Journeys of a Pregnant Virgin

Here I am, much later into January than I'd hoped, but not too late to wish you, who may check in, a very happy and soulful new year! Apparently the Swiss don't do it after the first week of January, but I persist even into February and March when I greet a friend for the first time in a new year.

My three weeks in Vancouver flew by, partly because I was writing the symbol paper whenever I could. Now that I have finished and submitted it, I feel freer to say that I wrote on the archetypal image of the Gypsy - certainly one of the richest "symbols" of my life. The essay is titled "Shimmering Darkly: Following the Gypsy," and I am very content with it. It is absolutely "true" in the sense of expressing as fully and gracefully as I could, what I wanted to say. And the more I wrote, the more there seemed to be to say, which I take as a clear indication that there is more richness there for me. I wrote about my affinity with the Gypsy toward the end of SIMPLE DAYS, but this was a thirty page essay and I loved swimming in those deep dark shimmering waters. In the middle of writing I discovered with great pleasure that Loreena McKennitt had just released a new collection of her magical gypsy music, so every evening I danced to her haunting and beautiful caravan melodies, often with Steve. The entire process had a numinous feeling to it. (And it is a lovely bonus that my "Reader," an eminent Jungian analyst and writer, read the whole essay within a few hours of receiving it and promptly emailed me that he loved it!) Dearer still however were the heartfelt praise and appreciation of Steve and several dear friends who dropped everything to read it immediately as well.

I celebrated by taking a trainride into the Alps with Wendy on the weekend - how beautiful that was! I survived the claustrophobic cable cars and once we settled into our cozy room with its view of snowy peaks so near by, I promptly fell asleep mid-afternoon. Which, dear Reader, is unheard of for this semi-insomniac who never sleeps during the day and not all that well at night either. While Wendy went out on the snowy trail I dozed and dreamed under my soft white Swiss duvet, and everytime I opened my eyes, the glory of that mountain was still there like a giant sheltering friend. An hour and a half later I finally roused myself and we went down to a splendid dinner buffet the likes of which I have not seen before in Switzerland. Indulge I did, and with no regret either! I haven't had chocolate mousse that good in quite a while.

Now I am making arrangements for the mid-training exams which I will take in the summer, and awaiting Steve's arrival in a week. These remaining four weeks will fly by.

As usual I have been finding wonderful quotes in the course of my reading, and I will finish this brief catchup entry with one of them. I have been very appreciative of James Hillman's writing lately, so here goes. There is a passion and daring in his work which thrills me at times although this brief quote may not convey that. But I love it anyway.

“Not only the literal flesh, which is neither irrational nor errant but an ancient animal full of grace, binds us; but rather the soul in which that flesh has its life. The image by which the flesh lives is the ultimate ruling necessity. We are in service to the body of imagination, the bodies of our images.”

How I love the image of my body, our bodies, as "ancient animals full of grace!"

And with those lovely words, I will sign off for now. With greetings and best wishes to all...
Marlene