Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Female Experience

How nice to have this interchange. I went out for breakfast today and took the book I am reading with me "In Her Image" by Kathie Carlson. She is a Jungian therapist who has also written a book on Demeter and Persephone which I understand is even more interesting. I got them both on the internet after hearing about them from Suzannah. She knows the woman and I believe she lives near Hawley.� All of this is an introduction into the fact that I have been feeling rather "dead" creatively for some time and am of course uncomfortable when I am in this state of "seemingly never to be creative again". I really feel yucky. Well today I was reading a passage in "In Her Image" and it hit home.� I do not think I can explain what I read here but I will try to do it briefly. The chapter is about the Goddess as an archtype of the mother that women in the current partriarical climate have lost access to. Because we are as women expected to always"flow" outward towards others, it is hard for us to hold back for ourselves which is in all truth a natural and normal part of the cycle of nature as shown in the wider more universal image of the mother as Goddess. We hold back and contain energy in order to give birth. When containment, gestation, holding back� is not honored (especially in a society that focuses on productivity) we feel peculiar, dead, lost etc. Creativity is not just the flow but the containment as well, but we have dishonored this aspect and feel guilty when we are not giving out to others.

I share the above in response to Nancy D's mention of the female experience, of seeing mothers from the daughter's eyes and visa versa.

Maybe Kathie Carlson might honor us with a workshop on this subject. I could see this happening down the road. There might be a fee or I would gladly give her a giclee print of her choosing. I have not met her but Suzannah took her to my exhibit at WCAA ARt Mart and she is planning to bring her by my studio at some point. I personally find her amazing. This is just a thought for a future workshop.

Nancy W.

2 comments:

  1. Clarissa Pinkola Estes has a wonderful book on this cycle of productive and dormant creativity called THE CREATIVE FIRE. I have the audiobook if anyone wants to borrow it.

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    1. Marileta, Yes, I would like to borrow it. Love her work. I also have some of her tapes but do not believe that is one.

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