A beautiful passage from an article written by Clarrisa Pinkola Estes, author of “Women Who Run With the Wolves“.
Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take “everyone on Earth” to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale.
One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these – to be fierce and to show mercy toward others, both, are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do.
– by Clarissa Pinkola Estes from “Do Not Lose Heart”
Thank you for touching my soul today. I was feeling discouraged before I read these words, this message restores my faith that everyone does make a difference and we need to follow where our soul leads us. I believe an important part of this is also opening your soul to let others in, who knows where the light will come from. Peace!
Hi Darleen, it is a wonderful message and one I will read again and again. I’m very glad it was helpful to you today.
That’s very interesting to me, for two reasons.
1) Carl Jung was asked if the world could avoid destruction and said it all depended on how many individuals were willing to do the necessary work on themselves.
2) On September 11, 2001, a friend and I had a session with what I call The Guys Upstairs — that is, an altered-state communication with some people who are not in bodies, people we had already been in contact with for some time. Asked about the events of the day, they said emphatically that the most effective thing to do, for each person who was able to do so, to maintain their center — not lose themselves in fear or hatred — and become a center of calmness which would help others just by existing.
That’s what Dr. Estes’ message sounds like to me, and it’s the same old story, isn’t it? The next thing to do is always right here; we don’t need to go searching for it. And it isn’t something huge and grandiose, it’s small and human.
Thank you for passing on her message to many who will benefit from hearing it.
It isn’t always easy to “open up your soul” to others…it is such an intimate place but contains so much that can be shared if we are willing. I think it’s only natural to protect ourselves from becoming vulnerable but we can’t keep this light locked up! We all need to help each other!
This is exactly the path we all need to take, and it is really the only way that will work in the long run. She says it so well, thanks for posting it.
you always post such poignant stories. thanks for sharing!
[...] her post titled, Fixing the World, my friend, Melynn, on her blog Breathing Easy posted a passage from an article by Clarissa Pinkola [...]
Beautiful writing. Powerful message.
Oh, very nice post. I used to be afraid to show my true self to people, I thought I would somehow lose myself bit by bit. What I’m finding though is the opposite. When you share yourself, when you let people in, your spirit expands and gets stronger, not weaker. Your light shines brighter and touches the people in your life. You don’t have to save the world to make a difference, just reach out and offer a hand up to the person right next to you.
Hi Melynn
I’ve only just seen this post of yours.
It reminds me of “sharing” that I experienced with a friend this week.
She had been very upset over a situation and rang to discuss this with me. After our long conversation, she emailed me to thank me for being there for her.
I was nudged to explain to her that I believed that during difficult times in our lives our “souls” send out messages which are picked up by “helper souls” (usually friends/acquaintances) who we are able to talk to and share the experience, thus easing any pain that the person is going through. I believe that the person in pain sends out vibrations which are picked up by the “helper soul”. I have found that this has happened to me many times, when friends/acquaintances will want to confide in me and sharing of their pain usually helps them cope better or accept the situation with more understanding.
Irene
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it w/ all of us.
[...] friend Melynn has a post on her blog titled, Fixing the World, from an article by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, that expresses this idea very [...]