societies that have forever made us feel LESS than! We are intuitive, instinctual, brilliant beings of light! We cannot be content placed under a bushel! We must SHINE! Lots of women know this, have known this, and will know this, but not enough!

Clarissa would dig on Dave Ellis, founder of "Falling Awake." She begs women to answer the question, "What do you want?" Not what beckons you, but what do you WANT? She explains the difference between choosing what beckons you from a buffet table, and what you want that's not even ON the table. Not even in the building. Quite possibly not even in the same zip code, state, country or planet! What do you WANT??????

These are some of my favorite CPE quotes I've come across so far:

"How does one know if she has forgiven? You tend to feel sorrow over the circumstance instead of rage, you tend to feel sorry for the person rather than angry with him. You tend to have nothing left to say about it all."

"I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom."

"If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and throw some away, and it will renew itself. You need do no more."

"This kind of forgetting does not erase memory, it lays the emotion surrounding the memory to rest."

You know how they say, when the student is ready, the master appears? So true. So, so, true. Thank you, Master Estes. Thank you!

10 comments:

Michelle O'Neil said...

Her books are best "on tape." Her voice is so soothing and wise.

Her words so meaty and poetic.

Love CPE.

Anonymous said...

Sold my copy to Powell's.
Shit!

Deb Shucka said...

I hadn't thought about her for years. She was one of the first women of power whose voice got my attention. You've made me want to find her again.
Howwwlllll!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am going to check her out. You have me wanting to sing "I Am Woman Hear Me Roar." I am going to look her up right now!

Anonymous said...

I've had the book for years, gift from my uncle, couldn't get into it somehow. You've inspired me to give it another look. I especially appreciate the quote on forgiveness. Thanks for sharing that, Carrie! xo t

riversgrace said...

Chapter 10 - Skeleton Woman. Love it. I reread it every few years because it's so amazing. I loved that book so much when it first came out that I drove to Denver and was in a small living room for a book reading with her. Yes, her voice.

Anonymous said...

All I'm sayin'

kario said...

Thanks for the recommendation, Carrie. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of four different books right now and can't imagine picking up another, but I'll get it to put on my 'waiting list'.

Love.

Writer said...

Oh I am for sure downloading it on my i-pod!! Can't wait to hear it.
Lee

Kim said...

What amazing quotes! I