We can use the power of stories to transmute our suffering from pain to purpose,
To find the hidden beauty within our hero's journey.
Returning for a moment to the simplicity of storytelling from our childhood,
Allowing ourselves to settle and relax and find a space within us of creativity and imagination.
That's where the true magic is,
The alchemical magic of creating a new story of our life.
This story is called The Girl Who Swallowed a Storm.
Once upon a time there was a girl.
She wasn't just alive,
She lived fully and passionately,
She was a delight to be with and always dancing and creating and singing.
She loved deeply,
She saw colours vividly,
She basked in the wonders of the small things.
The smell of rain after a storm,
The laughter that came so naturally through her,
The joy that she spread so generously with others.
People would look at her and smile and it would lighten their hearts.
The girl's name was Leaf.
She loved to be happy and make others laugh.
One day she was playing in the field with her brother and sisters and delighting in the way bees visited each dandelion and tracking the sun as it shone through the leaves of the great trees above.
Suddenly her mother ran towards her in a violent rush,
Grabbing her hand and pulling her urgently home.
There's a massive storm coming,
She said.
You must stay inside,
You must stay safe.
They ran inside the home and closed all the windows and doors,
Then ran into the dark basement.
Even though her mother tried to shelter her from the storm,
It came through the house like a freight train.
Leaf saw that the storm was going to destroy her mother and her family,
So she cried out,
Someone has to do something,
She pleaded to God.
Let me help.
In that moment she felt the storm descend into her hand,
Like a lead pebble,
Vibrating and hot.
She quickly did the first thing that came to her.
She placed it in her mouth.
Without thinking,
She swallowed.
The storm went down.
It rained in her stomach.
It sent crackling lightning through her.
With her natural power,
She was able to contain it.
She was able to quiet the rumbles and thunder.
And she was happy.
She was happy she could protect everyone from this unpredictable storm.
Nobody knew about the storm Leaf had swallowed,
And she did her best to retain her joyful spirit.
The storm placed within her gave her powers and increased her ability to love and see the truth.
People couldn't handle the intensity.
They moved away,
As it made them think of their own storms they had over their heads that they were trying their best to avoid.
So she felt mostly alone.
The storm was raging inside of her heart over the years.
She became a mother and tried her best to dance and feel alive.
But the storm was raining on her inner fire,
Slowly putting it out,
And the smoke from the smothered fire was building.
To the point that she had no more spark,
No more laughter and joy to share with the others.
She hid herself away.
The lands around her home became dry and barren.
No fruit grew on the trees.
There was no bounty to be shared with others.
She tried everything she could to overcome this challenge,
And did her best to find the path back to her true,
Loving and joyful self.
But eventually,
She surrendered and asked the heavens for help.
One night,
The Angel of Storms came to visit in her dream.
She told her that the storm she had swallowed had powers to help to save the world.
If she didn't let it out and dance in the rain,
The power would die with her.
The angel whispered to her how to let the storm out.
So she set about the task.
She formed a circle of friends who loved her unconditionally,
Who would reflect back to her,
Not her weakness,
But the light and power they could see in her.
Only then,
With this love from her community,
Did she have the power to face the storm.
She had to direct her focus towards the light and the things in life that she loved.
She learned to focus on the good,
The light,
The inspiration,
Even if they felt smaller than a grain of sand.
Focus.
Then one day,
The Mother Wolf came to her from the forest,
And with her loving presence,
Leaf let out an almighty howl.
As she did,
A streak of lightning shot from her heart into the sky.
Her fire grew instantly inside.
She didn't even realize it had been there all along.
It illuminated the whole sky.
A powerful storm started overhead,
And Leaf danced and laughed as the healing rains washed over her.
The lands rejoiced in the rain.
Fruit grew again.
Lush green grasses were underfoot.
Leaf danced in the rain,
And she learned to let the storm take her and dance in the wind.
It was only when she tried to stay in one spot,
Too rigid,
Instead of moving with the storm,
That it could damage her.
She learned when to take shelter and rest and recover if the storm was too powerful,
And when to let the storm destroy what was ready to change.
She learned that she couldn't protect others because the storm is needed.
It is useful.
When it was too contained,
It lost its power to create.
She regained her laughter and joy,
And she created beauty and colors around her again.
She felt grief for all the grey years lost in the grip of the storm in her heart.
But in all the years that she had learned how to overpower the storm,
She had gained much power and intensity.
She could now use this to help others to heal,
And use the storm to change and transform.
To learn not to be so afraid as she had been.
She was now a storm chaser.
She bravely took people by the hand,
Looked into the darkening clouds overhead,
Then looked them deeply in the eyes,
And with a knowing smile and a sparkle of lightning in her eyes,
She said,
Don't worry.
I'm here.
We'll get through this.
Quickly,
Take my hand.
I'll show you the way.
She ran ahead,
Guiding the way,
Imagining in her heart the rainbows and sunshine that lay ahead.
The End I hope the vibrations from this story can help to ease any storms over your head,
And help you to learn to let out the storm in your heart that's ready to create and destroy what is ready to change.
