Starting the year with Clarissa Pinkola Estes

During 2009 I read Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ book ‘Women Who Run With The Wolves.’ I found her writing stunning, incredibly insightful and confronting. Her words and the stories she shared resonated deeply. I have just started reading it again. I often need to remind myself and relearn the lessons contained in her book, a book that holds such old wisdom.

I have been wanting to do some paper cut outs for awhile now so I gave it a shot last night. I did a cut out of a tree, a symbol of strength and renewal. While I lived in Canberra I witnessed the striking changes of the seasons, particularly the change from Autumn to Winter. It was the first time I realised that there was great beauty rather than sadness in a tree that now stood naked and stripped down to its bare branches.

I learnt a valuable lesson- what is inherent in nature is also inherent in life. Just as in nature, in life things will change and die off but they will also grow stronger during that period and will return in new and wonderful ways. The image of the naked tree is a reminder for me that life is about seasons and there is strength to be found in times that appear harsh and soul stripping.  

Today I decided to do something with the tree cut out and inspired by Clarissa Pinkola Estes I played around and this was my final piece;

The words around the tree are a quote from ‘Women Who Run With The Wolves’. It says

‘The wild nature has a vast integrity to it. The wild nature carries with it the bundles for healing; she carries everything a woman needs to be and know. She is both vehicle and destination.’