#REVERB12 (Day 11): What was music to your ears, literally or metaphorically?

SWIMMING IN THE WORDS OF A CANTADORA.  (art by Hallelujah Truth)

#REVERB 12 (Day 11) PROMPT: What was music to your ears in 2012, literally or metaphorically?

Let me introduce you to the MUSIC to my ears for 2012, heart, soul, and entire creative being--the stories of CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTES! You might know her name because of her 1989 bestseller, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories about the Wild Woman Archetype, which acknowledges the deep knowing that we women have within ourselves. But it wasn't until 2012, that I listened to an extensive body of Dr. Estes work on audio, especially Creative Fire!

SOOTHES THE HUNGERING CREATIVE SPIRIT (from Amazon.com)

As an artist, I spend hours a day at my art making table usually listening to music while I draw and paint. However, in 2012, I discovered that listening to Dr. Estes (she well deserves this title) tell familiar stories like "The Rape of Persephone" and many other less familiar tales was like going to Hallelujah's church of the Spiritual Art Pilgrim! This magical storyteller explains how these stories contain lessons for us at a very deep level resulting in a better understanding our own creative psyche.

Creative Fire: Myths and Stories about the Cycles of Creativity (the complete name of this audio series), soothed my SOUL as I listened to it over and over again. I smiled and nodded as Dr. Estes reassured me that the creative spark never never never dies. With calm assurance, she repeats again and again that the creative nature goes through periods of darkness but rallies to flourish in the light when it is time. 

Dear fellow PILGRIMS if you are looking for music to your ears for 2013, I recommend you spend time with Dr. Estes, who was the first recipient of the Joseph Campbell Keeper of the Lore Award for telling stories as a "cantadora." Listening to her lilting musical voice laugh, cajole, and entertain is an experience that will STRETCH your insides and nurture your creativity!

Take a look at this youtube video that excerpted some lines from Creative Fire



Once I had listened to Creative Fire as many as five times, I gradually progressed through other audio stories of Dr. Estes! I recommend that you go to her website and see what other treasures you might want to listen to in 2013! 

SWIMMING IN THE CYCLES OF MY CREATIVITY

THANKS TO KAT MCNALLY for HOSTING REVERB12 Hurray for Kat who lives in Melbourne, Australia, and blogs at "I Saw You Dancing." and is hosting Reverb12.