I am taking a Carl Jung course that is exploring the Unconscious through writing, image-making, myths, dreams, storytelling, and the natural world. One of the exercises for this week’s class was to write a fairytale, using symbols and archetypes, to describe a feeling of “being stuck.” This free-write today was a fun ride that unfolded with ease. For me, there is nothing better than playing with imagination! To my surprise, this story was reassuring and helps me accept the inevitable discomfort of being stuck at times in life with no clue how to proceed. Something or someone always comes to the rescue:
A Walk in the Wood
Once upon a time there was a young maiden walking alone in a dark wood. The sun had set long ago. The only illumination was a starlit sky. She was grateful for the glittering constellations. They offered a sense of safety in this unfamiliar place.
But the maiden struggled to see. The path beneath her feet was untrodden, uncharted. Rocks, roots, and other obstacles were detected only when stumbled upon. She was cautious to place one bare foot on the rutted earth to find stability, before carefully stepping the other foot. In this manner, she trekked for some time. Darkness remained, but the maiden’s walking became less tentative. She discovered it was possible, after all, to walk without light.
Still, she yearned to see where she was going.
After a while, the maiden succumbed to fatigue and sat down, resting her back against an ancient tree, whose gnarled roots offered a natural seat and footrest. Dozing, in a reverie of sorts, a flash of light snapped her into full alertness. A brilliant ball had descended from the night sky.
As the maiden gaped in wonderment, the star sparkled and said: Hello. I am here to help you the rest of the way. Your journey has been a long one. You have been valiant in your going. I will guide you now. Do not fear. My name is Lulabel, and I come from another galaxy solely to assist you. Come, let us go. You have had your rest.
As promised, Lulabel brightened the forest floor. No match for the sun’s radiance, but the maiden could see with ease where to place her feet. Time passed swiftly, and before long a clearing appeared. Through an opening in the trees, a glowing sunrise emerged, the dawning of a new day. The maiden’s eyes blinked wider, as they caught the flash of Lulabel disappearing, returning to her constellation in the heavens.
Knowing our maiden had arrived at her destination, Lulabel’s work was done. She smiled and whispered softly to the cosmos: All is well now. All is well.
Jill Broscious 