I am blessed to count the gorgeous and talented Claire Delaney amongst my friends and was delighted to spend some time with her and another precious equally creative soul yesterday.
Arriving early at Claire’s studio, I browsed her works of art, books, and scribbled notes of inspiration and found myself in front of the beauty above, (she’s part of Claire’s upcoming Beggars and Thieves Exhibition). On the table below her were the words: “Too tired to be a rebel today.”
These words caught my eye as I had been reflecting on a piece of Christine Sheehy’s work about ‘going against the grain’ earlier in the day. I observed how for a good part of my life I have quietly gone against the grain. Not in an overt, loud, flashing neon sign rebellious way, more maverick – just quietly going in the other direction. (Well maybe not so quietly as a young woman!).
Too tired to be a rebel
But sometimes it gets a bit tiring going against the flow of humanity. Those days when you feel ‘too tired to be a rebel.’ I feel I have been licking my wounds for the last few months and I totally resonated with the sleeping angel. “I was too tired to be a rebel today.”
Fierce Heart
It was time to take stock, to sit quietly, to regroup and reconnect to the fierce flame within.
The word FIERCE has been popping up regularly for me lately particularly in relation to feminine power. The world only reflects back to us our own reflection right? Yes I have been contemplating my own fierce heart, power and voice.
I have never aligned with the sickly sweet. love and light brand of spirituality that can permeate new age circles. Yes I do walk a spiritual path, as best I can, but gooey stickiness or guru worship has never been my style.
Yes love is the way, being the most powerful force in the universe, and yes we need more light within to become the spiritual and cosmic beings that we are BUT…
I have found that it takes a FIERCE HEART to walk a spiritual path. It takes FIERCE COMPASSION to have an open heart when it has been hurt, broken or betrayed. It takes FIERCE COURAGE to find your voice and walk a path less travelled. It takes FIERCE RESILIENCE to get back up again when you’ve been knocked down. It takes a FIERCE WILL to continue doing it on your own day after day, to turn up again time after time. It takes FIERCE FAITH to move through disappointment and see the gift in disillusionment and errors made.
FIERCE: From Latin ferus – untamed, wild.
What does that stir in your heart? In your soul? Your spirit?
There is an inherent strength in something wild and untamed.
FIERCE COURAGE – wild untamed heart.
(COURAGE: from Latin cor‘heart’.)
Fierce Courage to heal collective female memory
There is a lot of unspoken and entrenched societal, familial and cultural rules and expectations around the feminine. Until quite recently women were sedated, poisoned (via a little extra dose of laudanum) or committed to asylums for being difficult. The Changeling movie is based upon the story of Christine Collins who in 1928 was committed by a Police Chief to a psychiatric ward under a “Code 12” internment — a term used to jail or commit someone who was deemed difficult or an inconvenience. The movie is quite a harrowing account of a mother’s loss after her son was abducted and her appalling treatment by those in power when she refused to acknowledge another boy as her son.
As women, we have huge fearless and courageous hearts. It is time to shuck off the shackles of the memories of the past pain of the feminine held within our own blood and bones. Our cells remember we were burnt at the stake for being the wise women of our tribe and community, we know the pain of judgement and oppression in our marrow and our throats still close with the fear of death for speaking up and out.
The times they are a changing – The Return of the Divine Feminine
This is not a feminist rant. The Aquarian Age heralds the Return of the Divine Feminine, the returning of the Goddess to her rightful place in our lives and in our world. It is a time to honour both the feminine and the masculine. To embody the balance of the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine. It is a path or task we are all charged with – male and female.
No woowoo here
My experience of the Goddess is certainly not light and fluffy. She calls us to account. She inspires us to be courageous of heart and fiercely compassionate. To honour our courage and our vulnerability.
She holds a bold mirror up for us to find our truth and our voice. She calls us to take full responsibility for our deeds, thoughts and actions. She lovingly holds the space for us as we squirm and slither hoping the growth will occur without any actual work on our part!
She awakens us to the truth within.
To our fierce hearts.
To our destiny.
This is my path of Fierce Heart. What is yours?
With love
I can’t recommend Claire or Christine’s work enough. Claire is an amazing artist, writer and tutor. You can follow Claire on fb or instagram. Christine is an accomplished wordsmith who works from soul and with heart for and with you. You can explore Christine’s offerings here.
Looking to find your fierce courage and heart?
Work with me and say YES to yourself and your FIERCE HEART.