Asia, you probably don’t remember this, but during a meal once at WISE, you and I were talking about parenting, and I was sharing my story and how much PTSD I felt I had surrounding it. I was well into my sixties at the time. Anyway, you know how much I love you, but when I saw that you’d started this newsletter and that it was about mothering, I resisted subscribing because, honestly, the subject can still bring up old (and, to be honest, present-day) pain. After the hurricane, I wanted to support you however I could, and I finally subscribed. After reading through some of your posts, I realized that the support is mutual. Even at this stage of my life, your reflections on mothering are so honest and WISE and, well, nurturing. How ironic is that?
I sound like a broken record when I say how much wisdom you carry for someone so young. It makes me wonder about your past lives. How you weave all of life and all of you, including your Creativity, into your writing is such a gift.
One of the hardest things for me during my young mothering years was that I had set aside my artist self. Many years later, well into my fifties, I discovered the book “The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood” by Lucy H. Pearce. I wished I’d had that book as a young mother. Like in all other aspects of life, not every woman will be that Earth Mother type who embraces motherhood with every inch of her being. At the time, so much of my identity was wrapped up in being an artist, although I desperately wanted to be a mother.
Oh, the irony - I graduated from art school just months after we adopted our son. The head of the department came up to me at graduation and said, “Don’t let happen to you what happens to most female artists who become mothers.” It felt like a slap in my face but a part of me felt the truth in his words.
Ok, this is a ridiculously long comment, and for that, I apologize. I loved this post so much, my friend. Thank you. XOXO
Thank you for being here Barbara, and for all you've created and birthed and nurtured and realized in this world. I do remember that conversation! I felt so grateful for everything you shared. I think of you often as I approach the deep complexity of motherhood in this world...especially mothering as a sensitive and a creative. It's not an easy journey. It breaks your heart in ways not everyone is brave enough to speak to. So I am grateful to you, in all the ways.
And I must look up this book!!! I'm putting it on the wishlist now. It gives me hope to see other mothers, further down the road than me, flourishing once more in their beautiful, exquisite, creative lives.
Thank you for everything that you are, dear Barbara.
It dawned on me that it was 2019—the year I came to WISE—when I was going through a heart-wrenching experience with my adult son. That was the same year I was told, "You're like the Quaking Poplar," revered for her sensitivity. It's the title of my first post here on Substack.
When I was in your Sensitives Series, I was outside during one of the classes while listening to you, and a Quaking Poplar behind my barn started doing its quaking thing. None of the trees around her were moving. It gave me the biggest :).
Asa, this is amazing. I resonate with this so much. I loved the archetype quiz on your website as well. Are you open to podcast guesting? I’d love to have you on my podcast “Who we are and what we need” to talk about our life fire, especially as mothers, and your book, and earth archetypes. I’m about to release season 2 this fall. 💛🤩🙏
Hi Catherine! I am! I normally schedule through the contact form here https://asiasuler.com/media/ if that works for you. Also I'm SO delighted the archetypes quiz resonated with you!! I'd be so curious to hear which one you got...
I got Rainbow! It so resonated with how I feel such a desire to shine the possibilities of a compassionate way of understanding ourselves as humans and how we create that by honoring needs and centering society around honoring our human needs.
Thank you for the link for a speaking request. I figured I would need to find a more formal way to do that, I was just so excited in the moment I wanted to go ahead and say something. Thanks for your generous response.
Sorry, most of my thoughts are about the earth archetypes more than this article… the song “I will be your Standing Stone…” popped into my head after reading through the archetypes. And I wondered if there are (divine feminine) songs that speak to the other archetypes that you’ve encountered…the rainbow, tree, wellspring, etc. I’d love a point in any direction you think might take me there. 💛
I completely agree with you and I work in the energy world of healing and deep connection to our soul. I see this I'm my clients all of the time. Like you said, when you feel lack, the life force starts to dwindle. And the space you mentioned that we create for ourselves gives us so much "energetic space" to exist.
Ooooh Mothers are the weather system for their families! It reminds me of that Jung quote that talks about the greatest burden being for a child to hold the weight of an unfulfilled mother (words to that effect!!!) That one landed so much. I feel this all so deeply for my daughters. Loved this snippet of your conversation, thank you so much for sharing Asia. X
….
Asia, you probably don’t remember this, but during a meal once at WISE, you and I were talking about parenting, and I was sharing my story and how much PTSD I felt I had surrounding it. I was well into my sixties at the time. Anyway, you know how much I love you, but when I saw that you’d started this newsletter and that it was about mothering, I resisted subscribing because, honestly, the subject can still bring up old (and, to be honest, present-day) pain. After the hurricane, I wanted to support you however I could, and I finally subscribed. After reading through some of your posts, I realized that the support is mutual. Even at this stage of my life, your reflections on mothering are so honest and WISE and, well, nurturing. How ironic is that?
I sound like a broken record when I say how much wisdom you carry for someone so young. It makes me wonder about your past lives. How you weave all of life and all of you, including your Creativity, into your writing is such a gift.
One of the hardest things for me during my young mothering years was that I had set aside my artist self. Many years later, well into my fifties, I discovered the book “The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood” by Lucy H. Pearce. I wished I’d had that book as a young mother. Like in all other aspects of life, not every woman will be that Earth Mother type who embraces motherhood with every inch of her being. At the time, so much of my identity was wrapped up in being an artist, although I desperately wanted to be a mother.
Oh, the irony - I graduated from art school just months after we adopted our son. The head of the department came up to me at graduation and said, “Don’t let happen to you what happens to most female artists who become mothers.” It felt like a slap in my face but a part of me felt the truth in his words.
Ok, this is a ridiculously long comment, and for that, I apologize. I loved this post so much, my friend. Thank you. XOXO
Thank you for being here Barbara, and for all you've created and birthed and nurtured and realized in this world. I do remember that conversation! I felt so grateful for everything you shared. I think of you often as I approach the deep complexity of motherhood in this world...especially mothering as a sensitive and a creative. It's not an easy journey. It breaks your heart in ways not everyone is brave enough to speak to. So I am grateful to you, in all the ways.
And I must look up this book!!! I'm putting it on the wishlist now. It gives me hope to see other mothers, further down the road than me, flourishing once more in their beautiful, exquisite, creative lives.
Thank you for everything that you are, dear Barbara.
It dawned on me that it was 2019—the year I came to WISE—when I was going through a heart-wrenching experience with my adult son. That was the same year I was told, "You're like the Quaking Poplar," revered for her sensitivity. It's the title of my first post here on Substack.
When I was in your Sensitives Series, I was outside during one of the classes while listening to you, and a Quaking Poplar behind my barn started doing its quaking thing. None of the trees around her were moving. It gave me the biggest :).
Isn't life mysterious and grand? XOXO
Asa, this is amazing. I resonate with this so much. I loved the archetype quiz on your website as well. Are you open to podcast guesting? I’d love to have you on my podcast “Who we are and what we need” to talk about our life fire, especially as mothers, and your book, and earth archetypes. I’m about to release season 2 this fall. 💛🤩🙏
Hi Catherine! I am! I normally schedule through the contact form here https://asiasuler.com/media/ if that works for you. Also I'm SO delighted the archetypes quiz resonated with you!! I'd be so curious to hear which one you got...
I got Rainbow! It so resonated with how I feel such a desire to shine the possibilities of a compassionate way of understanding ourselves as humans and how we create that by honoring needs and centering society around honoring our human needs.
Thank you for the link for a speaking request. I figured I would need to find a more formal way to do that, I was just so excited in the moment I wanted to go ahead and say something. Thanks for your generous response.
Sorry for the typo on your name!
Here’s the link to my podcast: https://www.catherinequiring.com/podcasts
Sorry, most of my thoughts are about the earth archetypes more than this article… the song “I will be your Standing Stone…” popped into my head after reading through the archetypes. And I wondered if there are (divine feminine) songs that speak to the other archetypes that you’ve encountered…the rainbow, tree, wellspring, etc. I’d love a point in any direction you think might take me there. 💛
I completely agree with you and I work in the energy world of healing and deep connection to our soul. I see this I'm my clients all of the time. Like you said, when you feel lack, the life force starts to dwindle. And the space you mentioned that we create for ourselves gives us so much "energetic space" to exist.
Thank you for this precious reminder. 💕🙏
Thank you deeply for this share Misha! Thank you for all the energy and healing you are pouring back into our fields, and all the fields.
Ooooh Mothers are the weather system for their families! It reminds me of that Jung quote that talks about the greatest burden being for a child to hold the weight of an unfulfilled mother (words to that effect!!!) That one landed so much. I feel this all so deeply for my daughters. Loved this snippet of your conversation, thank you so much for sharing Asia. X