On Belonging - May & June 2023
belong - be the property of; be rightly assigned to; be a member of; fit a specified environment - be rightly placed
Belonging is a strange and complex notion - it encompasses so many aspects of self and other and it’s not about conforming, it’s not about becoming anything other than who we’re meant to be. Brene Brown says: “true belonging never asks us to change who we are. true belonging requires us to be who we are”. Yes, yes! I always think about what Deborah Hanekamp (Mama Medicine) says too - “don’t try to fit in, fit out”!
There’s so much labelling, displacement and misplacement going on around us, but why? Why fit inside a label, a narrow limit when we are boundless?! We are limitless and we are endless in our ability to be who we are and really embrace ourselves. In the energy of belonging I think it’s important to recognize the importance of seeing things through to completion too. In this there is also the knowing of when something is for us to complete and when something isn’t - are you completing what you started just for the sake of completing or is it still aligned with your purpose? What is your truth in this moment?
During the courses over the next two months belonging will take on different forms, as it will come up in grieving - mothering - and homing. There’s always a sense of both exile and belonging from self and other. In ‘Uncovering Grief’ Michelle and I will look at the importance of the balanced valuing of feminine emotion through personal and collective reflection and meditation in action. Breath here is essential to knowing where we are, knowing where we stand and also moving forward. In ‘Centering on Mothering’ we’ll be delving into the notion of motherhood in all its forms through literature and movement. And in June I’ll be holding a women’s circle on the theme of ‘Homing’ - using the story of ‘Sealskin/Soulskin’ to really allow us to enter the theme and relate it to our lives.
So much going on - so much to learn together, from each other and from ourselves. Breathe and complete what you feel needs completing.
Books on Belonging. . .I love & return to
In this theme of belonging I’ve chosen books which are quite reflective, they can be great presents for ourselves as mothers, the mother’s in our life and also friends who are mothers in their own right. There are also books which revolve around grief and loss in some form, love, and homing. I hope you enjoy.
On Grief and Reason - Joseph Brodsky
a great collection of essays by Brodsky - here are some of the most read and re-read passages I have!
Anam Cara - John O’Donohue
a must have, truly. One of the most silent and spiritual reads which is great to use as a divinatory tool - I speak more about this here. No need to think about it, go out now and grab yourself a copy, it’ll be there for you whenever you need it.
Man’s Search for Meaning; Sisyphus - Viktor Frankl; mythology
love this book for its power in endurance and courage, for its lessons and its love. I always think of one of the most important things that stuck for me, which is the essential pause between action and reaction - it changed my life. Also the story of Sisyphus - the change in perspective from defeated to triumphant - always. . .remember the abundance within, always.
Wabi Sabi - Beth Kempton
an easy and lovely read to remember the art of appreciation, and the beauty in the smaller things
Poetry
As always this list is not a list, I mention two poets out of so many whose verses are steeped in grief, homing and belonging
The Complete Poems - Christina Rossetti
Rossetti is such an important female figure to me, her poetry so deep and so refreshing
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson - Emily Dickinson
yes, I just feel there’s something very special about Dickinson, in moderation of course but perhaps that’s always the best way with poetry - not to over-indulge