As a young man prone to yearning for inspiration in book stores (preferably those with baristas) I came across the famous tome by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and promptly devoured it. I loved reading her poetic prose about heroines who fought to earn the feminine wisdom from which much of the light of the world pulses and radiates. The book is remarkable, but in my opinion doesn’t compare to the author’s own voice as she recites excerpts, recounts myths and folktales, riffs about the wild woman archetype, and reads her own luscious poetry in the recording available from the beloved Boulder-based Sounds True: Women Who Run With The Wolves (click samples). This recording, produced in 1990, was ground breaking on many levels and Sounds True founder Tami Simon credits it to putting her then nascent company “on the map”. Although I discovered the recording several years later, its production actually precedes the publication of the book, and it’s an absolute classic.
At Cloud Medical, we have spent a great deal of time listening to many of our patients describe their sorrow and even despair about the various political changes occurring nationally and globally. Regardless of where you land on the political spectrum, there has perhaps been no time in recent memory that our communities need a greater connection and appreciation of yin energy in all of its wondrous manifestations: the life-generating and soul-sustaining, nourishing and nurturing, subtle and electric power of the feminine. As your sons and brothers, husbands and lovers, fathers and friends, we honor you—the women in our lives—and crave your presence.
One of my patients recently shared an essay with me. As we sat together in the exam room, I was so moved not only the beautiful words but also by the tears which streamed down his cheek as he read them to me. After he finished and folded the piece of paper I asked him who wrote the piece. “A woman named Clarissa Pinkola Estes” he said. To which I replied, “Yes…of course she did.”
I share it here with all of you. May it give you sustenance and hopefulness. May it fill your heart with love and light. May it help to channel the strength and courage and grace and grit that our world needs from both left and right.
In gratitude for our beloved wise and wonderful women,
David Tusek, MD
